The December 8, 2023 General Meeting presentation was held via Zoom.  It was presented by Michael Donovan, Collections Manager, Paleobotany at the Field Museum will present “Ancient Forest Pests: Plant-Insect Interactions in the Fossil Record”.

Plants and insects are the most diverse multicellular organisms on Earth, and their abundant interactions are fundamental components of ecosystems on land. Plant-feeding insects are highly sensitive to environmental disturbances, including past extinction events and climate change. In this talk, I will discuss my research examining how major environmental changes affected ancient insect and plant biodiversity and biogeography, and how those changes have shaped modern ecosystems.