The Physics & Astronomy Colloquium Series presents Alycia L. Stigall of Ohio University, Department of Geological Sciences on “Fossil Invasion! Modeling ancient species niche dynamics to help predict consequences of modern invasive species ” on Friday, Oct. 7, at 4:10 p.m. in Walter 245.
Dr. Alycia Stigall
Abstract: Invasive species are one of the leading causes of biodiversity loss in modern ecosystems. Although substantial effort has been put forth to understand the short term impacts of invasive species, understanding the long term impacts of such introductions requires the long temporal record unavailable to modern ecologists. The fossil record provides a rich source of data about the long-term impacts of species introductions within ecosystems. In this presentation, I will explore the impacts of an event of inter basinal species invasions recorded in the Ordovician (~450 million year old) rock around Cincinnati, Ohio using ecological niche modeling and geographic range reconstructions. These complex modeling approaches allow detailed investigation of how species responded to the influx of invasive species and provide context for modern conversation principles.
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