Stella Copeland
Post-doctoral Researcher
USGS, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
scopeland@ucdavis.edu
Education
PhD, Ecology, University of California, Davis
Jun. 2014
Dissertation: Abiotic conditions, biotic interactions, and species traits affect plant distribution across topographic microclimates in
the Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains
Relevant Courses: Conservation Ecology, Conservation Management, Plant Population Ecology, Species Distribution Modeling,
Spatial Analysis in R, Hierarchical Modeling and Bayesian analysis, Multivariate Statistics, Physical Hydrology, Environmental
Leadership Program
Field and lab data collection
Apr. – Aug., 2010 – 2013
 Identified hundreds of plant species in ~100 community vegetation plots across topographic, soil, and elevation gradients an
area of approximately 500 square miles
 Measured light availability, microclimate, soil moisture, and chlorophyll content using standard instrumentation and
protocols
 Collected data on plant performance with plant traits
 Processed and analyzed soil nutrient data
 Researched the effect of symbiotic mycorrhizae on plants by staining and measuring fungal colonization of roots
 Researched the habitat characteristics and fungal associates of three rare orchid species monitored by federal agencies
Statistical analysis and final products
2009 – 2014
 Modeled species distributions across topographic microclimate gradients for hundreds of common plant species in the region
using a large federal database of occurrences
 Developed spatial microclimate model for region from a temperature datalogger network
 Applied generalized linear, mixed, non-parametric, machine learning, and structural equation models to research problems
 Presented results at regional (California Native Plant Society) and national conferences (Ecological Society of America)
MS. Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville
Aug. 2009
Thesis: Plant growth and soil responses to simulated nitrogen deposition and dry season precipitation in a Neotropical savanna
 NSF funded collaboration with the University of Florida and the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Brazil
Relevant Courses: Ecological Statistics, Ecosystem Ecology, Tropical Ecology, Climate Change Seminar, Plant Physiology,
Macroecology, Plant-Animal Interactions, Environmental Interpretation
Data collection
May – Aug. 2008 & Jan. – May 2009
 Conducted climate change experiment in collaboration with the Universidade de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais
 Measured responses of dominant C-4 grasses to fertilization and water manipulation
 Measured soil moisture and light availability
 Supervised full-time research assistant for 5 week final data collection period
 Processed and analyzed 160 samples for soil and foliar macronutrients
Statistical analysis and final products
May – Aug. 2009
 Analyzed results with generalized linear and structural equation models
 Published results in peer-reviewed journal and presented at graduate research seminars at Univ. of Florida and UC Davis
BA, Biology, Spanish minor, The Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
May 2005
Senior Thesis: Response of selected rare herbaceous species to fire in the Siskiyou Mts., Oregon
May – Aug. 2004
 Relocated rare plant populations in burn area and analyzed effect of fire severity of plant populations
 Presented results in written report to the Bureau of Land Management and at an undergraduate research conference
Study Abroad: School for International Training (SIT): Comparative Ecology and Conservation, Ecuador
Spring 2004
Independent Study Project: Una investigación sobre la distribución y biodiversidad de especies ecuatorianas de Orchidaceae por el
Río Zuñag en la provincia de Tungurahua (in Ecuador)
200 hrs (~ 1 month of work)
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Collected and identified 100 new and rare orchid species in Andean cloud forest
Wrote report for local land conservation organization
Biological Research Experience
Postdoctoral Researcher, US Geological Survey, Flagstaff, Arizona
July. 2015 - current
 Quantifying and-use, climate change, and development trends and impacts on the semi-arid Colorado Plateau
 Compilation of data from a variety of sources including downscaled Global Climate Models, oil/gas and renewable energy
assessments, and population growth models
 Analysis, graphing, and map products with R spatial packages and ArcGIS
 Conducted literature review and assisted with writing climate change restoration publication
Postdoctoral Researcher, Harrison Lab, University of California, Davis
Jun. 2014 – April 2015
 Coordinated NSF-funded project on the effects of severe drought on plant communities
 Supervised six technicians collecting field data, processing plant and soil samples, and entering, organizing, and quality
control-checking datasets for ~ 300 transects across California
