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​Plant carbon dynamics
​in a changing world

*LAB WEBSITE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION*

I am currently working on updating the lab website. In the meantime, please reach out if you are interested in joining the lab: mfurze@purdue.edu. In August 2022, I started as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology and the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University. 

Research

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My research focuses on how plants interact with their environment, with a particular interest in whole-plant carbon dynamics and its implications for how ecosystems function in a changing world. I integrate tools from plant physiology, ecology, and isotope biogeochemistry with high resolution microCT imaging to explore nonstructural carbohydrate storage and allocation in response to stress in ecologically and economically important plants. While the majority of my work has focused on forest ecosystems, I am currently expanding my research to work with agricultural crop species in the context of real-world applications for agroecosystems.
Collecting leaves with the bucket lift at Harvard Forest (MA, USA)
Sampling with the bucket lift at Harvard Forest (MA, USA)
Collecting tree cores for carbohydrate analysis at Harvard Forest (MA, USA)
Whole-tree chamber system at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (Richmond, NSW)
Measuring isotopes at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (Richmond, NSW)
Measuring light-response curves on bog species at the Marcell Experimental Forest (MN, USA)
Radial microCT image through an oak stem
Collecting woody tree and shrub species at the Marcell Experimental Forest (MN, USA)
Monitoring phenology at the Marcell Experimental Forest (MN, USA)
IsoCamp Class of 2014 (UT, USA)

Publications

* co-author was an undergraduate or master's student
11. Furze, M.E., Wainwright, D.K.,  Huggett, B.A.,  Knipfer, T.,  McElrone, A.J. and Brodersen, C.R. (2021), Ecologically driven selection of nonstructural carbohydrate storage in oak trees. New Phytologist. PDF
‘The definitive version is available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1469-8137
 
10. Furze, M.E., Huggett, B.A., Chamberlain, C.J., *Wieringa, M.M., Aubrecht, D.M., Carbone, M.S., Walker, J.C., Xu, X.,  Czimczik, C.I. and Richardson, A.D. (2020), Seasonal fluctuation of nonstructural carbohydrates reveals the metabolic availability of stemwood reserves in temperate trees with contrasting wood anatomy. Tree Physiology.

09. Furze, M.E., Drake, J., *Wiesenbauer, J., Richter, A. and Pendall, E. (2019), Carbon isotopic tracing of sugars throughout whole-trees exposed to climate warming. Plant, Cell, & Environment. PDF

08. Drake, J.,  Furze, M.E., Tjoelker, M., Carillo, Y., Barton, C. and Pendall, E. (2019), Climate warming and tree carbon use efficiency in a whole-tree 13CO2 tracer study. New Phytologist. PDF

07. Landhäusser, S.M., Chow, P.S., Dickman, L.T., Furze, M.E., Kuhlman, I., Schmid, S., Wiesenbauer, J., Wild, B., Gleixner, G., Hartmann, H., Hoch, G., McDowell, N.G., Richardson, A.D., Richter, A. and Adams, H.D. (2018), Standardized protocols and procedures can precisely and accurately quantify non-structural carbohydrates. Tree Physiology. PDF

06. Furze, M.E., Huggett, B.A., Aubrecht, D.M., *Stolz, C.D., Carbone, M.S. and Richardson, A.D. (2018), Whole-tree nonstructural carbohydrate storage and seasonal dynamics in five temperate species. New Phytologist. PDF
​

05. Richardson, A.D., Hufkens K., Milliman, T.,  Aubrecht, D.M., Furze, M.E., Seyednasrollah, B., Krassovski, M.B., Latimer, J.M., Nettles, W.R., Heiderman, R.R., Warren, J.M. and Hanson, P.J. (2018), Ecosystem warming extends vegetation activity but heightens cold temperature vulnerability. Nature. PDF

04. Furze, M.E., Jensen, A.M., Warren, J.M. and Richardson, A.D. (2018), Seasonal patterns of nonstructural carbohydrate reserves in four woody boreal species. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society. PDF

