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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

It is a bit colder than usual for our #ECOL293 field trip to the Lewis Pass this year. Snowing late morning!

Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Even better to be reading it in the place (Boyle River) and field trip #ECOL293 where Frank first saw peripatus (velvet worms) and giant springtails!

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Great to see the story on Frank Ashwood's new book on the cover of The Weekend magazine! @frankashwood.bsky.social

Cover of the Weekend magazine showing a peripetus

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Science is fun! Here are our #ECOL204 Molecular Ecology and Evolution students measuring shoot flammability on our #plantbbq at Lincoln University. Also, nice to be working with fire on a chilly morning.

Lincoln uni students measuring plant flammability on the plant BBQ. It's lots of fun!

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

There were many interesting burns from our flammability research in New Caledonia earlier this month, but this was perhaps the most spectacular! Casuarina collina burns fast but for a short time!

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

It's been great fun this week doing larger scale testing of flammability in New Caledonia, with Vaea, Thomas, Cedric, Anne and Mathieu. This Casuarina collina shows just how well some species burn! 🔥 🔥 🔥

A Casuarina collina going up in flames as part of a flammability test in New Caledonia

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Final panel at #FBF2026 with @littlekerryn.bsky.social et al. Some great suggestions, including the importance of social science in solving wildfire issues. I agree completely. We have quite a lot of useful knowledge, the question is how we can get people to use it and change behavior when needed.

Group of panelists discussing generational insights of fire science.

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Great job by Vaea Lefeuvre presenting her poster last night at the #FBF2026 conference. It was on plant flammability in New Caledonia using the #plant BBQ.

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Naarm (Melbourne) you beautiful, brooding beast. You were cloudy when we arrived in the morning then you turned on the sunshine. Given our flight delay to a conference in Hobart, we may yet see more of you...

Plane on runway at Naarm Melbourne airport. Sadly not ours...

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

I presume you've seen this quote? Seems made for your project! From this paper: www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

Aurora australis just south of Lincoln tonight

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

Look what made the list of staff picks @christchurchlib.bsky.social in the Ecology section, @bengoldfarb.bsky.social!

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

This arrived today, and it is every bit as interesting, useful, and readable as I'd hoped! @stephenbheard.bsky.social

Cover of the book Teaching and Mentoring Writers in the Sciences

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Dale pointed out that there are four key animal responses to fire

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Dale's talk included the sleepy lizard burnt pastry tale @newzealandecology.bsky.social

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Dale Nimmo gave the Australian Research Excellence Award plenary Fire adaptations of fauna @newzealandecology.bsky.social

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Josie Galbraith reflecting on her late Dad Mel's Ecology in Action legacy @newzealandecology.bsky.social Including a word cloud based on descriptions by friends, family and colleagues. Generous, kind and ... mustache!

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Te Tohu Taiao award for Ecological Excellence went to Andrew Jeffs of U Auckland @newzealandecology.bsky.social

Te Tohu Taiao award to Andrew Jeffs of U Auckland

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Sian Crowley accepting her Ecology in Action award @newzealandecology.bsky.social

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Sarah Wyse, Editor of the NZ Journal of Ecology, awarding the best student paper in the journal @newzealandecology.bsky.social

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Much of this work described by @john-m-dwyer.bsky.social is underpinned by the excellent PhD thesis by @jradford-smith.bsky.social. You can see some of his papers and his study area here. #urbantrees #heatwaves

The study area and some papers from the excellent PhD thesis by Julian Radford-Smith

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

In his excellent talk @john-m-dwyer.bsky.social explained that naming his preferred street tree is like choosing your favourite David Bowie album...impossible! However, here is his attempt at best trees for different circumstances. IMO the best tree is ooline, and Bowie song is Under Pressure.

John Dwyer's suggested tips for urban trees in various locations...

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Tuned in yesterday for an impassioned plea and delightful talk by @john-m-dwyer.bsky.social on how dry rainforest trees, including our beloved vine thickets, could be used to revegetate Brisbane's streets in the lead up to the 2032 Olympics. Lots of neat data on temp. niches!

Temperature niche of two tree species in relation to Brisbane's temperature now and the prediction for 2070. We want street trees to last 50+ years, so they need to be able to cope with future climates. Croton would be better suited in this instance.

Graph showing temperature niche of species best able to cope with Brisbane's future temperatures, with Owenia venosa as the example.