 Arranged meetings and organized datasets for team of collaborating researchers
 Analyzed data and co-wrote publications
Research Assistant,
Jan. – May 2010, Mar. – Sept. 2012 & 2013
McLaughlin Reserve, Napa County & Harrison Lab, UC Davis
 Coordinated sampling of 80 transects (400 m2 plots) for early and late spring vascular plant community composition on
diverse native serpentine and invaded non-serpentine grasslands for a long-term NSF funded project
 Managed database for grassland community monitoring project including adding data storage files and metadata and
providing datasets to collaborating scientists
 Assisted with the design and setup of a global change field experiment to test the effects of precipitation change on plant
communities on different soil types
Co-author, Sequoia Kings-Canyon National Park Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment
Mar. – Nov. 2010
 Wrote vulnerable species sections of the climate change vulnerability assessment with a small team of UC Davis faculty and
students
Research Assistant, Bruna Lab, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Aug. 2007 – Aug. 2008
 Developed key to ~ 30 grass species for Panga Field Station using herbarium collections and existing regional floras
 Prepared database of ~ 600 relevant papers for lab research in the Cerrado
Plant Survey Contractor, Pacific Crest Consulting, Talent, OR
 Surveyed ~ 50 acre/day for dozens of rare vascular and non-vascular species on Medford BLM lands
May – Aug. 2007
Senior Biological Technician, The Nature Conservancy, Ellsworth Creek Preserve, WA
Feb. 2006 – Feb. 2007
 Led vegetation field crew of four collecting data on understory species composition, stand structure, and forest disease as
baseline information for a multi-faceted restoration project
 Supported amphibian, avian, hydrology, and fish field crews with data entry, database management, and supplies
Research Intern, Andes to Amazon Botany Program, Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Peru
 Assisted research on an orchid phenology and diversity research project in southeastern Peru
Oct. – Dec. 2005
Conservation Easement Consultant, Pikes Peak Community Foundation, Colorado Springs, CO
Aug. – Oct. 2005
 Prepared rare species and communities section for the baseline report for the Venetucci Farm conservation easement
Botany Field Technician, Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO
Jun. – Oct. 2005
 Recorded species cover and fuels data for hundreds of plots from sand dunes to alpine tundra habitats in and around the park
 Mapped and documented invasive and rare vascular species populations when encountered
 Coordinated logistics with crew of 4 for several backpacking trips of 4-8 days to sample remote areas
Biological Science Technician (Plants), Medford District, Bureau of Land Management, OR
May – Aug. 2003 & 2004
 Conducted and inspected vascular, non-vascular, and invasive species plant surveys and contracts.
 Relocated, mapped, and buffered rare plant sites in timber and fuels units with GPS units and ArcMap
Publications
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Harrison, S.P., Gornish, E.S. and S.M. Copeland. 2015. Climate-driven diversity loss in a grassland community. PNAS. 112
(28): 8672-8677.
Copeland, S.M. and S. P. Harrison. 2015. Identifying plant traits associated with topographic contrasts in a rugged and
diverse region (Klamath-Siskiyou Mts., OR, USA). Ecography. 38 (6): 569-577.
Harrison, S.P., Damschen, E., Fernandez-Going, B., Eskelinen, A. and S.M. Copeland. 2015. Plant communities on infertile
soils are less sensitive to climate change. Annals of Botany. 116 (6): 1017-1022.
Spasojevic, M., Copeland, S., and K. Suding. 2014. Using functional diversity patterns to explore metacommunity dynamics:
a framework for understanding local and regional influences on community structure. Ecography. 37 (10): 939-949.
The Ecology Graduate Student Project Collective, and M. W. Schwartz. 2013. A natural resource condition assessment for
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: Appendix 15a – animals of conservation concern. Natural Resource Report
NPS/SEKI/NRR—2013/665.15a. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Copeland, S.M., Bruna, E.M., Barbosa Silva, L.V., Mack, M.C. and H.L. Vasconcelos. 2012. Short-term effects of elevated
precipitation and nitrogen on soil fertility and plant growth in a Neotropical savanna. Ecosphere. 3 (4): Article 31.
Callis, K. L., L. R. Christ, J. Resasco, D. W. Armitage, J. D. Ash, T. T. Caughlin, S. F. Clemmensen, S. M. Copeland, T. J.
Fullman, R. L. Lynch, C. Olson, R. A. Pruner, E. H. M. Vieira-Neto, R. West-Singh, and E. M. Bruna. 2009. Improving
Wikipedia: educational opportunity and professional responsibility. Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 24 (4): 177-179.
Copeland S.M. and S.P. Harrison. Community traits affect plant-plant interactions across climate gradients. In review.
