Fire University

Dr. Luke Kelly, Associate Professor in Quantitative Ecology at the University of Melbourne, joins us to discuss his research on fire and biodiversity in Australia, focusing on the diverse ecosystems, the challenges posed by changing fire regimes, and the role of grazing and invasive species. We explore the importance of understanding plant traits in relation to fire resilience and the ongoing biodiversity crisis, and how Australian fire science is working to address these issues.  This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort.  Resources: Kelly, L. T., et al. (2023). Understanding fire regimes for a better Anthropocene. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 48(1).   Dr. Luke Kelly Email, Publications, Website Episode Host: Dr. Carolina Baruzzi @wildlandmgmt, Publications   Have suggestions for future episodes? Send us your feedback! (here) Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science! Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).   Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

We are joined by Dr. Adam Pellegrini, Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge, to better understand how ecosystems respond to global change. Dr. Pellegrini breaks down how fire maintains and affects carbon cycling and how these key processes shape ecosystems worldwide. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources Dr. Adam Pellegrini @eco_pelle, Website, Academic Profile Co-host: Dr. Carolina Baruzzi @wildlandmgmt, Academic Profile Co-host: Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Academic Profile   Have suggestions for future episodes? Send us your feedback! (here) Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science! Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).   Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak  

Dr. Kendall Calhoun of UCLA and UC Davis joins us to discuss the impact of megafires on wildlife communities. We delve into what defines a megafire, explore his research on wildlife and habitat responses to megafires, and discuss both the positive and negative effects of these events. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort.  Resources: Calhoun, K. L., et al. (2024). Movement behavior in a dominant ungulate underlies successful adjustment to a rapidly changing landscape following megafire. Movement Ecology, 12(1), 53. Calhoun, K. L. et al. (2023). Mammalian resistance to megafire in western US woodland savannas. Ecosphere, 14(7), e4613. Calhoun, K. L. et al.  (2022). Spatial overlap of wildfire and biodiversity in California highlights gap in non‐conifer fire research and management. Diversity and Distributions, 28(3), 529-541. Kreling, S. E. et al.  (2021). Site fidelity and behavioral plasticity regulate an ungulate's response to extreme disturbance. Ecology and Evolution, 11(22), 15683-15694.   Dr. Kendall Calhoun @kenleecalhoun, @kenleecalhoun,  Academic Profile Co-host: Dr. Carolina Baruzzi @wildlandmgmt, Academic Profile Co-host: Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Academic Profile   Check out the first annual Bobwhite Heritage Festival!  - Flyer & Facebook Event Page   Have suggestions for future episodes? Send us your feedback! (here) Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science! Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).   Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

Dr. Molly Hunter joins us to discuss her work with the Joint Fire Science Program and the Fire Science Exchange Network, two organizations established to support fireland science research, provide science-based decisions to managers, and foster collaboration between scientists and practitioners. We also discuss the importance of measuring outcomes and the roles that trust and collaboration play in successful fire science management. This podcast is supported by  listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources: Joint Fire Science Program Fire Science Exchange Network Hunter, M. E. (2016). Outcomes of fire research: is science used?. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 25(5), 495-504. Hunter, M. E., et al. (2020). The use of science in wildland fire management: a review of barriers and facilitators. Current Forestry Reports, 6, 354-367.   Dr. Molly Hunter Academic Profile Dr. Carolina Baruzzi wildlandmgmt, Academic Profile Dr. Marcus Lashley DrDisturbance, Academic Profile   Have suggestions for future episodes? Send us your feedback! (here) Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science! Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).   Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak  

Kim Sash, the Biological Monitoring Coordinator for Tall Timbers Research Station, joins us to shed light on how fire shapes reptilian and amphibian habitat, the challenges of applying fire regimes to wetland management, and how fire is used to help conserve these fascinating creatures. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources: Bailey, M. A., et al. (2006). Habitat management guidelines for amphibians and reptiles of the southeastern United States. Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Technical Publication HMG-2, Montgomery, Alabama, 88.   Kim Sash Contact, Tall Timbers Co-host: Dr. Carolina Baruzzi wildlandmgmt, Academic Profile Co-host: Dr. Marcus Lashley DrDisturbance, Academic Profile   Have suggestions for future episodes? Send us your feedback! (here) Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science! Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).   Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak  

