How can the deep past help us understand today’s climate crisis? A new review in Annual Review of Environment and Resources (led by S.P.E.C.IA.L. group PI Sandy Harrison) pulls together…Read More >
SPECIAL Blog
Blog of the SPECIAL team members
Fire vs. Grazing: How Two Major Consumers of Biomass Shape the Earth’s Vegetation
Fire and herbivory are two of the biggest consumers of biomass on Earth, having major impacts on vegetation distribution. Fire, a natural and often necessary part of many landscapes, consumes…Read More >
Reflections on the ICCS Summer School
Earlier this month, SPECIAL team member Wenyao Gan had the opportunity to attend the ICCS summer school in Cambridge. The ICCS summer school was an inspiring and intensive programme that…Read More >
Fire in the Earth System – 4th International Congress
Introduction Fire is a crucial part of the Earth’s System (see a paper on this very topic, co-authored by our group PI Sandy Harrison here). Under changing future climates fire…Read More >
Spring Symposium Recap: Fires Across the Globe
Late in May, the University of Reading had the pleasure of hosting the Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires’ annual Spring Symposium. A packed two-day programme filled with inspiring talks, lively discussions,…Read More >
SPECIAL Team Takes EGU 2025 – The Biggest Geoscience Conference in Europe
The European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2025 (EGU25) took place from 27 April to 2 May 2025 in Vienna, Austria. As Europe’s premier geoscience conference, EGU25 brought together scientists…Read More >
Incorporating Eco-Evolutionary Theory into Land Surface Models – Challenges and Opportunities
Last week SPECIAL Group PI Sandy Harrison led an exciting workshop at Dartington Hall on incorporating eco-evolutionary optimality (EEO) theory into land surface models (LSMs). Sandy and Sophia represented the…Read More >
Understanding the Diversity of Fire on Earth through Mapping, Data and Modelling
INTRODUCTION On April 3rd, the SPECIAL research group at the University of Reading hosted researchers from the University of East Anglia for a seminar exploring how fire science can move…Read More >
Implementation of Eco-Evolutionary Optimality theory into the land surface model, NOAH-MP.
SPECIAL Group PI Sandy Harrison has been involved in the publication of a key piece of research for the LEMONTREE project regarding the implementation of leaf dark respiration and photosynthesis…Read More >
What Drives Ecosystem Recovery After Fire? Insights from a Global Study
Introduction A new manuscript from SPECIAL group PhD student Yicheng Shen has recently been published in Ecological Indicators, discussing the factors affecting post-fire recovery. You can read on for a…Read More >
