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Dr Annabel Smith, lab leader
Senior Lecturer School of Environment University of Queensland Subject-matter Editor, Ecology Editorial Board Member, Journal of Pyrogeography EDUCATION 2008 – 2012 PhD in Ecology, Australian National University 2006 BSc in Biodiversity Conservation Honours, Flinders University 2003 – 2005 BSc in Biodiversity Conservation Flinders University CURRICULUM VITAE
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The Group
My research group studies fire ecology and conservation biology. Currently, we are working on:
We have a special interest in plants and animals living in fire-prone areas because of the fascinating fact that these ecosystems are never static but continually re-shaped by cycles of fire and regeneration.
While being grounded in fundamental biology and ecological theory, our research is always aimed at improving knowledge for biodiversity conservation. Our work has applications in fire management, biological invasion and threatened species conservation.
Our technical expertise includes (but is not limited to):
POPULATION GENETICS | SPATIAL LANDSCAPE GENETICS | DEMOGRAPHIC SIMULATION MODELLING | STATISTICAL MODELLING OF POPULATIONS & COMMUNITIES | BIOINFORMATICS | SPATIAL ANALYSIS IN R |
We also know how to drop a hand-made 1 x 1 m polypipe quadrat on the ground and do good old-fashioned field work.
My research group studies fire ecology and conservation biology. Currently, we are working on:
- Impact of changing fire regimes on plant-animal interactions
- Restoration of native grassland biodiversity
- Managing interactions between changing fire regimes and invasive plants
- Biodiversity in agricultural landscapes
We have a special interest in plants and animals living in fire-prone areas because of the fascinating fact that these ecosystems are never static but continually re-shaped by cycles of fire and regeneration.
While being grounded in fundamental biology and ecological theory, our research is always aimed at improving knowledge for biodiversity conservation. Our work has applications in fire management, biological invasion and threatened species conservation.
Our technical expertise includes (but is not limited to):
POPULATION GENETICS | SPATIAL LANDSCAPE GENETICS | DEMOGRAPHIC SIMULATION MODELLING | STATISTICAL MODELLING OF POPULATIONS & COMMUNITIES | BIOINFORMATICS | SPATIAL ANALYSIS IN R |
We also know how to drop a hand-made 1 x 1 m polypipe quadrat on the ground and do good old-fashioned field work.
Current Students
2022 – Rhiannon Bird, PhD Candidate, invertebrates as ecosystem service providers in agricultural landscapes
Postdoctoral Research Assistants
2025 – Dr Felicity Charles, fire management & wildlife conservation
2022 – Dr Isobel Roberts, habitat restoration for native grassland conservation
Group members co-advised
2024 - Rani Davis, PhD Candidate, bats in agricultural landscapes (primary advisor Dr April Reside)
2024 - Lauren Flohr, PhD Candidate, managing threatened flying fox food resources (primary advisor Dr April Reside)
2024 - Nadia Chinn, PhD Candidate QUT, supporting Indigenous fire management (primary advisor Prof. Jennifer Firn)
Lab Alumni ---
PhD students
2021 – 2025 Dr Felicity Charles, PhD, influence of fire regimes on plant-animal interactions
2018 – 2023 Dr Tamielle Brunt, PhD, platypus distribution & conservation
Postdocs
2023 – 2025 Dr Loren Fardell, Postdoctoral Research Fellow (primary advisor Dr April Reside)
Honours / masters students
2025 Brooke Allison, Masters, flammability traits in native and non-native plant species
2025 David Soulema, Masters, simulating impacts of fire regimes on genetic diversity in plant populations
2024 Karishma Menon, Honours, effect of fire on plant functional trait groups
2024 Ella Speedie, Honours, fire & genetic diversity
2024 Charley Rayner, Honours, platypus conservation in urban streams
2023 Caitlin Gaskell, Honours, resilience of soil seedbanks to low-intensity burning
2023 Joan Zwar, Masters, impact of low intensity burning on animal activity
2023 Kataryna McMillan, Masters, vegetation determinants of platypus distribution
2023 Amber Lim, Masters, the influence of fire on rare reptiles
2023 Eleanor McCall, Masters, importance of language and culture in Indigenous land management
2021 Rhiannon Bird, Honours, fire severity impacts on native animals
2021 Martha Victoria Jimenez Sandoval, Masters, fire severity impacts on rainforest vegetation
2020 Felicity Charles, Honours, wildlife corridors
2020 Kellie Schuring, Honours, lead toxicity in kangaroos
