Ecosystems are inherently open, fluctuating environmental systems, and ecological communities are often dynamically structured by the variability and predictability of key environmental drivers. Although disturbance regimes are key focal subjects for nearly every ecological sub-discipline, ecologists tend to play an indirect role in the management of natural hazards (i.e., disasters). It is unsurprising that ecological study is of secondary priority in the immediate aftermath of life-threatening disasters, yet failure to learn from exceptional events may subject communities to greater risks from future occurrences. This session explores the current and potential roles of ecological knowledge in response to a diversity of natural disturbances (e.g., flood, fire, drought).  Case studies are presented from investigators working in ecologically, geographically, and socio-politically diverse systems to create contrast in the approaches and experiences of disaster management.  However, each case study was tasked with addressing the same guiding questions to seek out consistent patterns and emergent findings, which included: How was learning or data collection embraced in response to this catastrophic event?  Is analysis of this disaster leading to better prediction, anticipation, or adaption for the next event?  What did ecologists learn from this disaster?  What did disaster management learn from ecologists?