03. Furze, M.E., Trumbore, S. and Hartmann, H. (2018), Detours on the phloem sugar highway: stem carbon storage and remobilization. Current Opinion in Plant Biology. PDF
 
02. Moore, M.S., Field, K.A., Behr, M.J., Turner, G.G., Furze, M.E., Stern, D.W.F., Allegra, P.R., Bouboulis, S.A., Musante, C.D., Vodzak, M.E., Biron, M.E., Meierhofer, M.B., Frick, W.F., Foster, J.T., Howell, D., Kath, J.A., Kurta, A., Nordquist, G., Johnson, J.S., Lilley, T.M., Barrett, B.W. and Reeder, D.M. (2018), Energy conserving thermoregulatory patterns and lower disease severity in a bat resistant to the impacts of white-nose syndrome. Journal of Comparative Physiology B. PDF


01. Richardson, A. D., Carbone, M. S., Huggett, B. A., Furze, M. E., Czimczik, C. I., Walker, J. C., Xu, X., Schaberg, P. G. and Murakami, P. (2015), Distribution and mixing of old and new nonstructural carbon in two temperate trees. New Phytologist. PDF

TEACHING & MENTORING

* Received a Distinction in Teaching Award from Harvard University's Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning

As a graduate student, I was a co-instructor or teaching fellow for the following courses:
  • ​​BIOS P-13000 - Surf and Turf: An Introduction to Marine and Terrestrial Biology, co-instructor, 2-week biology course as part of Harvard's Pre-College Program for high school students, Summer 2018
  • *OEB52 - Biology of Plants (undergraduate level), teaching fellow, Spring 2018
  • *OEB10 - Foundations of Biological Diversity (undergraduate level), teaching fellow, Fall 2017
  • OEB399 - Topics in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (graduate level), teaching fellow,  Fall 2017 
  • OEB390r - Writing Fellowship and Grant Proposals for the Biological Sciences (graduate level), co-instructor, Fall 2016, Fall 2015
​
I am currently completing a Certificate of College Teaching Preparation with the Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning to receive training in evidence-based practices for college teaching.


I have mentored an inter-university team of undergraduate and master's students from Harvard University, Bucknell University, Brown University, and Yale University.

OEB52 Biology of Plants: Helping students with a flipped classroom activity which required them to design and explain the structure and function of xylem and phloem
Harvard's Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning and OEB52 Biology of Plants: Filming and editing Missy Holbrook's video lecture for the flipped classroom assignment
Harvard's Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning and OEB52 Biology of Plants: Ready to lead a workshop for students
BIOS P-13000 Surf and Turf: An Introduction to Marine and Terrestrial Biology: Teaching students how to measure plant gas exchange
BIOS P-13000 Surf and Turf: An Introduction to Marine and Terrestrial Biology: Working together to conduct an experiment to learn the components of the photosynthesis equation
Guest lecturing for the Climate Change course at Emerson College
BIOS P-13000 Surf and Turf: An Introduction to Marine and Terrestrial Biology: Seining the Charles River to explore fish diversity
BIOS P-13000 Surf and Turf: An Introduction to Marine and Terrestrial Biology: Leading a walking tree identification tour of Cambridge, MA
OEB10 Foundations of Biology Diversity: Leading a forest ecology tour of Harvard Forest
BIOS P-13000 Surf and Turf: An Introduction to Marine and Terrestrial Biology: Visiting the Harvard Museum of Natural History

Diversity and Inclusion

My goal as a teacher and mentor is to ensure that each student feels a sense of belonging and can achieve their educational and career goals in a safe and inclusive space. I use evidence-based teaching practices that support diverse students by building flexibility into the learning process. I am also committed to helping recruit and retain a diverse student body and faculty to create more equitable STEM communities.
  • About
    • Current Projects
  • Our Team
  • Publications
  • Teaching & Outreach
  • Lab News
  • Join the Lab