Investigating Fire and Flora: Maria Zubkova to Lead NASA-Backed Study in Africa
Project Part of NASA’s Effort To Support Early-Career Scientists in Earth Science Research
NASA has announced the selection of Assistant Research Professor Maria Zubkova as one of the new Principal Investigators for its Early Career Investigator Program in Earth Science. Zubkova’s project, "Woody Encroachment in Sub-Saharan Africa: the Cause or the Effect of the Decline in Fire Activity?", is among the 36 proposals chosen from a competitive pool of 209 submissions. Additionally, Assistant Research Professor Lei Ma was also selected.
Zubkova’s research focuses on the phenomenon of woody plant encroachment (WPE) in tropical savannas, aiming to elucidate whether WPE is primarily driven by changes in fire management practices or climate conditions. These savannas play a crucial role in supporting a substantial portion of the African population through ecosystem services, livestock farming, and tourism, all of which are already experiencing the adverse effects of WPE.
Reflecting on what drove her to create a successful proposal, Zubkova shared, "My passion for conservation and biodiversity protection really came through in my proposal. I spent a lot of time researching this topic and was able to present the problem and potential solutions in a compelling way." She also expressed gratitude for the encouragement of her supervisor, Research Professor Louis Giglio, adding, "I'm extremely grateful for Louis Giglio's support, giving me the time to work on the proposal and offering his valuable advice."
For Giglio, Zubkova's recognition comes from "the tremendous amount of time and careful thought" she devoted to her proposal. "One especially compelling aspect of her project, which concerns the drivers of woody plant encroachment in Africa, is that remote sensing and local knowledge will be integrated without the shaky assumptions that accompany much of the previous work on this topic."
The project will use space-based remote sensing and machine learning models to test the hypothesis that fire management practices significantly influence WPE. Specifically, the research will investigate if regions with frequent early-season fires experience less WPE compared to areas where fire is discouraged due to colonial management practices. This distinction will be useful in informing effective management and adaptation strategies.
As Zubkova delves into the intricacies of woody plant encroachment in African savannas, her research sheds light on the broader context of wildfires in the region, "Approximately 65% of global fire activity originates from Africa, where fire is regarded as a natural process rather than a disaster." This nuanced understanding of fire's integral role in maintaining grass-dominated ecosystems underscores the significance of her research in addressing WPE and its ecological and socio-economic impacts.
The research project is expected to begin this summer. Zubkova will be collaborating with high school students from the Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering in Rockaway, New Jersey, and Union High School in Camas, Washington. Under Zubkova’s guidance, these students will gain hands-on experience in remote sensing applications for wildfire and conservation.
"I am very excited to start working on this research that I have been thinking about for several years. I am looking forward to expanding my international network and connecting advances in NASA data and models to the needs of stakeholders to help protect biodiversity in Africa,” she said.
Image courtesy of Maria Zubkova
Published on Tue, 05/14/2024 - 12:37