Research projects Projects have been established on the following subjects:   Fire behaviour and fuel dynamics 156Fire behaviour is a term used to describe the basic physical features of fire – e.g. rate of spread, the amount of energy released the height of the flames.   Effects of fire on soil biodiversity & function in savanna woodland Long-term landscape health can only be achieved if the basic ecosystem functions of capturing and cycling water, nutrients and carbon are maintained.   Fire and savanna grass ecology Native grasses play a crutial role in maintaining savanna function.   Effects of fire on tree dynamics The dynamics of trees affects many other ecosystem components and processes.   Impact of herbivory by Agile wallabies on vegetation response to fire Many perennial plant species, but especially grasses, survive fire because the plant’s growing points are protected from fire by being very close to or under the soil surface.   Fire and invertebrates in northern Australia Despite the fact that invertebrates dominate terrestrial systems with their huge biomass, enormous diversity, and their wide range of ecological roles (including decomposers, pollinators, herbivor...   The short-term response of a savanna skink community to low intensity fire Previous studies of the response of savanna lizards and frogs to fire suggested that these animals are surprisingly resilient to the impacts of fire when compared to their arid cousins.   Soil microbial and nutrient cycling responses to fire in savanna woodland Nutrient cycling is a key ecological process for maintaining ecosystem function and soil microbes are a critical component of this process.

This page last updated 29 March, 2006
Burning for Biodiversity database last updated 25 May, 2007
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