Associate ProfessorTina Bell

I started my journey in science more than 30 years when I did a Bachelor of Science in Botany and Zoology at the University of Western Australia. I fell in love with plants so, as a PhD candidate, I specialised in plant nutrient acquisition and mycorrhizal symbioses of native Australian and introduced plant species. This was set against a backdrop of bushfire as an environmental disturbance of plant growth. At the time, the intersection of bushfire and plant productivity was only just being recognised in Australia, and I eagerly contributed to the growing body of knowledge.

At this point I went international. As a Postdoctoral Fellow at The University of Cape Town, South Africa, I investigated the responsiveness of native South African grasses, rushes, and shrubs to changed nutrient environments post-fire. Since then, I have researched the ecological effects of bushfires from a range of perspectives, particularly centered around the needs of fire agencies and land managers in Victoria and New South Wales.

I have authored multiple publications, including chapters in two pivotal books about bushfire in Australia (Flammable Australia: Fire Regimes, Biodiversity and Ecosystems in a Changing World, CSIRO Publishing, 2012 and Prescribed Burning in Australasia: The Science, Practice and Politics of Burning the Bush, Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities, 2020).