We are interested in the ecological outcomes of landscape changes driven by human activity. For example, we have explored how changes in fire regime during the two waves of human settlement of Aotearoa-New Zealand’s landscapes led to rapid forest loss and difficult-to-reverse legacies in contemporary landscapes. This research has implications for how we manage and restore New Zealand’s ecosystems in the aftermath of 750 years of ongoing forest loss, extinctions, invasions, and the recent emergence of novel plant pathogens. To explore these questions, we work closely with colleagues in the Long-term Ecology Lab at Manaaki Whenua, Lincoln.
Recent representative publications
- Taylor, R.M., Stavert, J.R., Pou, D.L., Wilmshurst, J.M. & Perry, G.L.W. 2025. Ecology, history, threats, and management of gumland ecosystems in Aotearoa | New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 49: 3589. Open access.
- Simpkins, C.E., Bellingham, P.J., Reihana, K. Brock, J.M.R. & Perry, G.L.W. 2025. Evaluating the effects of two newly emerging plant pathogens on northern Aotearoa-New Zealand forests using an individual-based model. Ecological Modelling 500, 110938. Open access.
A full post-2021 publication list for the P-Lab is here.