Gill, Arthur Malcolm   (fl. 1970s - 2000s)

Born:

Undertook B.Agr.Sc., M.Sc. Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The higher degrees were in forest ecology.

Appointed to a Post-doctoral position 1966-68, at Harvard Forest, Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA.

Appointed a Research Scientist 1968-1971, at the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Miami, Florida, USA.

His Studies in USA were on the growth habits of tropical and temperate trees.

He was appointed as a Research Scientist in 1971 at CSIRO Plant Industry, Canberra, ACT, Australia (Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research) where he remained until retirement.

Research at CSIRO was on various aspects of fire ecology including fire behaviour, adaptive traits, animal-plant-fire interactions and monitoring systems.

CSIRO bushfire specialist Dr Malcolm Gill was named "Unsung Hero of Australian Science" for 1998 by the Australian Science Communicators (ASC):

Dr Gill's work has helped provide managers with answers to questions such as how often they should burn, and at what time of the year, to achieve their goals.
"Questions of management of our flora and fauna using fire only seem simple at first sight," he says. "When the vast numbers of plant and animal species are considered together with issues such as economic and social protection and the diversity of climate and vegetation types across the country, the task of answering such questions is put in perspective."
The use and place of fire in Australia is a controversial subject. Dr Gill says that different patterns of prescribed burning can have significantly varying effects on the biodiversity of an area.
"Although repeated fires in different combinations can be to the advantage of some plants and animals in the environment, they can also disadvantage others. We really know very little about the reactions of most of our flora and fauna to the fires that occur across the nation. "Australia really needs to redress this situation if we are to look after our natural heritage."

Source: CPBR/CSIRO work profile, mid-1990s
https://www.asc.asn.au/about/unsung-hero-of-scicomm/
Portrait Photo: 1999, M.Fagg (APII H.204).

Collecting localities for 'Gill, A.M.' from AVH (2022)

Data from 70 specimens