Dr. Ben Sikes, Associate Professor of Microbial Ecology at the University of Kansas, joins us to shed light on the fascinating relationships between fungi and fire. Learn of the interconnection between plants created by mycorrhizal networks (AKA the "wood wide web"), how fire regimes drive changes in fungal communities, the mechanisms of carrying out fungal research, and much more. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort.   Bond, W. J., & Keeley, J. E. (2005). Fire as a global 'herbivore': the ecology and evolution of flammable ecosystems. Trends in ecology & evolution, 20(7), 387-394. Hopkins, J. R., et al. (2021). Fungal community structure and seasonal trajectories respond similarly to fire across pyrophilic ecosystems. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 97(1), fiaa219. Hopkins, J. R., et al. (2020). Frequent fire slows microbial decomposition of newly deposited fine fuels in a pyrophilic ecosystem. Oecologia, 193, 631-643. Hansen, P. M., et al. (2019). Recurrent fires do not affect the abundance of soil fungi in a frequently burned pine savanna. Fungal ecology, 42, 100852. Fox, S., et al. (2022). Fire as a driver of fungal diversity—A synthesis of current knowledge. Mycologia, 114(2), 215-241. Dao, V. Q., et al. (2022). Substrate and low intensity fires influence bacterial communities in longleaf pine savanna. Scientific reports, 12(1), 20904. Dr. Ben Sikes Contact/Website, Academic Profile Co-host: Dr. Carolina Baruzzi wildlandmgmt, Academic Profile Co-host: Dr. Marcus Lashley DrDisturbance, Academic Profile   Have suggestions for future episodes? Send us your feedback! (here) Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science! Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).   Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak  

Carolina and Marcus sit down with Ciera Rhodes of Quail Forever to discuss the importance of using fire when managing for gamebirds, programs and agencies available to assist landowners with management practices and funding, and best fire practices for maximizing quail on your property. This podcast is supported by  listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources: NRCS EQIP Quail Forever   Co-host: Dr. Carolina Baruzzi (wildlandmgmt) (Academic Profile) Co-host: Dr. Marcus Lashley (DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile)   Have suggestions for future episodes? Send us your feedback! (here) Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science! Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).   Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak  

Dr. Anthony Taylor, Associate Professor of Forest Management at the University of New Brunswick, joins Carolina to discuss the Canadian wildfires, the implications of climate change on our ecological and human communities, and what tools can help mitigate these effects moving forward. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort.  Resources: Wang, J., Taylor, A. R., & D'Orangeville, L. (2023). Warming-induced tree growth may help offset increasing disturbance across the Canadian boreal forest. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(2), e2212780120.   Dr. Anthony Taylor (website) (Academic Profile) Co-host: Dr. Carolina Baruzzi (wildlandmgmt) (Academic Profile) Co-host: Dr. Marcus Lashley (DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile)   Have suggestions for future episodes? Send us your feedback! (here) Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science! Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).   Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak  

Dr. Istvan Kereszy joins Marcus and Carolina to discuss his company: Fire Neural Network. Learn how artificial intelligence is used to detect high-risk lightning, how it is currently being applied to fight wildfires across the globe, and how we can continue to benefit from this technology moving forward. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources: Dr. Istvan Kereszy  (info@fireneuralnetwork.com) Fire Neural Network (https://www.fireneuralnetwork.com/) UF Article (https://news.ufl.edu/2023/04/fire-neural-network/)   Co-host: Dr. Carolina Baruzzi (wildlandmgmt) (Academic Profile) Co-host: Dr. Marcus Lashley (DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile)   Have suggestions for future episodes? Send us your feedback! (here) Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science! Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).   Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak  