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

No Brachychiton here... just green chiton

Green chiton under a rock intestinal zone

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

Pile Bay rarely disappoints with the beachcombing, especially #crabs 🦀

Pie crust crab at high tide mark, Pile Bay

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

Trip to Pile Bay with fam and kid's friends to watch sunset and do some beachcombing.

Sun setting in Lyttleton Harbour from above Pile Bay!

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

Huge congrats to Ksenia Trifonova for winning the Lincoln University 3 Minute thesis final and to Luna Nguyen for coming 2nd! #3MT

Ksenia Trifonova accepts first prize in the Lincoln University 3 minute thesis competition from Provost Chad Hewitt

Luna Nguyen is awarded 2nd place in the LU 3MT final by Chad Hewitt

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

It was great fun watching the Lincoln Uni finals of the 3 Minute Thesis #3MT. Such a wide range of topics and extremely high quality. To top it off, Nathan Campbell was awarded top Masters talk and 3rd overall! #proudsupervisor

Nathan Campbell wins the Masters section of Lincoln University's 3MT.

Nathan Campbell gets 3rd place in the 3MT

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

It's been amazing weather for our #ECOL293 field trip to the Lewis Pass!

View of the Lewis Pass valley looking south. Mountains on either side

Subalpine vegetation in a frost hollow looking to southern beech forest with more subalpine vegetation above treeline

Class enjoying the sunshine at Lewis Pass

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Even putatively flammable species like eucalypts can play a role in trapping embers if managed (e.g. trimmed from the base) correctly. As Justin Leonard of CSIRO explained to me on a field trip. I was very surprised. I'm reminded of that in this figure. From: www.qra.qld.gov.au/resilient-ho...

diagram of bushfire attack mechanisms, in particular showing how trees can block radiant heat and embers from oncoming bushfires.

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

I had an absolute blast doing a plant BBQ demonstration at my old school, Gunnedah High! The students really got into it. Their answers were great, and they had very intelligent questions themselves. The Q&A was as good as my uni students, and my collaborators & reviewers! The kids are alright!

Year 8 science and the Clontarf Academy at Gunnedah High measure how well spinifex burns. In short, very well!

Boyd Wright guides the measurement of the maximum temperature reached during a burn

Testing flammability on the plant BBQ at Gunnedah High!

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Today is the very last of our plant BBQ roadshow events, and it is the one I've been most looking forward to since we first started thinking about this project. It will be great to get back to my old school! 'Oh! Gunnedah High for me!'

The signage on the admin block at Gunnedah High School.

est. 1961

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

Huge thanks to Nungaroo Aboriginal Land Council for hosting our plant BBQ event today. This was my only photo, the first time anyone has tested the flammability of jointed Mistletoe.

Jointed Mistletoe being tested on the plant bbq

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

Huge thanks to the Walaaybaa Rangers,Tamworth, for hosting us, Peel High's biology class, and our plant BBQ today! It was great fun, and we learned a lot, too.

Peel High students measure the flammability of spinifex, guided by Boyd Wright. It burns well!

Peel High students decide which plants will burn the best, guided by the Walaaybaa Rangers and LLS staff. They were very accurate with their predictions.

Everyone sharing their thoughts on fire and its importance for country and culture. It was fascinating.

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

Saw these amazing grass trees today south of Bingara!

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

Whenever I've returned to Gunnedah lately, I feel like my photos include a pretty view of the town and then lots of gratuitous wildlife shots. It is what it is...

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Great to be back in Oz for a week of plant BBQ and related workshops. Also, if you happen to be near Bingara on Sunday and fancy some nature recording fun, we are running this event:

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

Done. Please sign if you are Australian.

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

This beauty is a kanuka longhorn beetle! #SCIE393 🌎

A longhorn beetle on a white sheet under the moth light

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

Activities keep going into the night on our #SCIE393 field trip. Here Jon Sullivan, William, Sam and Hanwen are photographing what has come in to the moth light.

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Scotch thistle, a pretty plant in the wrong place here...NZ's Southern Alps. #SCIE393

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Here is the freshwater team of Joel and Hanwen, returning from sampling, helped by Elysia, Jenny and George. Plus, a dead dragonfly, likely a bush dragonfly.

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Here is Beulah collecting daisies for her project comparing seed predation on natives vs exotics

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