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Stella Mosher

Faculty Member

Dr. Stella Mosher

Biography

Fire is one of the most important agents of natural disturbance in terrestrial ecosystems, with key impacts on local biodiversity. I am interested in understanding how climate change and human impacts have influenced fire over thousands of years, and how our historical understanding of how fire operates in our environments aligns with the past range of natural variability in burning over time. I address recent and long-term changes in fire using paleoecological ("ancient - ecology") and paleofire ("ancient - fire") reconstructions, alongside quantitative analyses such as models, to address interactions between climate, environmental change, fire, and people. These reconstructions can then be applied towards contextualizing historical and present-day fire management practices and can inform future management and policy choices.

Education

PhD, University of Utah, 2024

Major: Geography

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2015

Major: Geology

BS, University of Puget Sound, 2012

Major: Natural Sciences - Geology

Teaching

ENVT 3530

Environmental Management Systems, Spring 2025

ENVT 1110

Introduction to Environmental Management, Spring 2025

ENVT 1110

Introduction to Environmental Management, Spring 2025

Presentations

Mosher, Stella (Presenter & Author), American Geophysical Union, "Fire in the Fynbos_ late Holocene paleofire and linkages among climate, vegetation, and people in South Africa's Cape Floristic Region", Washington D.C.. (December 10, 2024)
Mosher, Stella (Presenter & Author), Earth Science Seminar Series, "Fire in the Fynbos_ late Holocene paleofire and linkages among climate, vegetation, and people in South Africa’s Cape Floristic Region", Utah Valley University, Orem, UT. (November 12, 2024)
Mosher, Stella (Presenter & Author), Department of Anthropology Colloquium Series, "Fire in the Fynbos_ late Holocene paleofire and linkages among climate, vegetation, and people in South Africa’s Cape Floristic Region", University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. (November 7, 2024)

Scholarly/Creative Works

Mosher, Stella G., "Evaluating climatic and anthropogenic drivers of fire activity over four millennia at Eilandvlei, southern Cape coast, South Africa" . Quaternary Science Reviews.