
Liza S. Comita e-mail: lsc2125@columbia.edu Education Ph.D., Plant Biology, University of Georgia M.A., Conservation Biology, University of Pennsylvania B.A., Biology, University of Pennsylvania Research My current postdoctoral research examines how forests regenerate following large natural disturbances, namely hurricanes, and how regeneration pathways and post-disturbance community composition change as a result of human alterations to landscapes. For this project, I am utilizing a 15-year record of tree and seedling dynamics in the 16-ha Luquillo Forest Dynamics Plot in the Luquillo mountains of northeastern Puerto Rico. The plot encompasses areas of differing intensities of past human disturbance. In addition, the region has been hit by two major hurricanes since 1989. Thus, the site provides an excellent opportunity to study forest regeneration and community stability following large-scale natural and human disturbance. I am currently analyzing patterns of seedling dynamics to assess shifts in the relative importance of land-use history, biotic interactions (e.g., competition, herbivory), and abiotic variables (e.g., light, soil resources) as the forest recovers from hurricane damage. Analyses of this forest plot will have implications for forests throughout the tropics that will likely experience increases in hurricane disturbance and human impacts in the coming decades. For my dissertation research, I studied spatial patterns of seedling recruitment, growth and survival on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Using these data, I evaluated several hypotheses proposed to explain the maintenance of diversity in species rich plant communities. For more information, please vist my personal homepage. Publications Comita, L. S. and B. M. J. Engelbrecht. In review. Seasonal and spatial variation in water availability drive tropical tree species habitat associations. Submitted to Ecology. Comita, L. S. and S. P. Hubbell. In press. Local neighborhood and species' shade tolerance influence survival in a diverse seedling bank. Ecology. Jones, F. A. and L. S. Comita. 2008. Neighborhood density and genetic relatedness interact to determine fruit set and abortion rates in a tropical tree. Proceedings of the Royal Society B (online early: doi:10.1098/rspb.2008.0894). PDF Comita, L. S., G. R. Goldsmith, and S. P. Hubbell. 2008. Intensive research activity alters short-term seedling dynamics in a tropical forest. Ecological Research (online early: DOI 10.1007/s11284-008-0490-4). PDF Comita, L. S. and G. R. Goldsmith. 2008. Impact of research trails on seedling dynamics in a tropical forest. Biotropica 40: 251–254. Metz, M. R., L. S. Comita, Y. Chen, N. Norden, R. Condit, S. P. Hubbell, I-F. Sun, N. S. Md. Noor, S. J. Wright. 2008. Temporal and spatial variability in seedling dynamics: a cross-site comparison in four lowland tropical forests. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 24: 9-18. PDF Comita, L. S., R. Condit, and S. P. Hubbell. 2007. Developmental changes in habitat associations of tropical trees. Journal of Ecology 95: 482-492. PDF Engelbrecht, B. M. J., L. S. Comita, R. Condit, S. P. Hubbell, T. Kursar, and M. Tyree. 2007. Drought sensitivity shapes species distribution patterns in tropical forests. Nature 447: 80-82. PDF Comita, L. S., S. Aguilar, R. Perez, S. Lao, and S. P. Hubbell. 2007. Patterns of woody plant species abundance and diversity in the seedling layer of a tropical forest. Journal of Vegetation Science 18: 163-174. PDF Goldsmith, G. R., L. S. Comita, L. Morefield, R. Condit, and S. P. Hubbell. 2006. Researcher impacts on seedling community structure in a permanent study plot. Forest Ecology and Management 234: 34-39. PDF Wills, C., K. Harms, R. Condit, D. King, J. Thompson, F. He, H. Muller-Landau, P. Ashton, E. Losos, L. S. Comita et al. 2006. Nonrandom processes maintain diversity in tropical forests. Science 27: 527-531. PDF

Liza S. Comita

e-mail: lsc2125@columbia.edu

Education

Ph.D., Plant Biology, University of Georgia
M.A., Conservation Biology, University of Pennsylvania
B.A., Biology, University of Pennsylvania

Research

My current postdoctoral research examines how forests regenerate following large natural disturbances, namely hurricanes, and how regeneration pathways and post-disturbance community composition change as a result of human alterations to landscapes. For this project, I am utilizing a 15-year record of tree and seedling dynamics in the 16-ha Luquillo Forest Dynamics Plot in the Luquillo mountains of northeastern Puerto Rico. The plot encompasses areas of differing intensities of past human disturbance. In addition, the region has been hit by two major hurricanes since 1989. Thus, the site provides an excellent opportunity to study forest regeneration and community stability following large-scale natural and human disturbance. I am currently analyzing patterns of seedling dynamics to assess shifts in the relative importance of land-use history, biotic interactions (e.g., competition, herbivory), and abiotic variables (e.g., light, soil resources) as the forest recovers from hurricane damage. Analyses of this forest plot will have implications for forests throughout the tropics that will likely experience increases in hurricane disturbance and human impacts in the coming decades.

For my dissertation research, I studied spatial patterns of seedling recruitment, growth and survival on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Using these data, I evaluated several hypotheses proposed to explain the maintenance of diversity in species rich plant communities. For more information, please vist my personal homepage.

Publications

Comita, L. S. and B. M. J. Engelbrecht. In review. Seasonal and spatial variation in water availability drive tropical tree species habitat associations. Submitted to Ecology.
Comita, L. S. and S. P. Hubbell. In press. Local neighborhood and species' shade tolerance influence survival in a diverse seedling bank. Ecology.
Jones, F. A. and L. S. Comita. 2008. Neighborhood density and genetic relatedness interact to determine fruit set and abortion rates in a tropical tree. Proceedings of the Royal Society B (online early: doi:10.1098/rspb.2008.0894). PDF
Comita, L. S., G. R. Goldsmith, and S. P. Hubbell. 2008. Intensive research activity alters short-term seedling dynamics in a tropical forest. Ecological Research (online early: DOI 10.1007/s11284-008-0490-4). PDF
Comita, L. S. and G. R. Goldsmith. 2008. Impact of research trails on seedling dynamics in a tropical forest. Biotropica 40: 251–254.
Metz, M. R., L. S. Comita, Y. Chen, N. Norden, R. Condit, S. P. Hubbell, I-F. Sun, N. S. Md. Noor, S. J. Wright. 2008. Temporal and spatial variability in seedling dynamics: a cross-site comparison in four lowland tropical forests. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 24: 9-18. PDF
Comita, L. S., R. Condit, and S. P. Hubbell. 2007. Developmental changes in habitat associations of tropical trees. Journal of Ecology 95: 482-492. PDF
Engelbrecht, B. M. J., L. S. Comita, R. Condit, S. P. Hubbell, T. Kursar, and M. Tyree. 2007. Drought sensitivity shapes species distribution patterns in tropical forests. Nature 447: 80-82. PDF
Comita, L. S., S. Aguilar, R. Perez, S. Lao, and S. P. Hubbell. 2007. Patterns of woody plant species abundance and diversity in the seedling layer of a tropical forest. Journal of Vegetation Science 18: 163-174. PDF
Goldsmith, G. R., L. S. Comita, L. Morefield, R. Condit, and S. P. Hubbell. 2006. Researcher impacts on seedling community structure in a permanent study plot. Forest Ecology and Management 234: 34-39. PDF
Wills, C., K. Harms, R. Condit, D. King, J. Thompson, F. He, H. Muller-Landau, P. Ashton, E. Losos, L. S. Comita et al. 2006. Nonrandom processes maintain diversity in tropical forests. Science 27: 527-531. PDF