Molly Hayes Martin

I am currently wrapping up a study of what predicts ecological resilience following disturbance. I address this question through the lens of the fall 2017 California wildfires and their reshaping of plant-pollinator networks in oak woodlands. 

 

Nearly every ecosystem on earth experiences some form of natural or human induced disturbance. Given that the scale and frequency of disturbances continue to increase, it's important to understand what attributes of communities lead to resilience. Why are some communities unaffected by disturbance, while others respond negatively or positively? Are there ecological characteristics of communities that predict their response to disturbance?

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I suggest answers to these questions by analyzing historical data paired with data I collected in 2018. While the paper is currently under consideration for publication you can learn more by watching the presentation in the link below.