We are studying how wildfires affect higher trophic level organisms and foodweb dynamics. Climate change models project an increase in fire severity and in the amount of area burned in the United States. How fires affect plant communities is well studied, but the effects on higher trophic levels are comparatively ignored. Because higher trophic level organisms, such as insects and their natural enemies, play important roles in structuring early successional communities, it is important to study fire effects from a multi-trophic perspective.
Relevant Publications
Bieber, B. V.*, D. K. Vyas, A. M. Koltz, L. A. Burkle, K. S. Bey**, C. Guzinski*, S. M. Murphy#, and M. C. Vidal#. 2023. Increasing prevalence of severe fires change the structure of arthropod communities: Evidence from a meta-analysis. Functional Ecology 37: 2096-2109
Murphy, S. M., M. C. Vidal*, T. P. Smith**, C. J. Hallagan*, E. D. Broder, D. Rowland**, and L. C. Cepero*. 2018. Forest fire severity affects host plant quality and insect herbivore damage. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 6:135. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00135
Koltz, A. M., L. A. Burkle, Y Pressler, J. E. Dell, M. C. Vidal*, L. A. Richards and S. M. Murphy. 2018. Global change and the importance of fire for the ecology and evolution of insects. Current Opinion in Insect Science 29: 110-116.
Relevant Publications
Bieber, B. V.*, D. K. Vyas, A. M. Koltz, L. A. Burkle, K. S. Bey**, C. Guzinski*, S. M. Murphy#, and M. C. Vidal#. 2023. Increasing prevalence of severe fires change the structure of arthropod communities: Evidence from a meta-analysis. Functional Ecology 37: 2096-2109
Murphy, S. M., M. C. Vidal*, T. P. Smith**, C. J. Hallagan*, E. D. Broder, D. Rowland**, and L. C. Cepero*. 2018. Forest fire severity affects host plant quality and insect herbivore damage. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 6:135. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00135
Koltz, A. M., L. A. Burkle, Y Pressler, J. E. Dell, M. C. Vidal*, L. A. Richards and S. M. Murphy. 2018. Global change and the importance of fire for the ecology and evolution of insects. Current Opinion in Insect Science 29: 110-116.