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Dr Ryan Tangney

Dr Ryan Tangney

Research Fellow
Science
School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences

My research focuses on understanding the effects of modified fire regimes on plants and ecosystems. My background is in seed ecology and operational fire science, which provides me with a unique point of view and direction for my research. I collaborate closely with state conservation departments and fire agencies.

My research interests are

  • Seed and plant trait interactions.
  • Fuel dynamics and post-fire recovery
  • Fire ecology and the effects of changes to fire regime
  • Soil dynamics during fire and the utilization of new technology to increase our ability to capture variability within fires

 
E-mail
R.Tangney@unsw.edu.au
Location
Based in Perth, WA. Working in collaboration with the Department of biodiversity, conversation and attractions.
  • Book Chapters | 2022
    Ooi MKJ; Tangney R; Auld TD, 2022, 'Fire and regeneration from seeds in a warming world, with emphasis on Australia', in Plant Regeneration from Seeds: A Global Warming Perspective, pp. 229 - 242, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-823731-1.00005-6
  • Journal articles | 2025
    Sano M; Tangney R; Thomsen A; Ooi MKJ, 2025, 'Extreme fire severity interacts with seed traits to moderate post-fire species assemblages', American Journal of Botany, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.70012
    Journal articles | 2025
    Tangney R; McInnes SJ; Dalziell EL; Cornwell WK; Miller BP; Auld TD; Ooi MKJ, 2025, 'Defining the pyro-thermal niche: do seed traits, ecosystem type and phylogeny influence thermal thresholds in seeds with physical dormancy?', New Phytologist, 246, pp. 1567 - 1582, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nph.70061
    Journal articles | 2024
    Miller BP; Fontaine JB; Tangney R; McCaw L; Cruz MG; Hollis JJ, 2024, 'Comment on ‘Self-thinning forest understoreys reduce wildfire risk, even in a warming climate’', Environmental Research Letters, 19, http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad41ee
    Journal articles | 2024
    Overton J; Ooi MKJ; Tangney R, 2024, 'Some like it hot: Seed thermal threshold variation in obligate seeding Acacia pulchella along a climate gradient', Science of the Total Environment, 948, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174929
    Journal articles | 2023
    McInnes SJ; Tangney R; Brophy JJ; Thordarson P; Ooi MKJ, 2023, 'Does fire drive fatty acid composition in seed coats of physically dormant species?', Plant Biology, 25, pp. 268 - 275, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/plb.13498
    Journal articles | 2023
    Ryan C; Callow JN; Lewandrowski W; Tangney R, 2023, 'Soil moisture and temperature drive emergence delays associated with fire seasonality in eucalypt forests', Conservation Physiology, 11, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coad093
    Journal articles | 2022
    Tangney R; Merritt DJ; Miller BP, 2022, 'Environmental Factors Driving Seed Hydration Status of Soil Seed Banks and the Implications for Post-fire Recruitment', Frontiers in Plant Science, 12, pp. 795003, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.795003
    Journal articles | 2022
    Tangney R; Miller RG; Fontaine JB; Veber WP; Ruthrof KX; Miller BP, 2022, 'Vegetation structure and fuel dynamics in fire-prone, Mediterranean-type Banksia woodlands', Forest Ecology and Management, 505, pp. 119891, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119891
    Journal articles | 2022
    Tangney R; Paroissien R; Le Breton TD; Thomsen A; Doyle CAT; Ondik M; Miller RG; Miller BP; Ooi MKJ, 2022, 'Success of post-fire plant recovery strategies varies with shifting fire seasonality', Communications Earth and Environment, 3, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43247-022-00453-2
    Journal articles | 2021
    Ritchie AL; Svejcar LN; Ayre BM; Bolleter J; Brace A; Craig MD; Davis B; Davis RA; Van Etten EJB; Fontaine JB; Fowler WM; Froend RH; Groom C; Hardy GESJ; Hooper P; Hopkins AJM; Hughes M; Krauss SL; Leopold M; Miller BP; Miller RG; Ramalho CE; Ruthrof KX; Shaw C; Stevens JC; Tangney R; Valentine LE; Veneklaas EJ; Hobbs RJ, 2021, 'A threatened ecological community: Research advances and priorities for Banksia woodlands', Australian Journal of Botany, 69, pp. 53 - 84, http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/BT20089
    Journal articles | 2020
    Miller RG; Tangney R; Enright NJ; Fontaine JB; Merritt DJ; Ooi MKJ; Ruthrof KX; Miller BP, 2020, 'Fire Seasonality Effect on Post-Fire Wind Dispersal: Response to Keith, Dunker, and Driscoll', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 35, pp. 307, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2019.12.009
    Journal articles | 2020
    Miller RG; Tangney R; Enright NJ; Fontaine JB; Merritt DJ; Ooi MKJ; Ruthrof KX; Miller BP, 2020, 'Fire Seasonality Mechanisms Are Fundamental for Understanding Broader Fire Regime Effects', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 35, pp. 869 - 871, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2020.08.002
    Journal articles | 2020
    Tangney R; Merritt DJ; Callow JN; Fontaine JB; Miller BP, 2020, 'Seed traits determine species' responses to fire under varying soil heating scenarios', Functional Ecology, 34, pp. 1967 - 1978, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13623
    Journal articles | 2020
    Tangney R; Miller RG; Enright NJ; Fontaine JB; Merritt DJ; Ooi MKJ; Ruthrof KX; Miller BP, 2020, 'Seed Dormancy Interacts with Fire Seasonality Mechanisms', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 35, pp. 1057 - 1059, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2020.09.008
    Journal articles | 2019
    Miller RG; Tangney R; Enright NJ; Fontaine JB; Merritt DJ; Ooi MKJ; Ruthrof KX; Miller BP, 2019, 'Mechanisms of Fire Seasonality Effects on Plant Populations', Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 34, pp. 1104 - 1117, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2019.07.009
    Journal articles | 2019
    Saatkamp A; Cochrane A; Commander L; Guja L; Jimenez-Alfaro B; Larson J; Nicotra A; Poschlod P; Silveira FAO; Cross A; Dalziell EL; Dickie J; Erickson TE; Fidelis A; Fuchs A; Golos PJ; Hope M; Lewandrowski W; Merritt DJ; Miller BP; Miller R; Offord CA; Ooi MKJ; Satyanti A; Sommerville KD; Tangney R; Tomlinson S; Turner S; Walck JL, 2019, 'A research agenda for seed-trait functional ecology', New Phytologist, 221, pp. 1764 - 1775, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nph.15502
    Journal articles | 2019
    Tangney R; Merritt DJ; Fontaine JB; Miller BP, 2019, 'Seed moisture content as a primary trait regulating the lethal temperature thresholds of seeds', Journal of Ecology, 107, pp. 1093 - 1105, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13095
    Journal articles | 2018
    Tangney R; Issa NA; Merritt DJ; Callow JN; Miller BP, 2018, 'A method for extensive spatiotemporal assessment of soil temperatures during an experimental fire using distributed temperature sensing in optical fibre', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WILDLAND FIRE, 27, pp. 135 - 140, http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/WF17107