Fires, Forests, and Climate
Researching the effects of fire on plant structure, function, and ecological succession
Hello and welcome. This site is dedicated to my research on post-fire recovery, specifically on central California mixed evergreen and redwood dominant forests. I am currently interested in how plant traits may alter species ranges in post-fire habitats, specifically how increased drought and loss of soil moisture could alter plant species assemblages towards more drought-tolerant physiologies. I am also interested in investigating whether extreme fire events may shift seedling recruitment and establishment as the result of microclimate shift, encouraging alterative stable state transition.
About the Researcher:
Hugh Leonard is a graduate student of the Pittermann Lab at the University of California, Santa Cruz pursuing a PhD in plant ecophysiology.
Hugh Leonard is a graduate student of the Pittermann Lab at the University of California, Santa Cruz pursuing a PhD in plant ecophysiology.