We study fire's impact on vegetation, nutrient cycling, watersheds, and carbon levels to improve fire and forest management for ecosystem and property protection.
Fire is a natural process that shapes the appearance, function, and biodiversity of Western forests, woodlands, and grasslands. Our faculty study how fire interacts with plants and vegetation, the role it plays in providing nutrients to the land, how it affects watersheds, and how it helps alter carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. This applied research enables contemporary fire and forest management, where fire is able to maintain key ecosystem functions and human life and property is protected.
Faculty
Donald Falk
Professor, Natural Resources
Chair, Global Ecology & Management
Affiliated Faculty; Arizona Institutes for Resilience
Amy Ganguli
Professor, Cooperative Extension Specialist, and Marley Endowed Chair for Sustainable Rangeland Stewardship
Research Staff
Aaron D. Flesch
Research Scientist
The Desert Laboratory - Tumamoc Hill