Tom Le Breton
@tomlebreton.bsky.social
Postdoc working on fire management in threatened ecosystems and conservation of threatened plant species.
Centre for Ecosystem Science, UNSW and the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Research Centre
Centre for Ecosystem Science, UNSW and the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Research Centre
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
🔥New Paper!🔥 from Julianna Santos,
@ltkelly.bsky.social @lluisbrotons.bsky.social @urbanfrogger.bsky.social @cristinaaponte.bsky.social , Lauren Ponisio, Stephen Mason, and David Keith!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@ltkelly.bsky.social @lluisbrotons.bsky.social @urbanfrogger.bsky.social @cristinaaponte.bsky.social , Lauren Ponisio, Stephen Mason, and David Keith!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
The Mechanisms Through Which Fire Drives Population Change in Terrestrial Biota
Understanding the mechanisms through which fire influences populations is necessary to protect species from fire regime change. We develop a cross-taxa framework that identifies mechanisms through wh...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
September 22, 2025 at 11:41 AM
🔥New Paper!🔥 from Julianna Santos,
@ltkelly.bsky.social @lluisbrotons.bsky.social @urbanfrogger.bsky.social @cristinaaponte.bsky.social , Lauren Ponisio, Stephen Mason, and David Keith!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@ltkelly.bsky.social @lluisbrotons.bsky.social @urbanfrogger.bsky.social @cristinaaponte.bsky.social , Lauren Ponisio, Stephen Mason, and David Keith!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
Inferring recent and ongoing plant extinctions. Katus shortfall- the unknown loss of biodiversity past, present and future is broader than ‘dark extinction’- species becoming extinct before being formally described nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
September 18, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Inferring recent and ongoing plant extinctions. Katus shortfall- the unknown loss of biodiversity past, present and future is broader than ‘dark extinction’- species becoming extinct before being formally described nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
National climate change risk assessment for #Australia’s natural ecosystems tech reports are online: We report
Australia’s natural ecosystems are highly exposed & vulnerable to climate change across the land and sea. 1/🧵
Australia’s natural ecosystems are highly exposed & vulnerable to climate change across the land and sea. 1/🧵
29 Natural Ecosystems Technical Report: Synthesis
This assessment found Australia’s natural environment is highly exposed and vulnerable to climate change. The projected change is outside the conditions to which most native species have adapted.
www.acs.gov.au
September 16, 2025 at 7:19 PM
National climate change risk assessment for #Australia’s natural ecosystems tech reports are online: We report
Australia’s natural ecosystems are highly exposed & vulnerable to climate change across the land and sea. 1/🧵
Australia’s natural ecosystems are highly exposed & vulnerable to climate change across the land and sea. 1/🧵
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
What happens when an 'extinct' plant species is rediscovered?
We a casestudy Atriplex, and found...not much
Despite being 'rediscovered' three times in the last decade Atriplex acutiloba remains listed as extinct. And it isn't alone. Nor is the phenomenon new.
doi.org/10.1111/aec.70101
We a casestudy Atriplex, and found...not much
Despite being 'rediscovered' three times in the last decade Atriplex acutiloba remains listed as extinct. And it isn't alone. Nor is the phenomenon new.
doi.org/10.1111/aec.70101
We Need a Process for Managing and Reassessing Rediscovered Species: A Case Study With the ‘Extinct’ Atriplex acutiloba
Rediscovery of extinct species is an exciting prospect and, surprisingly, a common reason for changes to species' listings. In Australia, however, species declared ‘extinct’ are afforded no legal pro....
doi.org
August 6, 2025 at 6:19 AM
What happens when an 'extinct' plant species is rediscovered?
We a casestudy Atriplex, and found...not much
Despite being 'rediscovered' three times in the last decade Atriplex acutiloba remains listed as extinct. And it isn't alone. Nor is the phenomenon new.
doi.org/10.1111/aec.70101
We a casestudy Atriplex, and found...not much
Despite being 'rediscovered' three times in the last decade Atriplex acutiloba remains listed as extinct. And it isn't alone. Nor is the phenomenon new.
doi.org/10.1111/aec.70101
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
🔥Are you investigating how plants respond to shifting fire regimes? Submit to our new Special Collection🌱
Title: "After the fires: Plant responses and resilience under shifting fire regimes"
📖 Submit by 30 Sept 2025.
🧪 Details 👉 www.publish.csiro.au/bt/content/C...
#Fire #Botany #Plantscience
Title: "After the fires: Plant responses and resilience under shifting fire regimes"
📖 Submit by 30 Sept 2025.
🧪 Details 👉 www.publish.csiro.au/bt/content/C...
#Fire #Botany #Plantscience
July 8, 2025 at 2:15 AM
🔥Are you investigating how plants respond to shifting fire regimes? Submit to our new Special Collection🌱
Title: "After the fires: Plant responses and resilience under shifting fire regimes"
📖 Submit by 30 Sept 2025.
