Agricultural and Life Sciences (IFAS)
Wonkka Lab
Led by Carissa Wonkka · Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences
What we study
The Wonkka Lab studies how to restore degraded ecosystems by testing different disturbances like fire, drought, and herbivory. They also look at social and regulatory barriers to effective restoration.
What working here is like
- Plants
- Papers
- 5
Recent papers, explained
- Fueling the fire: predicting cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) impacts on fire behavior across environmental and seasonal gradients
2026 · Fire Ecology
Measures how cogongrass impacts fire behavior across seasons and regions.
- Quantifying wildfire risk to the built environment in rural rangelands of the US Interior West
2025 · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences
Maps wildfire risks in rural rangelands near human settlements.
Show 3 more papersShow fewer
- Awareness and Social Interactions Influence Natural Resource Professionals’ Recommendations for Prescribed Fire Use
2025 · Rangeland Ecology & Management
Explores why professionals recommend prescribed fire less often.
- High Mortality of Huisache (Vachellia farnesiana) with Extreme Fire During Drought
2025 · Fire
Shows extreme fires reduce huisache density during drought.
- Long‐term plant community dynamics following Russian olive removal and vegetation restoration
2025 · Restoration Ecology
Studies long-term effects of removing Russian olive and replanting.
Plain-language summaries are AI-written and reviewed by us; check the paper for details.
How to reach out
Carissa Wonkka hasn't set up this page yet. You can also look them up in the UF directory (search “Carissa Wonkka”).