2020 Binyin Di, Winter Research Scholarship, genomic diversity in invasive plants
2020 Martha Victoria Jimenez Sandoval, Winter Research Scholarship, invasive plants and fire regime feedbacks
Research Assistants
2025 – Mitchell Snow, Senior Research Assistant, fire management & plant ecology
2024 – Michael Tervo, Senior Research Assistant (Botany), fire management & plant ecology
2023 – Dr Gabrielle Lebbink, Senior Research Assistant (Botany), fire management & plant ecology
2023 – Louise McFarline, Research Assistant, fire management & plant ecology
2020 – 2021 Raagini Muddaiah Kanjithanda, Research Assistant, grassland restoration
2020 – Shania Watson, Research Assistant, wildfire & rainforest mammals
Volunteers
2025 – Brooke Allison, Anna Jourdant, Harry Cooper, Tanya Jobling, Charley Rayner, David Soulema
2022 – Rhiannon Bird, PhD Candidate, invertebrates as ecosystem service providers in agricultural landscapes
Postdoctoral Research Assistants
2025 – Dr Felicity Charles, fire management & wildlife conservation
2022 – Dr Isobel Roberts, habitat restoration for native grassland conservation
Group members co-advised
2024 - Rani Davis, PhD Candidate, bats in agricultural landscapes (primary advisor Dr April Reside)
2024 - Lauren Flohr, PhD Candidate, managing threatened flying fox food resources (primary advisor Dr April Reside)
2024 - Nadia Chinn, PhD Candidate QUT, supporting Indigenous fire management (primary advisor Prof. Jennifer Firn)
Lab Alumni ---
PhD students
2021 – 2025 Dr Felicity Charles, PhD, influence of fire regimes on plant-animal interactions
2018 – 2023 Dr Tamielle Brunt, PhD, platypus distribution & conservation
Postdocs
2023 – 2025 Dr Loren Fardell, Postdoctoral Research Fellow (primary advisor Dr April Reside)
Honours / masters students
2025 Brooke Allison, Masters, flammability traits in native and non-native plant species
2025 David Soulema, Masters, simulating impacts of fire regimes on genetic diversity in plant populations
2024 Karishma Menon, Honours, effect of fire on plant functional trait groups
2024 Ella Speedie, Honours, fire & genetic diversity
2024 Charley Rayner, Honours, platypus conservation in urban streams
2023 Caitlin Gaskell, Honours, resilience of soil seedbanks to low-intensity burning
2023 Joan Zwar, Masters, impact of low intensity burning on animal activity
2023 Kataryna McMillan, Masters, vegetation determinants of platypus distribution
2023 Amber Lim, Masters, the influence of fire on rare reptiles
2023 Eleanor McCall, Masters, importance of language and culture in Indigenous land management
2021 Rhiannon Bird, Honours, fire severity impacts on native animals
2021 Martha Victoria Jimenez Sandoval, Masters, fire severity impacts on rainforest vegetation
2020 Felicity Charles, Honours, wildlife corridors
2020 Kellie Schuring, Honours, lead toxicity in kangaroos
2020 Binyin Di, Winter Research Scholarship, genomic diversity in invasive plants
2020 Martha Victoria Jimenez Sandoval, Winter Research Scholarship, invasive plants and fire regime feedbacks
Research Assistants
2025 – Mitchell Snow, Senior Research Assistant, fire management & plant ecology
2024 – Michael Tervo, Senior Research Assistant (Botany), fire management & plant ecology
2023 – Dr Gabrielle Lebbink, Senior Research Assistant (Botany), fire management & plant ecology
2023 – Louise McFarline, Research Assistant, fire management & plant ecology
2020 – 2021 Raagini Muddaiah Kanjithanda, Research Assistant, grassland restoration
2020 – Shania Watson, Research Assistant, wildfire & rainforest mammals
Volunteers
2025 – Brooke Allison, Anna Jourdant, Harry Cooper, Tanya Jobling, Charley Rayner, David Soulema
Field work 2025
Rhiannon and Felicity presenting their research at ESA 2024 in Melbourne.
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Field work 2025
Smith Lab celebration 2024
Research and management burn in 2023
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Collecting soil cores in 2023 with Shane and Caitlin – all 900 of them...
Smith Ecology Lab lunch, 2023
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Botanical surveys in 2023 with the amazing Gab & Louise. Incredibly, they documented over 160 species at 32 sites
Part of 'Team Platypus' 2023, Justine and Kataryna, trying to work out why platypus are where they are
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The very first Smith Lab lunch in 2020
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Main Range NP 2021, for Rhiannon's honours and Martha's masters research, with Dr Rebeka Zsoldos, Dr Garry Cook and Shania Watson
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