Hello! I’m Ang, a masters student in the Evenden lab studying arthropod community response to mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) disturbance. While there has been much effort in understanding vertebrate response to mountain pine beetle disturbance, minimal effort has gone into assessing invertebrate response. The two taxa I’m focusing on are spiders (Araneae) and rove beetles (Staphylinidae). These taxa were chosen due to previous work using them as ecological indicators of forest health, making them potentially useful in understanding the broader ramifications of mountain pine beetle disturbance on forest ecosystems. My study design involves the collection of target arthropods in paired disturbed and undisturbed sites, identifying all individuals to species, and comparing community composition between disturbed and undisturbed sites. This research will lead to a better understanding of arthropod response to mountain pine beetle disturbance, and thus the development of better forest management practices that keep these important taxa in mind.

In my spare time, I enjoy sculpting and drawing. Often, arthropods are my subjects!