🧪 Details 👉 www.publish.csiro.au/bt/content/C...
#Fire #Botany #Plantscience
Title: "After the fires: Plant responses and resilience under shifting fire regimes"
📖 Submit by 30 Sept 2025.
🧪 Details 👉 www.publish.csiro.au/bt/content/C...
#Fire #Botany #Plantscience
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
Congratulations to Dr Chantelle Doyle @saltandbrine.bsky.social - joining ABC's Top5 Science program for 2025 www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
TOP 5 2025: WINNERS - ABC listen
The ABC is pleased to introduce the 2025 winners in Science, Humanities and Arts Top5 programs.The successful applicants will spend two weeks in residence at ABC Radio National.
www.abc.net.au
July 2, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Congratulations to Dr Chantelle Doyle @saltandbrine.bsky.social - joining ABC's Top5 Science program for 2025 www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
Hugely excited for our work on the Nullarbor Caves to be featured on the ever excellent First Dog on the Moon. Oh yeah...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Did you know that there are huge caves full of weirdy bugs and ancient life right under the Nullarbor desert? | First Dog on the Moon
We simply don’t know even a fraction of what is in them
www.theguardian.com
June 30, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Hugely excited for our work on the Nullarbor Caves to be featured on the ever excellent First Dog on the Moon. Oh yeah...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
I've been banging on about this issue - immature alpine ash, fire and seed - for years so it was great to get a chance to contribute to this ABC Landline story about it. "A 'time bomb' in the state's ash forests" www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...
Alpine forests face collapse without urgent reforestation, say scientists
Bushfires and a lack of seed have created a "ticking time bomb" in Victoria's alpine and mountain ash forests, scientists are warning.
www.abc.net.au
June 21, 2025 at 11:54 PM
I've been banging on about this issue - immature alpine ash, fire and seed - for years so it was great to get a chance to contribute to this ABC Landline story about it. "A 'time bomb' in the state's ash forests" www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
Finite resources, lots of species requiring conservation. @saltandbrine.bsky.social asks the question - how far do we go for each plant species? A simple question generating deep thought! #ICCB2025
June 17, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Finite resources, lots of species requiring conservation. @saltandbrine.bsky.social asks the question - how far do we go for each plant species? A simple question generating deep thought! #ICCB2025
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
🗺️ Ever wander to a new place and think, "Hmm I wonder what birds/plants/[insert favourite taxonomic group] I can find here?" 🔍
We built {infinitylists} 📋 to help nature lovers create personalised, location-based taxon lists! 🌏
We built {infinitylists} 📋 to help nature lovers create personalised, location-based taxon lists! 🌏
June 11, 2025 at 11:55 PM
🗺️ Ever wander to a new place and think, "Hmm I wonder what birds/plants/[insert favourite taxonomic group] I can find here?" 🔍
We built {infinitylists} 📋 to help nature lovers create personalised, location-based taxon lists! 🌏
We built {infinitylists} 📋 to help nature lovers create personalised, location-based taxon lists! 🌏
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
There's "a false perception that Labor values the environment movement & its endorsement. In reality, Labor only wants to neutralise it. [..] They want to be able to name-drop supportive organisations in press conferences, but they’re far less willing to adopt those same groups’ policy proposals"
When nice isn’t working: Rethinking climate advocacy under a Labor government — campaign-republic.com
After Labor’s recent election win, many in the climate and environment space breathed a sigh of relief. The Coalition and its nuclear fantasy were resoundingly rejected. In its place, a government tha...
www.campaign-republic.com
June 1, 2025 at 10:32 PM
There's "a false perception that Labor values the environment movement & its endorsement. In reality, Labor only wants to neutralise it. [..] They want to be able to name-drop supportive organisations in press conferences, but they’re far less willing to adopt those same groups’ policy proposals"
New paper out! After the 2019-2020 #fires in Australia our team undertook #IUCN Red List assessments of fire affected #plant species, to handle the volume we undertook paired rapid and full assessments and compared their accuracy 1/4
doi.org/10.1016/j.bi...
doi.org/10.1016/j.bi...
May 12, 2025 at 7:43 AM
New paper out! After the 2019-2020 #fires in Australia our team undertook #IUCN Red List assessments of fire affected #plant species, to handle the volume we undertook paired rapid and full assessments and compared their accuracy 1/4
doi.org/10.1016/j.bi...
doi.org/10.1016/j.bi...
Varroa mite arriving in Australia has been a big worry for agriculture and bee keeping but it will also result in a massive decline in feral honeybee populations. This will affect many native plant species visited by honeybees, our new paper aimed to understand what those effects might be 1/5
A new #OpenAccess article in #AusJBotany identifies potential consequences of the spread of varroa mite and highlights the large knowledge gaps that currently limit understanding of the subsequent impacts on the Australian flora.
