Response diversity and ecological stability in a changing world: evidence, gaps, and next steps
As environmental change intensifies, identifying the mechanisms that sustain ecological stability is critical. Don´t miss this seminar by Owen Petchey Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
Date: 10 March 2026
Time: 13:00
Venue: Tammsalen, Ecology Centre
Organiser: Department of Ecology
Location: Online, Uppsala
Response diversity, variation among species in their responses to environmental fluctuations, may buffer ecosystems and enhance resilience.
Owen Petchey synthesizes evidence from theory, experiments, and observational studies showing that the distribution and balance of species’ environmental responses can strongly predict community stability, often beyond traditional diversity metrics.
He highlights key knowledge gaps, including interactions among species, disturbance regimes, and challenges of scaling trait-based measures, and outline priorities for advancing predictive ecology in a changing world.
You can also participate on Zoom. Please contact patricia.dumandan@slu.se if you want the link.