Ross Horrelt
(Daniel) Ross Horrelt is a MSc. student in the SURREAL Lab at the University of Victoria interested in vegetation and fire ecology. His current work focuses on past fire environments of the Holocene on Vancouver Island. He is studying Paleoecology to explore ancient fire regimes through the reconstruction of climate, fire frequency, and fire severity using proxies such as charcoal, pollen, and other constituents of combustion. The aim of this research is to improve our understanding of the complex interactions between climate, forest dynamics, and wildfire disturbances over long temporal scales. This has the potential to provide insight on the effects of current climate change and shifting fire regimes. Ross’ work is being jointly supervised by Dr. Chris Bone at the SURREAL Lab and Dr. Kendrick Brown of the Canadian Forest Service (CFS)/ Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and is in partnership with the Capital Regional District of Victoria (CRD).
Expertise & Experience: Fire ecology, wildfire management, paleoecology, fire regimes, disturbance.
Co-supervisor, Dr. Kendrick Brown research: https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=1gbC7msAAAAJ&hl=en
PAST PROJECTS
Some of Ross’ past experience involve working in fire and vegetation ecology with the Parks Canada Agency; including ecological restoration through prescribed fire, whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) conservation, and invasive plant management. To learn more visit:
Parks Canada Science and Conservation: Prescribed Burns. https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/nature/science/conservation/feu-fire/feuveg-fireveg/dirige-prescribed
Parks Canada Science and Conservation: Whitebark Pine. https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/nature/science/conservation/feu-fire/feuveg-fireveg/veg-veg/pin-pine
Parks Canada Science and Conservation: Non-native Plants: Rooting Out the Invaders. https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/nature/science/conservation/feu-fire/feuveg-fireveg/veg-veg/envahisseurs-invasives