@ausjbotany.bsky.social
www.publish.csiro.au/bt/BT24020
@ausjbotany.bsky.social
www.publish.csiro.au/bt/BT24020
March 11, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Varroa mite arriving in Australia has been a big worry for agriculture and bee keeping but it will also result in a massive decline in feral honeybee populations. This will affect many native plant species visited by honeybees, our new paper aimed to understand what those effects might be 1/5
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
There are many issues with preprints, but one of the biggest is when they are seen as credible before being peer-reviewed.
This is potentially very dangerous. A 🧵
🧪 #SciPub #AcademicSky
This is potentially very dangerous. A 🧵
🧪 #SciPub #AcademicSky
Preprints often make news. Many people don’t know what they are
The public needs context about unreviewed manuscripts, survey suggests
www.science.org
January 10, 2025 at 6:52 PM
There are many issues with preprints, but one of the biggest is when they are seen as credible before being peer-reviewed.
This is potentially very dangerous. A 🧵
🧪 #SciPub #AcademicSky
This is potentially very dangerous. A 🧵
🧪 #SciPub #AcademicSky
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
10 = The officially recognised number of #extinct Australian #invertebrates.
We show the actual number is likely much higher, 9,000+ species. AND 1-3 invertebrate species are being lost each week.
This level of loss is not sustainable. This is a wake up call 🌍🧪
theconversation.com/around-9-000...
We show the actual number is likely much higher, 9,000+ species. AND 1-3 invertebrate species are being lost each week.
This level of loss is not sustainable. This is a wake up call 🌍🧪
theconversation.com/around-9-000...
Around 9,000 species have already gone extinct in Australia and we’ll likely lose another this week – new study
A new study estimates there have been more than 9,000 Australian invertebrate extinctions since 1788. Only one has been officially listed.
theconversation.com
December 10, 2024 at 10:06 PM
10 = The officially recognised number of #extinct Australian #invertebrates.
We show the actual number is likely much higher, 9,000+ species. AND 1-3 invertebrate species are being lost each week.
This level of loss is not sustainable. This is a wake up call 🌍🧪
theconversation.com/around-9-000...
We show the actual number is likely much higher, 9,000+ species. AND 1-3 invertebrate species are being lost each week.
This level of loss is not sustainable. This is a wake up call 🌍🧪
theconversation.com/around-9-000...
Thanks to everyone who came, if you still have questions or just want to chat and see me around #ESAus2024 come say hi.
For those who saw @tomlebreton.bsky.social talk about threat mitigation to #ozflora at #ESAus2024 on Day 1 and are interested to know more, here's the paper conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
December 10, 2024 at 9:23 PM
Thanks to everyone who came, if you still have questions or just want to chat and see me around #ESAus2024 come say hi.
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
Overcoming Major Barriers in Seed Ecology Research in Developing Countries | Seed Science Research | Cambridge Core
doi:10.1017/S0960258523000181
doi:10.1017/S0960258523000181
February 3, 2024 at 5:41 PM
Overcoming Major Barriers in Seed Ecology Research in Developing Countries | Seed Science Research | Cambridge Core
doi:10.1017/S0960258523000181
doi:10.1017/S0960258523000181
New paper out in Conservation Biology. We propose a simple conceptual model for examining threat management programs and identifying areas for improvement. We show how it can be used in the context of managing fire around threatened flora. 1/4
dx.doi.org/10.1111/cobi...
dx.doi.org/10.1111/cobi...
Conceptual model for assessing a science–policy–management framework for threat mitigation
Fire regimes are changing globally, leading to an increased need for management interventions to protect human lives and interests, potentially conflicting with biodiversity conservation. We conceptu...
dx.doi.org
November 19, 2024 at 9:33 PM
New paper out in Conservation Biology. We propose a simple conceptual model for examining threat management programs and identifying areas for improvement. We show how it can be used in the context of managing fire around threatened flora. 1/4
dx.doi.org/10.1111/cobi...
dx.doi.org/10.1111/cobi...
Reposted by Tom Le Breton
The condition of sites affected how severe impacts of the 2019-20 fires were. Most important was the number of preceding fires, with implications for prescribed burning🌏
The conversation theconversation.com/catastrophic...
The paper www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The video youtu.be/kCPjowmxH3Q
The conversation theconversation.com/catastrophic...
The paper www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The video youtu.be/kCPjowmxH3Q
‘Catastrophic declines’: massive data haul reveals why so many plants and animals suffer after fire
Frequent fuel-reduction burning appears to prime ecosystems for major disruption when the next wildfire hits.
theconversation.com
November 13, 2024 at 8:52 PM
The condition of sites affected how severe impacts of the 2019-20 fires were. Most important was the number of preceding fires, with implications for prescribed burning🌏
The conversation theconversation.com/catastrophic...
The paper www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The video youtu.be/kCPjowmxH3Q
The conversation theconversation.com/catastrophic...
The paper www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The video youtu.be/kCPjowmxH3Q