Speaker: Nayani Ilangakoon, Earth Lab

Abstract: 
Every living system has a rhythm, a heartbeat that reflects its stability and resilience. In forest ecosystems, that rhythm appears in repeating patterns of greening, browning, and recovery through seasons and disturbances. But as forest ecosystems approach tipping points, this rhythm begins to change, their recovery slows, their fluctuations grow stronger, and their “heartbeat” weakens. This phenomenon, known as critical slowing down, is now measurable from space. Advances in time-series remote sensing allow us to detect these early warning signals - rising lag-1 autocorrelation, variance, and recovery time in correct vegetation indices (indicators) derived from satellites such as MODIS. These indicators reveal where ecosystems are losing resilience, often years before large-scale transformation becomes visible. By monitoring these signals continuously across landscapes, we can recognize when nature’s vital signs start to alter.  Using Southern Rockies Forest ecosystems as a case study, this talks highlights how subtle shifts in vegetation dynamics can warn of emerging ecosystem transitions. Listening to these signals enables proactive stewardship - turning ecological crisis response into ecological preventive care.

Speaker Bio:
Nayani Ilangakoon is a research scientist at the Earth Lab, University of Colorado Boulder studying ecosystem resilience, transformations, post-wildfire recovery, and carbon dynamics using drone and satellite Remote sensing. Her work focuses on detecting post-disturbance recovery and early warning signals of ecosystem transformations under fire and climate stress to inform data-driven restoration strategies.  She earned her PhD in geosciences from the Boise State University. Her background is in remote sensing applications in ecosystem ecology and forest diversity.