Nate G. McDowell.

Abstract

New PhytologistVolume 219, Issue 3 p. 850-850 ProfileFree Access Nate G. McDowell First published: 12 July 2018 https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.15174AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat What inspired your interest in plant science? I was a Biology Major in college and was burned out on the pre-med culture that I was surrounded by. I discovered a class called Forest Ecology, taught by a wonderful professor, Dr Burt Barnes, and realized all the biochemistry etc. that I had learned could be applied outdoors to plants. After growing up (and constantly playing in) an old, wet, Douglas-fir/hemlock forest in Washington state, studying forests suddenly made sense. Why did you decide to pursue a career in research? I love scientists’ focus on having fun at work. For me, like many scientists, I love asking questions and then answering them. In my case, the questions that are the most fascinating revolve around plant functional responses to drivers. What motivates you on a day-to-day basis? Again, having fun. Even the not-fun-stuff is tolerable because it allows you to do research. Who do you see as your role model(s)? Richard Waring, John Marshall, Barbara Bond, Michael Ryan, Maurizio Mencuccini, David Whitehead, Ruby Leung, Craig Allen, and many others. These people in particular, but really everyone I meet, teach me things that I try to emulate in my career. What are your favourite New Phytologist papers of recent years, and why? The Tansley review by Sperry & Love (2015) is ground breaking because it is based on fundamental, proven theory, is broadly valuable, and makes predictions consistent with data regarding the impacts of warm-droughts on plant mortality. In general, I am very proud of New Phytologist papers on hydraulics in particular, which are a joy to handle as an Editor due to the ever-increasing quality of the submissions. An example of such a paper is Xu et al. (2016), which integrates proper hydraulics into an Earth System Model, which is a significant breakthrough. Box 1. Nate McDowell received his BSc in Biology from Michigan (USA), an MSc in Tree Physiology from Idaho, and a PhD in Forest Ecology from Oregon State University. He was a staff scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory before recently moving to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (in 2017). Nate's research is usually centred around plant carbon–water relations, with the last 12 years devoted, in particular, to understanding the causes and consequences of tree death. Nate joined the board of New Phytologist as an Editor in 2012. For more information on Nate visit https://www.pnnl.gov/atmospheric/staff/staff_info.asp?staff_num=9144 or email him at Nate.mcdowell@pnnl.gov. What is your favourite plant, and why? I have three favourites. In the Southern Rocky Mountains it's white pine, because it is beautiful and only grows where there is water, so it's an indicator of mesic conditions in a relatively arid place. Elsewhere, I love the coast redwood, because it is just so tall, and Douglas-fir, because I grew up around it and it survives across such as huge geographic range. References Sperry JS, Love DM. 2015. What plant hydraulics can tell us about responses to climate-change droughts. New Phytologist 207: 14– 27. Xu X, Medvigy D, Powers SP, Bechnell JM, Guan K. 2016. Diversity in plant hydraulic traits explains seasonal and inter-annual variations of vegetation dynamics in seasonally dry tropical forests. New Phytologist 212: 80– 95. Volume219, Issue3Special Issue: Featured papers on ‘Drought impacts on tropical forests’August 2018Pages 850-850 This article also appears in:Drought impacts on tropical forests ReferencesRelatedInformation