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Tim Curran

@timcurran.bsky.social

3.7K followers 2.3K following 670 posts

Assoc. Prof. of Ecology at Lincoln Uni, Aotearoa/New Zealand. Scientist, teacher, dad, bibliophile, cricket tragic, snorkeler, rockpooler (fond of crabs). Uses traits to understand plant responses to disturbance. Likes to BBQ plants.

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · Aug 29

I'm so very proud of Niger Sultana and the first chapter of her PhD thesis!!!

She had so many challenges and came through them all with flying colours.

With @loraxcate.bsky.social @azhar06.bsky.social et al.

in @botsocamerica.bsky.social

bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Testing key tenets of pyro‐ecophysiology: Indicators of drought response in relation to shoot flammability

Premise Relationships between flammability and drought tolerance influence vegetation dynamics during fires. A goal of the emerging subdiscipline of pyro-ecophysiology is to identify ecophysiologica.....

bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Reposted by Tim Curran

Cate Macinnis-Ng @loraxcate.bsky.social · 2h

"On top of the weaker ambition on methane reductions, the government recently reopened the country to oil and gas prospecting, removed a subsidy for electric vehicles, and disestablished a fund meant to help decarbonise industry. All moves are counter to the free trade agreement with the EU." #nzpol

James Renwick @cubaraglanguy.bsky.social · 4h

My recent comments on NZ methane targets summarised here.
theconversation.com/a-lack-of-am...

A ‘lack of ambition’ over livestock emissions targets now threatens NZ’s reputation and trade

The government’s weakened methane reduction target mirrors the approach promoted by industry lobby groups but rejected by the Climate Change Commission.

theconversation.com

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 2h

It's not my field, Kirsty. It would be best to chat to someone like @sarahinscience.bsky.social who worked on that paper.

Sarah would be able to explain how it could be done.

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 12h

Paper here:

www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Client Challenge

www.nature.com

Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 12h

The methods are now available to work out the social and environmental costs of such decisions:

bsky.app/profile/timc...

Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 13h

For the first time, we linked a new fossil fuel project to hundreds of deaths. Here’s the impact of Woodside’s Scarborough gas project
theconversation.com/for-the-firs...

For the first time, we linked a new fossil fuel project to hundreds of deaths. Here’s the impact of Woodside’s Scarborough gas project

The results challenge claims that the climate risks posed by an individual fossil fuel project are negligible or cannot be quantified.

theconversation.com

Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 13h

For the first time, we linked a new fossil fuel project to hundreds of deaths. Here’s the impact of Woodside’s Scarborough gas project
theconversation.com/for-the-firs...

For the first time, we linked a new fossil fuel project to hundreds of deaths. Here’s the impact of Woodside’s Scarborough gas project

The results challenge claims that the climate risks posed by an individual fossil fuel project are negligible or cannot be quantified.

theconversation.com

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Reposted by Tim Curran

Bob Shriver @bkshriver.bsky.social · 5d

Join the Laughlin lab and our new NSF funded project! Awesome opportunity to visit forests across the western US and examine the functional basis of demographic responses to drought and wildfire.

Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 5d

Great PhD opportunity with an excellent supervisor:

Quantify traits of tree species across the western US to determine how tree populations and forest communities will respond to drought and fire.

plant-traits.net/lab-openings/

Lab openings | Laughlin Research Lab

plant-traits.net

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 5d

More info on the project here:

www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/...

NSF Award Search: Award # 2515915

Collaborative Research: Fire and water in the West: Trait-based demographic dynamics of forest communities

www.nsf.gov

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 5d

Lab openings | Laughlin Research Lab

plant-traits.net

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Reposted by Tim Curran

Evan Frost @wildwoods.bsky.social · 5d

"Research shows wildfires are 4x more likely in areas w/roads than in roadless forests...and >90% of wildfires occur within 1/2 mile of a road. Even USFS's own research undercuts the argument that repealing the roadless rule would have a positive effect on fire mgmt."🌍 www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-e...

