Plant Ecophys Lab

Saranya Puthalath
Post-doctoral Researcher
saranyaputhalath@ksu.edu

I would like to call myself an isotope hydrologist interested in understanding the hydrological processes in the soil-vegetation-atmosphere interface from the critical zone to the catchment and river basin scale. I employ stable isotopes (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) along with several other tools to trace the movement and transport of water in different hydrological compartments. I am from Kerala, the southernmost state of India blessed with the tropical vegetation cover of Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot. The vegetation was supported by copious rainfall (≈3000 mm annually), but with every passing year, the monsoon rainfall patterns have been witnessing drastic change- both in the form of extreme floods and drought events. This made me wonder about the water cycle changes associated with these extreme events. Hence, during my PhD, I studied the changes in surface water and groundwater circulation processes associated with weather fluctuations and the role of moisture recycling in producing rainfall. Soon, I wanted to explore how the water uptake strategies of plants are affected by these extreme events. For this, I have worked at the prestigious Physical Research Laboratory, India with a National Post-doctoral Fellowship.

I look forward to working at KSU to understand the impact of woody encroachment on the hydrological cycle and the response of woody and herbaceous plants toward extreme events.

Klara Stevermer
M.S. Student
klarastevermer@ksu.edu

Being born and raised in Kansas, it’s easy for me to love our tallgrass prairies. Prior to coming K-State for undergrad, I attended Johnson County Community College, where I found my passion for plants and for biology.

During my undergrad here at K-State, my studies included plant biology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. Alongside my courses, working in the Resilience Ecology lab fostered my love for research. Asking complex questions about our world and using the scientific method to find answers is an exciting and gratifying process for me. I’ve contributed to research pertaining to how bison impact woody encroachment, wallows impact grasslands, and plant-pollinator interactions. My independent undergraduate research project focused on aquatic dynamics and microbial communities in bison wallows. Pursuing a MS in the ecophys lab, I will get to explore how physiological processes in plants are responding to our quickly changing climate. Plant physiology has broadened my understanding of life, deepening my appreciation for all its complexities. Plus, plants are relatable: How can we evade death? How can we budget our energy and resources to succeed? How can we cope with stress? At least for plants, most of those answers are conclusive.

Outside of academics, I have many hobbies. I love spending time with my rescue cat, Butter. Creating art is a big part of my life, whether it be acrylic or watercolor painting, writing, making collages, or sewing, it makes me happy. I love going out on the weekends with my friends and listening to live music. Grasslands are your oyster… or whatever they say.

Corina McTigue
M.S. Student
corinam@ksu.edu

While I am originally from California, I spent the last four years in Colorado completing my undergraduate degree. In May, 2025, I graduated from Colorado State University (CSU) with a B.S. in Restoration Ecology and a minor in Botany. While at CSU, I worked in Troy Ocheltree’s Plant Ecophysiology lab as an Undergraduate Researcher for two years and spent time working on a variety of projects. The independent research project that I led studied the phylogeny of grass species across a representative subset of the grass family. The overall goal of this research was to better understand how phylogeny and phenology impact the grasses’ responses to stresses such as heat and drought. I was also involved in projects that covered a wide range of topics ranging from root carbohydrates to plant community composition. During my time in this lab, I discovered my passion for research, specifically in the field of plant ecophysiology.

Although I am still in the developmental stages for my Masters research project, my general research focus is disturbance ecology and plant ecophysiology. In terms of disturbance ecology, I am particularly interested in grazing, especially as it pertains to cattle and bison. In terms of plant ecophysiology, one aspect I am particularly interested in is plant allocations and regrowth potentials as they relate to Non-Structural Carbohydrates (NSCs). I think that Konza Prairie and Kansas State University will be really great places to learn and conduct this research.

Outside of the lab, I have a lot of different interests. I love spending time outdoors walking and hiking. I also really enjoy hanging out with or calling my friends, going to the movie theater, and embroidering my lab coat.

Chloe Danner
Undergraduate
Biology

I'm an undergraduate studying Environmental Science and Biology at K-State. I love working with plants, but my main interests are in ecology, evolution, and the impacts of climate change and invasive species. In the future, I want to work as an ecologist in different biomes around the United States. Today, I enjoy working in the isotope lab and contributing to ongoing research. Outside of the lab, I enjoy a variety of creative hobbies including journaling, drawing, painting, and music. I love exploring new places in Manhattan and attending fun events or concerts in Aggieville. When I'm not in Manhattan, I'm visiting my family in the Kansas City area, thrifting, trying new foods, or visiting museums.

Addi Riley
Undergraduate
Environmental Science

I am an undergrad with an environmental science major who is looking to build my connections and figure out the path I want to take! I have always had a love and appreciation for the outdoors and cannot wait to further explore it! I love things like playing games, driving around, painting, hiking, hammocking, listening to music, and almost anything there is to do!

Emma Tyndall
Undergraduate
Environmental Science