Her research focuses on understanding forest ecosystem vulnerability in the face of changing fire disturbance regimes using observations across natural gradients and field–based experimental manipulations. She has studied the implications of fire suppression and ‘mesophication’ on composition, structure, and flammability of oak, mixed, and pine forestsof the eastern U.S. for 18 years and has spent over a decade investigating wildfire implications for forest growth and regeneration dynamics in Siberian forests underlain by permafrost soils.
Expertise: Alexander is an expert in the areas of forest ecology, fire ecology, and disturbance ecology.
Teaching Responsibilities: Forest Fire, Forest Ecology
Research Interests: Impacts of changing fire regimes of forest successional dynamics, influence of tree traits on forest flammability, and consequences of changing forest composition on forest ecosystem function.
Headed by Dr. Heather D. Alexander, the Auburn University Forest Fire and Ecology Lab studies the causes and consequences of shifting forest composition and changing successional trajectories due to altered disturbance regimes, especially fire. Our research focuses on three main issues:
- How do changes in disturbance regimes trigger shifts in vegetation communities (both composition and structure) from one state to another?
- How does this reorganization of vegetation composition and structure alter ecosystem function?
- If desired and ecologically feasible, can we actively restore historical or create new and novel disturbance regimes that act to promote ecosystem recovery to a desired state?
Our Research:
- Flammability of Fruiting Structures
- Carbon implications of wind damage in fire-managed forests
- Pyrophyte vs. mesophyte leaf litter flammability traits across gradients of regional climate and fire history
- Functional ecology of pyrophytes and mesophytes of upland mixed forests
- Impacts of restoring fire to coastal pine forests on seed viability of invasive Chinese tallow
- Overstory tree influence on microclimate, fuels, fire behavior and tree regeneration
- Characteristics and conditions influencing longleaf pine seed production, size, and southern pine germination rates
- Management strategies for improving thornscrub forest restoration.
Subject areas:
- Forestry
- Forest Biology and Ecology
- Ecosystems & Society
