Susan Letcher

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Susan G. Letcher
Susan in a tree

Ph.D. 2008

University of Connecticut
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043
Storrs, CT 06269
(860) 486-0805

after January 1, 2009:
Resident Professor
Organization for Tropical Studies
Apartado Postal 676-2050
San Pedro de Montes de Oca
Costa Rica
tel (506) 2524-0607 ext. 1542
fax (506) 766-6535


Education

Ph.D. 2008
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon
Thesis title: Structural, floristic, and phylogenetic dynamics of tropical forest stands during succession.

B.A. 2000

Carleton College, Northfield, MN
summa cum laude

Publications

Letcher, S.G., and Chazdon, R.L. (in press) Rapid recovery of biomass, species richness, and species composition in a forest chronosequence in northeastern Costa Rica. Biotropica.

Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.

Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.

Letcher, S.G. 2005. Common plant families of La Selva Biological Station. Lulu Press, Morristown, N.C. [available at http://lulu.com/barefootsisters]

Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.

Presentations

Letcher, S.G. November 2008. “Forests of the future? Tropical forests and biodiversity conservation.” (invited seminar) Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts.

Letcher, S.G., and Chazdon, R.L. July 2008. “La rapidez y eficacía de la regeneración natural del bosque lluvioso en la Zona Norte de Costa Rica.” (poster) Las Cruces Restoration and Conservation Workshop, San Vito, Costa Rica.

Letcher, S.G. June 2008. “Phylogenetic diversity of woody plants during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Paramaribo, Suriname.

Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.

Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.

Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China.

Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.

Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.

Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.

Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.

Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.

Teaching and Mentoring Experience

January 2009-present Resident Professor, Organization for Tropical Studies

Fall 2008 Teaching assistant, EEB 4230 (Methods of Ecology)

Summer 2007, Summer 2008 Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.

Spring 2007 Teaching assistant, EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)

Fall 2006 Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.

Summer 2006 Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La Selva.

Summer 2006 Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates doing research at La Selva.

Summer 2005 Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates at La Selva.

Winter 2004 Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, La Selva.

Summer 2004 Mentor for a UCONN undergraduate at La Selva.

2004 Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.

2003 Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).

Other Links

See my sporadically updated blog at http://lianawoman.blogspot.com.
I am also a contributor to http://www.madsci.org. Check it out!
As of January 2009, I am working for OTS: http://www.ots.ac.cr