It was a real treat contributing to research on bilbies and fire mosaics last week - led by @ecology-sam.bsky.social - out at AWC's Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary. Big shout out to @australianwildlife.bsky.social for supporting the project!

A big thanks to UCLA Ecology and Evolutionary Biology for hosting me while I worked on this, and to all the legends in the Tingley Lab that shared ideas with me and showed me around LA and surrounds. Plus this fox squirrel outside my office window that encouraged the example in Figure 1 #GoBruins

We show that fire-related traits in animals can vary within species, affect fitness, and be heritable – and extend a recent plant-focused application of ‘trait-fire mismatch’ to animals.

And we develop the concept of 'trait–fire mismatch':

A type of phenotype-environment mismatch that brings together ecological and evolutionary fire science and supports forecasts of fire-driven environmental change.

We show that variation in fire-related traits – such as bark thickness, resprouting, serotiny, and smoke-induced germination – is widespread within plant species.

We examine plant traits through the lens of fire science.

Traits such as resprouting and serotiny help plants thrive in fire-prone areas.

Can plants keep up with fire regime changes through evolution?

Our new paper is out in the July issue of @cp-trendsecolevo.bsky.social

📖 www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...

with Hoffmann, Nitschke & @jgpausas.bsky.social
#fireecology #PlantBiology #ecoevo 🔥🌿🧬

Excited to be at #ICCB2025 in Brisbane this week! If you're interested in plant traits, fire or rapid evolution, come along to my talk on 'trait-fire mismatch' Monday at 2:55 PM in Room P5. Hope to see you there! 🌿🔥

Our new paper, led by Amanda Lo Cascio, explores how pyrodiversity shapes bat communities—featuring this little forest bat.🔥🦇

Check it out here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Exploring #fireecology in the UK this week with colleagues from The University of Cambridge. In heather-dominated landscapes (Calluna vulgaris), small burns are used to create pyrodiversity for a range of ecological and management goals. This burn? Designed to enhance red grouse habitat—for hunting.