We welcome Dr. Carolina Baruzzi, Assistant Professor of Wildlife Ecology & Management at the University of Florida, who joins Marcus as our new co-host of Fire University! Hear about their previous work together, Dr. Baruzzi's research interests, and their ideas for the series moving forward.  This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources from the episode: Baruzzi, C., et al. "The pyrogenic bunchgrass Aristida beyrichiana is negatively affected by soil biota when planted outside of its home soil." Plant and Soil (2022): 1-10. Nichols, Rainer A., et al. "Alter fire timing to recouple forage nutrients with herbivore nutrient demands." Forest Ecology and Management 500 (2021): 119646.   Co-host: Dr. Carolina Baruzzi (wildlandmgmt) (Academic Profile) Co-host: Dr. Marcus Lashley (DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile)   Have suggestions for future episodes? Send us your feedback! (here) Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science! Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).   Music by Artlist.io Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak  

Marcus is joined by Jenn Fawcett, Extension Associate & SERPPAS Prescribed Fire Work Group Coordinator for NC State University. Join as they discuss the various avenues of education and coordination available to landowners across the southeast wanting to get fire on their land.  This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources from the episode: https://kstate.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=3eacaaf1a3514d3da2e5215b5dd55f9b https://sites.cnr.ncsu.edu/southeast-fire-update/prescribed-burn-associations// https://www.frames.gov/catalog/21218   Episode Host:  Dr. Marcus Lashley- @DrDisturbance    Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science! Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).

Marcus is joined by Laurel Kays, Fire Learning Network Manager of The Nature Conservancy. Learn of the programs and networking support in which fire professionals are helping landowners to understand and navigate getting fire on their lands. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources from the episode: Fire Learning Network Project Firehawk: Decolonizing Prescribed Fire A Pessimist's Guide to Optimal Hope  Dr. Sarah McCaffrey on Effective Communication about Wildfire Management: Observations from 20 years of fire social science research Guest: Laurel Kays Episode Host: Dr. Marcus Lashley - @DrDisturbance    Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).

Dr. Marcus Lashley is joined by Dr. Kevin Robertson, Fire Ecology Research Scientist at Tall Timbers Research Station. Listen as they discuss Dr. Robertson's recent research assessing how fire affects the restoration of pine savannas over a 100 year period. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources: Research study discussed: Pine savanna restoration on agricultural landscapes: The path back to native savanna ecosystem services Guest: Dr. Kevin Robertson Episode Host: Dr. Marcus Lashley - @DrDisturbance    Enroll now in our free fire course. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).

In this episode of Fire University, Marcus chats with Dr. Victoria Donovan, Assistant Professor of Forest Management at the University of Florida. Join as they discuss her past research understanding the roles of fire dynamics across plant and animal communities, as well as future research programs to continue understanding how fire shapes communities within spatio-temporal scales. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources: Episode Guest: Dr. Victoria Donovan - The Donovan Lab - victoria.donovan@ufl.edu  Episode Host: Dr. Marcus Lashley  - @DrDisturbance - @ufdeerlab    Enroll now in our free wildland fire course. Available to all! For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).

Earlier this year, we created an online Fire Training Course to teach and train participants on how to use prescribed fire to reach land management objectives. We had fire experts join a panel discussion to answer questions and share their knowledge on the fundamentals of implementing fire and connecting with fire communities. This episode is that panel discussion. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources: Episode Host: Dr. Marcus Lashley - @DrDisturbance The Fire Training Course remains open, free, and available to all:  https://bit.ly/RxFireTraining For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).  