The Trump administration’s latest attack on cherished public lands | Opinion

“For more than two decades, the Roadless Rule has protected nearly 60 million acres of our national forests from industrial development.”

www.sacbee.com

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Reposted by Tim Curran

Cate Macinnis-Ng @loraxcate.bsky.social · 5d

Applications for @ipcc.bsky.social AR7 Chapter Scientists close on 18th October. Great opportunity for emerging researchers from developing countries! 🧪🌎🌱

Cate Macinnis-Ng @loraxcate.bsky.social · 8d

📣 Opportunity for early career researchers from developing countries who work on climate change. IPCC is calling for chapter scientists for assessment round 7. Successful applicants will receive a stipend for 48 months. 🧪🌎
www.ictp.it/opportunity/...

IPCC AR7 Chapter Scientists | ICTP

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is in the process of preparing its Seventh Assessment report (AR7). The IPCC Working Groups are seeking highly motivated early-career researchers f...

www.ictp.it

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Reposted by Tim Curran

Letters for the Environment Central Australia @letterscentral.bsky.social · 5d

Mparntwe Alice Springs burning due to buffel grass again. The old trees are disappearing :(

Meanwhile the cattle industry can and does seed buffel anywhere except in SA

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 5d

NZ’s native lizards are at risk from land development – future policy must ensure better protection
theconversation.com/nzs-native-l...

NZ’s native lizards are at risk from land development – future policy must ensure better protection

All but four of New Zealand’s 120 lizard species are threatened or at risk. But little consideration is given to lizards during most land development projects.

theconversation.com

Reposted by Tim Curran

Evan Frost @wildwoods.bsky.social · 5d

“We just have all of this evidence to show that if you put more roads in there, you’re going to get more fires.” insideclimatenews.org/news/0310202...

Proposal to Undo Roadless Rule Would Open Some of Southern California’s Last Wild Forests to Development - Inside Climate News

The Trump administration claims opening protected areas like Cleveland National Forest to road building will aid the timber industry and reduce wildfires. Opponents see a giveaway that will lead to mo...

insideclimatenews.org

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Reposted by Tim Curran

Sally Forsstrom @malurussally.bsky.social · 5d

theconversation.com/the-remarkab...

The remarkable rise of eBird – the world’s biggest citizen science project

In 2002, an online database was set up allowing birdwatchers to record their species observations. It is now a vast resource, shaping scientific research.

theconversation.com

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Reposted by Tim Curran

BC Wildfire Weekly - Wildfires + More @bcwildfirewkly.bsky.social · 6d

ARIZONA: “Without protective measures, wildfire smoke could cause tens of thousands more deaths annually across the U.S. by midcentury — and hundreds more in Arizona, a new study warns.” www.axios.com/local/phoeni... - AXIOS Phoenix

#Arizona #AZFire #WildfireSmoke

Arizona faces rising death toll from wildfire smoke

A new study warns wildfire smoke could kill hundreds more Arizonans annually.

www.axios.com

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 7d

Indeed!

Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 7d

I then repeated this several times before my wife suggested it was time to move on. It was a fair suggestion, as we were on our honeymoon.

Such an amazing experience.

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 7d

For me it has to be the Open Sea tank at Monterey Bay. I visited in Jan 2008 when they still had a juvenile white shark, which is my only time seeing a live one.

My wife describes me as being like a little kid, waiting for it to swim around to the viewing area then walking beside it.

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 7d

Backyard biobank project sets out to save Tasmania's 'spectacular' alpine plants from bushfire threat

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Harry's trying to save Tasmania's 'alien' plants using people's backyards

The backyards of ordinary Tasmanians are becoming urban climate refuges for a "biobank" of alpine plants threatened by climate change and bushfire.

www.abc.net.au

Reposted by Tim Curran

Alessandra Fidelis @alefidelis.bsky.social · 9d

The Cerrado is really amazing! Post-fire flowering is one of the most interesting and beautiful fire response! It is not a response of a specific species or family! Bulbostylis paradoxa never fails and can be seen flowering already 18 hs after fire! @leveg.bsky.social @programabiota.bsky.social