Copeland S.M. and S.P. Harrison. Biotic conditions alter the effects of climate and soil fertility on distribution of an
understory herb. In review.
Copeland, S.M., Harrison, S.P., Latimer, A.M., Damschen, E.I., Eskelinen, A.M., Fernandez-Going, B., Spasojevic, M.J.,
Anacker, B.L., and J.H. Thorne. Ecological effects of an extreme drought: comparing predictions from experimental,
temporal, and geographic gradients. In review.
Presentations
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Davis Botanical Society. November 7, 2013, Davis, CA. How do species interactions affect climatic niche? A test with
understory herb Trientalis latifolia in the Siskiyou Mountains.
Sacramento Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. October 9, 2013, Sacramento, CA: Partners to parasites:
complex relationships between native plants and symbiotic fungi.
Ecological Society of America, August 8, 2012, Portland, OR: Effects of species interactions on plant topographic niche
across an elevation gradient.
California Native Plant Society, January 12, 2012, San Diego, CA: Exploring plant topographic niche: the effects of climate
tolerance, range position, and soil type.
Ecological Society of America, August 11, 2011, Austin, TX: Climate tolerance, range position, and soil fertility affects
herbaceous species distribution across topographic microclimates.
Graduate Symposium in Ecology, February, 2010, Davis, CA: Effects of simulated nitrogen deposition and dry season
precipitation on plant growth, reproduction, and soil fertility in a Neotropical savanna.
Colorado Springs Undergraduate Research Forum, April 2005, Colorado Springs, CO: Response of selected rare herbaceous
species to fire in the Siskiyou Mts., Oregon.
Leadership
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Diversity Committee, Graduate Group in Ecology (UC Davis), April 2013 - 2014
John Muir Center for the Environment Environmental Leaders Program (UC Davis), 2010
Co-President, Colorado College Environmental Action Club, 2004 - 2005
Grants and Awards
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UC Davis Block Grant Fellowship, 2013-2014, $5400, 2012 - 2013, $10800, including tuition fees
Davis Botanical Society Grant Award for dissertation expenses $1500 , 2011 – 2012
Jastro Shields Research Funding for dissertation expenses, $1500, 2010 – 2011, $2000, 2011 – 2012, $ 2500, 2012 - 2013
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, full tuition and stipend, 2008 – 2011
Teaching Experience
Teaching Assistant, Depts. of Ecology and Evolution & Environmental Science and Policy, UC Davis
Fall – Winter, 2012 – 2014
Ecological principles and applications, graduate program core course
 Coordinated discussion sections and review process for final papers for 3 lab sections for ~ 35 students total
Principles of Ecology and Evolution
 Graded homework, prepared introductory lectures, and facilitated lab exercises for 2 lab sections for ~ 40 students total
General Ecology
 Facilitated four discussion sections, prepared section syllabus, held office hours, and graded final projects and exams for a
total of ~ 80 students
 Lectured on Biogeography for entire class
Readerships
 Public Lands Management: graded exams and final papers
 Introduction to Ecology: graded exams
Volunteer Experience
Teacher, KiDS (Kids into Discovering Science), Lower Lake Elementary, Lower Lake, CA
Oct. 2010 –April 2015
 Founding member and volunteer for an elementary science education program with both classroom and field trip components
 Taught 2-3 lessons / year and led field trip activity for a total of ~ 90 5 th graders
Adult Mentor, Student and Landowner Education and Watershed Stewardship, Winters, CA,
Dec. 2010 – Mar. 2015
 Led groups of 4-5 high school students in restoration work and team-building activities over 3 field days
English Teacher, Foreign Language Institute, Lobería, Argentina
 Responsible for preparing and teaching 4-5 English classes per week for ages 5-70
English Tutor, ESL Program, Clatsop Community College, Astoria, OR
English Classroom Volunteer, Adult ESL Program, District 11 Schools, Colorado Springs, CO
Apr. 2007
Feb. 2006 – Feb. 2007
Jan. – May 2005
Software, Programming, and Foreign Language Skills
Statistical software and languages: Advanced R user, intermediate skills in SAS and JMP
Geospatial software: Intermediate skills in ESRI ArcMap 10, GRASS (open-source GIS software), DIVA-GIS, and R spatial packages
Foreign Languages: Intermediate oral and written Spanish and Portuguese
Other: Training in Forest Service Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS), December 10 – 14, 2012