Whether it's from fear of red meat allergy or Lyme's disease, it's safe to say that most people don't hope to find a tick on them during routine checks. In this episode, Marcus introduces longtime friend and newly hired UF Assistant Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management Dr. Carolina Baruzzi. Join as they break down their recent (unreleased) study assessing the effects that fire timing and deer have on tick populations. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources: Dr. Carolina Baruzzi - @wildlandmgmt Episode Host: Dr. Marcus Lashley  - @DrDisturbance - @ufdeerlab    Articles mentioned in this episode: The Phenology of Ticks and the Effects of Long-Term Prescribed Burning on Tick Population Dynamics in Southwestern Georgia and Northwestern Florida Reptile Host Associations of Ixodes scapularis in Florida and Implications for Borrelia spp. Ecology Why Lyme disease is common in the northern US, but rare in the south: The roles of host choice, host-seeking behavior, and tick density Can restoration of fire-dependent ecosystems reduce ticks and tick-borne disease prevalence in the eastern United States? Reduced Abundance of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) with Exclusion of Deer by Electric Fencing Get access Arrow Abundance of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) After the Complete Removal of Deer from an Isolated Offshore Island, Endemic for Lyme Disease   Enroll now in our free wildland fire course. Available to all! For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).

The species you hunt need habitat year round. Now is a key time to evaluate your habitat management outcomes and plan for upcoming applications. Join Marcus as he chats with old friend and colleague Dr. Will Gulsby, Associate professor at Auburn University, as they discuss what you can do during the July heat.  This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources: Dr. Will Gulsby - @dr_will_gulsby - Auburn Deer Lab Episode Host: Dr. Marcus Lashley  - @DrDisturbance - @ufdeerlab    Enroll now in our free wildland fire course. Available to all! For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).

We talk a lot about the aspects of habitat that wildlife use the most…but what about the unique habitat features wildlife use infrequently but are critical to their survival? For this episode, Marcus sits down with good colleagues and friends Dr. Colter Chitwood and Dr. Dwayne Elmore of Oklahoma State University to discuss this concept with gamebirds, box turtles, and more. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources Dr. Colter Chitwood - colter.chitwood@okstate.edu - Chitwood Lab  Dr. Dwayne Elmore - dwayne.elmore@okstate.edu Episode Host: Dr. Marcus Lashley  - @DrDisturbance - @ufdeerlab    Papers discussed in this episode: Chiwood et al. 2017: Macroarthropod response to time-since-fire in the longleaf pine ecosystem Harris et al. 2020: Direct and Indirect Effects of Fire on Eastern Box Turtles Harris et al. 2020: Spatial Ecology and Resource Selection of Eastern Box Turtles Mason & Lashley 2021: Spatial scale in prescribed fire regimes: an understudied aspect in conservation with examples from the southeastern United States Robertson et al. 2021: Fire management alters the thermal landscape and provides multi-scale thermal options for a terrestrial turtle facing a changing climate   Enroll now in our free wildland fire course, opening June 20, 2022. For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).

Providing lactating does and their fawns with high-quality forage and cover is integral for both their nutrition and survival. In the southeast, fire is one of the leading management tools used to increase the quality of white-tailed deer habitat. For this episode, Marcus sits down with deer expert Dr. Bronson Strickland of the MSU Deer Lab to discuss details on what factors play a role in creating good-quality habitat for lactating does and their fawns. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources Episode Host: Dr. Marcus Lashley | @DrDisturbance | @ufdeerlab Dr. Bronson Strickland | @MSUDeerLab  For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬).   Please help us justify this effort by taking our quick survey: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9ZdpHVy5wwkAt4q

In today's episode, @DrDisturbance chats with Dr. Stephen Pyne, author and professor at Arizona State University who specializes in fire history. Come travel back in time as he walks us through the evolution of fire on the North American landscape, human relationship with fire in the environment, and problems we face now and in the future.  This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources Dr. Stephen Pyne : stephen.pyne@asu.edu | Website | Publications Episode Host: Dr. Marcus Lashley: @DrDisturbance -- UF DEER Lab: @ufdeerlab   For more information, follow WELaM lab on Instagram (@welamecology) and Youtube (‪@UF_WELaM‬); and UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@ufgamelab‬). Please help us justify this effort by taking our quick survey: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9ZdpHVy5wwkAt4q