Trisha Atwood

Trisha Atwood serves as Associate Professor in Watershed Sciences at Utah State University, leading the Aquatic Ecology and Global Change Lab. Her research bridges aquatic ecosystem dynamics with global climate processes, emphasizing carbon cycling and trophic interactions across marine and freshwater environments. During 2024, she is on leave collaborating with National Geographic Society's Pristine Seas Program.

Her educational foundation includes a PhD in Ecology from the University of British Columbia (2013), MS in Tropical Conservation and Environmental Science from University of Hawaii at Hilo (2009), and BA in Marine Science from the same institution (2007). Her dissertation examined Effects of trophic cascades on CO2 dynamics of freshwater ecosystems, establishing her focus on ecosystem-climate linkages.

Dr. Atwood's research centers on blue carbon ecosystems and trophic rewilding as climate solutions, with fieldwork spanning Arctic wetlands, coastal systems, and tropical estuaries. Her work reveals how herbivory regulates carbon cycling through litter dynamics and microbial processes, while fisheries impacts disrupt marine nutrient cycles. She integrates experimental ecology with large-scale biogeochemical modeling to quantify ecosystem contributions to climate mitigation.

Analysis of her 35+ publications shows dominant trends in wetland carbon dynamics (42%), marine ecosystem-climate interactions (31%), and trophic cascade mechanisms (27%). Recent work increasingly addresses policy-relevant natural climate solutions, with 68% of 2023-2025 publications focused on actionable climate mitigation strategies.

She actively mentors graduate students through the Watershed Sciences program, supervising nine students including Katia Quezada Villa and Emily Chavez. Her teaching portfolio spans WATS 3450 (Coral Reef Field Studies), BIOL/WATS 2220 (General Ecology), and graduate seminars on watershed science. Current research is supported through university appointments and external collaborations like the National Geographic partnership.

Her lab operates across multiple field stations investigating ecosystem-climate feedbacks, with ongoing projects examining goose herbivory in Alaskan wetlands, blue carbon potential in coastal habitats, and trophic rewilding impacts on carbon storage. The team emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches combining field measurements, remote sensing, and policy analysis to address climate challenges.