{
	"event_id": "1112253",
	"eventinstance_id": "4119625",
	"calendar": {
		"id": 1954,
		"title": "Biology Department Calendar",
		"slug": "biology-department-calendar",
		"url": "https://events.ucf.edu/calendar/1954/biology-department-calendar/"
	},
	"id": "4119625",
	"title": "Multi\u002Dscale drivers of beetle biodiversity in a rapidly urbanizing region",
	"subtitle": null,
	"description": "\u003Cp\u003EAs cities continue to expand, designing urban landscapes that balance ecological resilience with biodiversity conservation has emerged as a pressing challenge. This dissertation examines urban ecosystems as complex and dynamic environments shaping insect communities, with a particular focus on ground\u002Ddwelling beetles as ecologically significant indicators of environmental change. Conducted across the Orlando metropolitan area, one of the fastest\u002Dgrowing regions in the United States, this dissertation integrates experimental and observational approaches. Specifically, it aims to (1) test sustainable landscaping practices using a field\u002Dbased experiment, (2) compare the ecological outcomes of conventional and alternative residential landscape designs in two residential neighborhoods, and (3) assess how gradients of urbanization and habitat complexity influence beetle communities in Orange and Seminole Counties. Results demonstrate that: management practices influence vegetation structure and soil moisture content, with cascading effects on beetle communities\u003B even small patches of native or structurally complex vegetation support more diverse assemblages and enhance ecological functioning, while simplified landscapes favor non\u002Dnative species\u003B and that natural habitats sustain more structured and predictable assemblages with specialized species, underscoring the importance of habitat integrity in maintaining native communities and limiting biological invasions. Overall, habitat complexity at both local and regional scales plays a fundamental role in supporting insect biodiversity within urban environments. These findings provide robust empirical support for integrating sustainable landscaping and habitat heterogeneity into urban planning and green\u002Dspace management to enhance biodiversity conservation under continued urbanization.\u003C/p\u003E\u000A\u003Cp\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u000A\u003Cp\u003EAlessandra Pandolfi\u003Cbr\u003EDr. Christina Kwapich \u0026amp\u003B Dr. David Jenkins, Advisors\u003C/p\u003E",
	"location": "Bio 415: BIO 415",
	"location_url": "https://www.ucf.edu/location/biological\u002Dsciences\u002Dbuilding/",
	"virtual_url": null,
	"registration_link": null,
	"registration_info": null,
	"starts": "Mon, 18 May 2026 13:00:00 -0400",
	"ends": "Mon, 18 May 2026 15:00:00 -0400",
	"ongoing": "False",
	"category": "Speaker/Lecture/Seminar",
	"tags": ["Dissertation Defense"],
	"contact_name": "Dr. Kwapich",
	"contact_phone": null,
	"contact_email": "christina.kwapich@ucf.edu",
	"url": "https://events.ucf.edu/event/4119625/multi-scale-drivers-of-beetle-biodiversity-in-a-rapidly-urbanizing-region/"
}