THE WOODS LAB
At the University of Puget Sound
PEOPLE
Dr. Carrie L. Woods is an Associate Professor in the Biology Department at the University of Puget Sound where she teaches Evolution and the Diversity of Life, Ecology, Advanced Ecology and Field Botany. She received her BSc. in Ecology and Biochemistry and her MSc. in Environmental Biology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada and her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at Clemson University. She spent two years at Colgate University as a VAP and joined Puget Sound in August 2015 as a VAP and as an Assistant Professor in August 2017.
Email: cwoods@pugetsound.edu
Office: Thompson 223B
Phone: 253-879-3301
Access my cv here.
Abby Steward
(summer 2023)
Abby is examining the role of location and tree size on bryophyte community structure in bigleaf maple trees. She is testing the predictions of the Species Accumulation Model.
Kaia Doan
(summer 2023)
Kaia is examining the role of spatial heterogeneity in influencing the distribution and diversity of intertidal organisms. She is working in collaboration with Olivia.
Ellie Olpin
(summer 2022, summer 2023)
Ellie is examining the influence of forest successional stage and downed coarse woody debris on bryophyte community structure. She is also examining fungal communities in tree seedling roots on nurse logs and the forest floor.
Peter Lagemann
(summer 2022)
Peter is examining the influence of successional type (primary vs. secondary) and orientation (horizontal vs. vertical) on epiphytic bryophyte community structure. He was mentored by Michelle and also helped with her epiphyte community assembly research in Olympic rainforests.
Olivia Brech
(summer 2023)
Olivia is examining the relationship of habitat heterogeneity and the distribution and diversity of intertidal species as well as how that changes with tidal height. She is working in collaboration with Kaia.
Reisha Foertsch
(summer 2023)
Reisha is examining fungal communities in tree seedlings roots of nurse logs of varying decay stages. She worked with Ellie on this research.
Anna Dupont
(summer 2022)
Anna decided to turn her 2000 mile canoe trip into a summer research opportunity to examine microplastics along the Yukon river. She is also co-advised by Peter Hodum and Peter Wimberger.
Beatrice Bugos
(summer 2021, summer 2022)
Beatrice is working on reconstructing ancient plant environments using plant fossils from the mid-Cretaceous to the Eocene. She also examined biotic interactions in epiphytes and worked with Michelle on epiphyte community assembly in 2021.
FORMER WOODS LAB MEMBERS
Post-doctoral Researchers
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Dr. Michelle E. Spicer (2020 - 2023) - Michelle is examining epiphyte community assembly in temperate rainforests on the Olympics and montane forests in Panama. She was co-advised for her post-doc with Dr. Liza Comita at Yale School of the Environment. She is now a faculty member at LeHigh University in the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department. Find more about Michelle at her website: https://spicerme.weebly.com/
Thesis Students
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Rei Ishii (summer 2020) - Rei examined the network properties of slime molds and how they respond to disturbance. He also created a time-lapse machine of his own design for this senior thesis.
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Sean Grealish (summer 2019, 2020) - Sean surveyed bryophyte and vascular plant communities on nurse logs that he aged using dendrochronology in order to determine succession on nurse logs for his senior thesis.
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Kaela Hamilton (summer 2018, 2019) - Kaela examined fine-scale habitat associations of non-vascular epiphytes in bigleaf maple trees in northern temperate rainforests for her senior thesis. Kaela has completed a Masters at Arizona State University examining the use of animal bridges by wildlife.
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Andrew Izzo (spring 2018) - Andrew examined the application of the marginal value theorem to Hordeum vulgare using a controlled lab experiment and a model for his senior thesis.
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Kimmy Ortmann (spring 2016-2018) - Kimmy examined the influence of structural heterogeneity on substrate and species diversity in the Olympic rainforest for her senior thesis. She also worked on the role of nurse logs and density dependent factors influence tree seedling density.
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Eric Hartel (summer 2017) - Eric examined habitat preferences of understory fern species in second growth and old-growth temperate rainforests for his senior thesis.
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McKinley Nevins (summer 2017) - McKinley examined the non-random distribution of non-vascular epiphytes in bigleaf maple trees in northern temperate rainforests. She also examined isotopic signatures of many non-vascular epiphytes for her senior thesis. McKinley has started her Ph.D. at Washington State University examining hybridization in plants in the Pacific Northwest.
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Katy Maleta (summer 2016, fall 2017) - Katy examined the influence of particular moss species on tree seedling density on nurse logs. She also examined the influence of particular moss species on light availability for her senior thesis.
Other Students
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Henry Norton (summer 2021) - Henry worked on different projects under Michelle's guidance. Henry examined the factors driving adventitious root cover in bigleaf maples and worked with Michelle on her epiphyte community assembly research in temperate rainforests on the Olympics .​
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Nisa Bhatia (summer 2020) - Nisa measured functional traits of bryophytes using an experimental approach to explain distribution patterns in bigleaf maple trees.
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Erin Stewart (spring 2020) - Erin examined the nutrient status of bryophytes collected from bigleaf maple trees. She is now working at Archbold Research Station in Florida.
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Nate Hess (summer 2019) - Nate examined the relationship between huckleberry abundance and soil pH along with distance from coniferous trees. Nate got into the graduate honors research program at the University of Sydney to work on oyster reef restoration.
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Summer Bolibol and Kendra Elderkin (fall 2018) - Summer and Kendra looked at the distribution of two algal species in the intertidal zone along with a controlled competition experiment.
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Anna Marchand (summer 2018) - Anna examined the influence of Hylocomium splendens on soil nutrient concentrations in northern temperate rainforests. Anna completed her Masters at St. Andrews University in Scotland this year (2021).
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Micaela Seaver (summer 2017) - Micaela conducted a transplant study with two moss species from different areas of the tree crown to disentangle the influence of biotic or abiotic factors on their distribution patterns. Micaela has completed her Masters at the University of Colorado in Boulder working in alpine plant communities.
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Jeremy Wood (summer 2016) - Jeremy examined microclimatic gradients within bigleaf maple tree crowns as a driver of non-vascular epiphyte distributions. Jeremy started med school in the fall of 2021.
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Emma Didier (summer 2016) - Emma examined the influence of structural and habitat features within bigleaf maple tree crowns as drivers of non-vascular epiphyte distributions.
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Mimi Andrews (summer 2016) - Mimi examined the influence of proximity to roads on lichen abundance and richness within an urban park.
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Chloe Pearson (fall 2016) - Chloe conducted a controlled growth experiment examining the influence of soil pathogens on tree seedlings.
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Rosa Brandt (spring 2016) - Rosa examined the influence of light, pH, and RH on the growth of two moss species.
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University of Puget Sound (www.pugetsound.edu)
1500 N Warner St., Tacoma, WA 98416