Department of Biology

Tales of plants that thrive where fire and water collide

Dr. Raelene Crandall
University of Florida

February 16, 2022
4-5pm

Hosted By Dr. Sally Koerner

Abstract

Fire regimes that deviate from the postulated historical norm are a management concern in fire-dependent tropical and subtropical savannas. Human activities are a primary driver of fire regime shifts, but disturbances such as flooding can also be influential in changing the intensity, frequency, and heterogeneity of fires. Researchers and managers alike question whether populations of rare and endangered plant species are resilient to altered fire regimes and their interaction with other disturbances. In this talk, Dr. Crandall will discuss several case studies from the southeastern U.S. and Belize where fire and water interact to affect the population dynamics of species of management concern. An examination of plant responses to natural disturbances in isolation and in concert should guide management protocols and facilitate the conservation of plant species despite changing environmental conditions.