The IMFIREDUP (Improved Modelling of FIRE: Development, Understanding and Prediction) consortium came together once again in September 2025 (see here for the blog on our original meeting last year) for a…Read More >
SPECIAL Blog
Blog of the SPECIAL team members
How CO2 and Climate Shaped the World’s Vegetation During the Late Quaternary
When we think about how our planet’s ecosystems respond to change, we often focus on temperature and rainfall. But there’s another, equally critical player: carbon dioxide (CO2) that has largely…Read More >
Annual LEMONTREE Meeting in Seoul
One of the main SPECIAL team projects is the LEMONTREE project. Every year the LEMONTREE project has an annual meeting, hosted by one of our partner institutions. At the end…Read More >
Review on the role of paleoclimate data in climate change studies
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 >
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 >
