Liza Holeski

Liza Holeski is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Arizona University and affiliated with the Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes. Her work focuses on plant-herbivore interactions, phytochemical defense mechanisms, and the genetic basis of ecological traits.

Research Interests

• Plant ecology and evolutionary biology
• Phytochemical and genetic defense against herbivory
• Community genetics and foundation tree species
• Climate change impacts on plant adaptation

Publications

Her recent work (2023-2025) examines:

• Population genetics of endangered species in Arizona Sky Islands
• Climate-driven shifts in plant-pollinator communities
• Interactions between self-defense costs and herbivory in rare plants
• Genetic basis of defense trade-offs in monkeyflowers
• Environmental drivers of salt spray tolerance in Mimulus guttatus

Collaborations

She collaborates on datasets with institutions like DRYAD, Zenodo, and figshare, focusing on plant genotype-environment interactions and community composition.