Nature Cultures Research Seminar: What plants do when conditions change

What plants do when conditions change: five lessons from ecology for resilient landscapes.

Drawing on her research into grasses and fire-prone ecosystems, Kimberley Simpson will explore five lessons from plant ecology that offer insights for landscape design in a changing climate. The talk will examine how plant traits influence growth, how rising atmospheric CO₂ affects plant productivity and competitive ability, how vegetation shapes fire regimes, and how different species recover from disturbance. Together, these findings raise important questions about plant selection, biodiversity, ecological resilience and how we design and manage plant communities for an uncertain future.