Presented By: University of Michigan Biological Station
Hann Lecture in Ornithology: “Trait-based Insights into the Dynamics of Biodiversity”
Dr. Marta Jarzyna, Ohio State University
As part of the 2026 Summer Lecture Series at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS), Dr. Marta Jarzyna will give the Hann Lecture in Ornithology. The free, public talk is titled, “Trait-based Insights into the Dynamics of Biodiversity.”
Jarzyna is an associate professor in the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology at Ohio State University.
Trait-based ecology has long been heralded as a framework capable of providing mechanistic insight into biodiversity dynamics and thereby enabling predictions of future biodiversity states.
Yet despite decades of development, the promise of trait-based ecology remains largely unrealized.
In this talk, the macroecologist and biodiversity scientist will draw on examples from her own research to critically examine where this promise has and has not been fulfilled.
Using avian systems as a case study, Jarzyna demonstrates how incorporating functional traits into biodiversity metrics can reveal patterns that traditional species richness measures obscure.
In particular, she shows that trait-based approaches uncover seasonal dynamics in bird communities — shifts in functional composition across the year that species counts alone would miss entirely.
These findings illustrate both the potential of trait-based ecology and the persistent gap between its theoretical ambitions and empirical application.
Jarzyna’s research focuses on understanding the processes that drive biodiversity dynamics across spatial, temporal, and taxonomic scales.
She holds an M.S. in environmental science from Warsaw University of Life Sciences and a dual Ph.D. in fisheries and wildlife and ecology, evolutionary biology, and behavior from Michigan State University, and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University.
The University of Michigan Biological Station serves as a gathering place to learn from the natural world, advance research and education, and inspire action. We leverage over a century of research and transformative experiences to drive discoveries and solutions to benefit Michigan and beyond.
Founded in 1909, UMBS supports long-term research and education through immersive, field-based courses and features state-of-the-art equipment and facilities for data collection and analysis to help any field researcher be productive. It is where students and scientists from across the globe live and work as a community to learn from the place.
The Summer Lecture Series is a tradition at UMBS, where we explore scientific topics with distinguished guest speakers from across the country so the community can learn about our natural world.
The free, public talks are on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the spring and summer in Gates Lecture Hall at the University of Michigan Biological Station, located at 9133 Biological Rd. in Pellston, Michigan — about 20 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge.
Jarzyna is an associate professor in the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology at Ohio State University.
Trait-based ecology has long been heralded as a framework capable of providing mechanistic insight into biodiversity dynamics and thereby enabling predictions of future biodiversity states.
Yet despite decades of development, the promise of trait-based ecology remains largely unrealized.
In this talk, the macroecologist and biodiversity scientist will draw on examples from her own research to critically examine where this promise has and has not been fulfilled.
Using avian systems as a case study, Jarzyna demonstrates how incorporating functional traits into biodiversity metrics can reveal patterns that traditional species richness measures obscure.
In particular, she shows that trait-based approaches uncover seasonal dynamics in bird communities — shifts in functional composition across the year that species counts alone would miss entirely.
These findings illustrate both the potential of trait-based ecology and the persistent gap between its theoretical ambitions and empirical application.
Jarzyna’s research focuses on understanding the processes that drive biodiversity dynamics across spatial, temporal, and taxonomic scales.
She holds an M.S. in environmental science from Warsaw University of Life Sciences and a dual Ph.D. in fisheries and wildlife and ecology, evolutionary biology, and behavior from Michigan State University, and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University.
The University of Michigan Biological Station serves as a gathering place to learn from the natural world, advance research and education, and inspire action. We leverage over a century of research and transformative experiences to drive discoveries and solutions to benefit Michigan and beyond.
Founded in 1909, UMBS supports long-term research and education through immersive, field-based courses and features state-of-the-art equipment and facilities for data collection and analysis to help any field researcher be productive. It is where students and scientists from across the globe live and work as a community to learn from the place.
The Summer Lecture Series is a tradition at UMBS, where we explore scientific topics with distinguished guest speakers from across the country so the community can learn about our natural world.
The free, public talks are on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the spring and summer in Gates Lecture Hall at the University of Michigan Biological Station, located at 9133 Biological Rd. in Pellston, Michigan — about 20 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge.
Related Links
Explore Similar Events
-
Loading Similar Events...
