Forest disturbance research focuses on understanding the causes, patterns, and impacts of disturbances in forest ecosystems. Disturbances can be natural events such as wildfire, insect outbreaks, and storms, or they can be human-caused disturbances such as logging, agriculture, and urbanization. Researchers in this field study how disturbances affect forest structure, biodiversity, ecosystem function, and resilience, as well as how forests recover and regenerate after disturbances. The goal of this research is to better inform forest management practices, conservation efforts, and climate change mitigation strategies.