Dr Tina Bell
|
|
Teaching |
|---|
Master of Forest Ecosystem Science
220503 Bushfires and Biodiversity
220410 Bushfire Planning and Management
Land managers are committed to developing science-based ecological burning strategies which achieve both biodiversity and asset protection objectives. An increased knowledge of the ecological impacts of fire on plants, animals and microorganisms facilitates a better understanding of how more effective fire management can be achieved. This subject explores the basic effects of fire on biodiversity and nutrient cycling in Australian ecosystems including:
- responses of plants to fire, particularly seeding and resprouting strategies, seed storage and dispersal mechanisms and the consequences of single and repeated fires
- responses of animals, including invertebrates, to fire at the level of individuals, populations and communities
- the role of fungi in ecosystems including breakdown of organic matter, nutrient uptake and maintenance of plant populations
- the interaction between fire, plants, organic matter inputs, animals and microorganisms in nutrient cycling
- the impacts of bushfire and prescribed burning at the ecosystem level, particularly attributes of species and landscape factors such as connectivity and habitat condition
- scientific inputs to landscape-scale adaptive management including planning, monitoring and legislation
Bushfire Planning and Management
This subject covers the fundamentals of setting and achieving bushfire management objectives for ecological and fire protection purposes in natural ecosystems. Topics covered include the contents of a fire management plan, setting objectives, developing fire prescriptions, undertaking monitoring, evaluation and review of the management process. Students will learn about:
- fire management objectives for individual burns and for broader management areas
- burning prescriptions to achieve fauna, flora and protection objectives
- plant and animal life history attributes and the use of this information to devise sustainable fire regimes
- fire management strategies and plans that maintain water quality and yield
- use of GIS programs to develop fire management plans
- how to establish and run a monitoring program to assess the effectiveness of a fire management plan
- current Codes of Practice used for fire management
- key legal responsibilities related to fire management including the maintenance of biodiversity, protection from damaging fires and fire suppression