Heather Throop

Heather Throop is a Professor at Arizona State University with joint appointments in the School of Earth and Space Exploration and School of Life Sciences. She holds affiliations with the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes, Central Arizona-Phoenix Long Term Ecological Research, Water Institute, Global Drylands Center, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Her research focuses on ecosystem responses to global changes, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments, emphasizing biogeochemical processes, litter decomposition dynamics, and soil carbon cycling.

Throop’s work integrates field studies, experimental manipulations, and advanced technologies like 3D photogrammetry to understand dryland ecosystem resilience. She explores how climate variability, land use changes, and biological interactions influence carbon and water dynamics in vulnerable ecosystems. Her interdisciplinary approach addresses critical challenges such as woody plant encroachment, soil degradation, and the role of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem services.

Her research has been supported by grants including the NSF CAREER award for studying soil carbon dynamics under long-term ecological changes. She actively contributes to global initiatives like the Dryland Litter Cycle Project and collaborates with international teams to advance understanding of dryland biogeochemistry. Throop’s teaching spans undergraduate and lifelong learning programs, emphasizing climate change literacy and hands-on environmental science education.