Benjamin E. Carter
[email protected]
Office
Valley Life Sciences Bldg. Rm 4156
University of CA, Berkeley 94720
(510) 642-6810
Home
414 Cornell Ave., apt 3
Albany, CA 94706
(805) 704-0616
Education
Ph.D., Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley.
Degree expected 2011
Dissertation: “Systematics and ecology of the moss genus Scleropodium”
Advisor: Dr. Brent Mishler
B.S., Ecology & Systematic Biology, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis
Obispo. March 2003.
Concentrations: General Ecology, Botany
Undergraduate Thesis: “Vegetative survey of the old Hasting's property, San Luis Obispo
County, CA and serpentine literature review.”
Advisor: Dr. David J. Keil
Publications
Seppelt R.D., Cave L.H., Carter B.E. 2011. Introduced mosses in the Flora of
Tasmania. I. Scleropodium and Pseudoscleropodium (Bryopsida: Brachytheciaceae).
Kanunnah, 4:72-81.
Carter, B.E. 2010. The taxonomic status of the Tasmanian endemic moss Scleropodium
australe (Brachytheciaceae). The Bryologist 113:775-780.
SR Loarie, B Carter, K Hayhoe, S McMahon, CA. Knight, & DD Ackerly. 2008.
Climate change and the future of California's endemic flora. PLoS ONE. 3(6):e2502
1-10.
Manuscripts submitted and in preparation (final editing stages)
Carter, B.E. in review. The Life of G. E. Hutchinson [Book Review]. The
Bryologist -----Carter, B.E. in review. Species delimitation and cryptic diversity in the moss genus
Scleropodium (Brachytheciaceae).
Carter, B.E. Niche differences among species in the genus Scleropodium
(Bryopsida: Brachytheciaceae) in central California, USA.
Carter, B.E. A global revision of the moss genus Scleropodium (Bryopsida:
Brachytheciaceae).
Carter, B.E. Scleropodium occidentale, a new species of moss from western North
America.
Manuscripts in preparation
Carter, B., E. Kraichak, J. Shaffer & G. Gilbert. Determinants of epiphytic bryophyte
and lichen diversity and abundance in a coastal California forest.
Crutsinger, G. & B. Carter. Differing effects of Nitrogen and Carbon treatments on
understory diversity between prostrate and erect morphs of the shrub Baccharis
pilularis.
Carter, B.E. A bryophyte flora of the California Channel Islands.
Extramural Grants
NSF Doctoral dissertation improvement grant, $12,500
SSE Evolution International Events Award (with J. McEntee, UC Berkeley), $1000
Oral Presentations & Posters
Oral Presentations
Carter, B. “Intercontinental disjunction and cryptic species in the moss genus
Scleropodium (Brachytheciaceae).” Botanical Society of America Meeting, Snowbird,
UT. July 2009
Carter, B. & B. Mishler. “’Tortoise & Hare’ for the mosses: Assessing the relative utility
of chloroplast markers for moss phylogenetics.” Botanical Society of America Meeting,
Snowbird, UT. July 2009
Carter, B., J. Shevock, P. Wilson & D. Norris “The California moss flora… description,
activity & future directions.” American Bryological and Lichenological Meeting,
Asilomar, CA. August 2008.
Carter, B. “Using floristic data to assess spatial patterns of moss traits in a heterogeneous
landscape: A case study from California.” American Bryological and Lichenological
Meeting, Xalapa, Mexico. August 2007.
Carter, B., S. Loarie, C. Knight, K. Hayhoe, R. Moe, & D. Ackerly. “Climate Change and
the fate of California’s endemic flora.” Bay Area Conservation Biology Symposium,
Berkeley CA, February 2007.
Carter, B., S. Loarie, C. Knight, K. Hayhoe, R. Moe, & D. Ackerly. “Climate Change and
the disassociation of California plant communities.” California Botanical Society
Graduate Student Meeting, San Luis Obispo CA, February 2007.
Carter, B., S. Loarie, C. Knight, P. Thornton, & D. Ackerly. “Extinction Sinks and
Shifting Biodiversity Hotspots in the California Floristic Province.” Bay Area
Conservation Biology Symposium, Stanford CA, February 2005.
Posters
Carter, B., S. Loarie, C. Knight, K. Hayhoe & D. Ackerly. “Modeling the Effects of
Climate Change in the California Floristic Province.” Janet Poore Research SymposiumPlant Conservation in an era of global climate change, Chicago IL, October 2005.
Carter, B., S. Loarie, C. Knight, P. Thornton, & D. Ackerly. “Modeling the Effects of
Climate Change in the California Floristic Province.” Ecological Society of America,
Portland OR, August 2004.
Teaching Experience
Teaching Awards
Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor 2010-2011, University of California, Berkeley
Outstanding Teaching Assistant 2005-2006, Biological Sciences Dept., California
Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Teaching
Graduate Student Teaching Assistant positions for lab courses in the Biological Sciences
Dept., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (12 Quarters).
Biology 111 (General Biology) Win 2003
Biology 113 (Animal Diversity & Ecology) Fall 2005
Biology 114 (Plant Diversity & Ecology) Win 2005, Spr 2006 (2 sections)
Biology 160 (Diversity and History of Life) Win 2006
Biology 161 (Plant & Animal Form & Function) Sum 2006
Botany 121(General Botany) Win 2004, Fall 2004
Botany 333 (Field Botany) Spr 2001, Spr 2004, Spr 2005
Graduate Student Instructor positions in lab courses and discussion sections in Integrative
Biology, University of California, Berkeley (8 semesters).
Biology 1B (General Biology) Fall 2006, Fall 2007
Integrative Biology 168L (Plant Systematics) Spr 2007, Spr 2010
Integrative Biology 153 (Community & Population Ecology) Fall 2008
Integrative Biology 157FL (Ecosystems of California) Fall 2010, Fall 2011
Integrative Biology 102FL (California Plant Life) Spr 2011
Guest Lectures
‘The Channel Islands’ in California Plant Life. May 2011, UCB
‘Conservation Priorities in California’ in Ecosystems of California. Nov 2010, UCB
‘Phylogenetics’ in Ecosystems of California. Oct 2010, UCB
‘Coexistence’ in Community & Population Ecology. Nov 2008, UCB
‘Plant Communities’ in California Plant Life. Feb 2007, UCB
‘Plant Hormones’ in Plant & Animal Form & Function. July 2006, Cal Poly SLO
Synergistic Activities
Workshop Facilitation
‘Molecular Systematics and Conservation’ University of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
With R. Bowie & J. McEntee. Aug 9-20, 2010.
‘Phylogenetics and Biogeography in California.’ University of California, Berkeley.
With E. Kraichak. Mar 7, 2009.
Seminar Presentations
‘Diversity and Rarity of cryptogams in a long term monitoring plot in Santa Cruz, CA.’
Ecology Lunch seminar series, UC Berkeley, Sep 2011.
‘Bryophytes of the Channel Islands.’ Catalina Island Conservancy, Avalon, CA, May
2011.
‘Ecology and Biogeography of California Mosses.’ Departmental Seminar, Santa Rosa
Junior College, Santa Rosa, California, Apr 2010.
‘Life history and ecosystem role of an aquatic moss.’ Ecology Lunch seminar series,
UC Berkeley, Sep 2008.
‘Systematics and Biogeography of the moss genus Scleropodium.’ Botany Lunch seminar
series, UC Berkeley, Sep 2008.
‘Using floristic data to assess spatial patterns of moss traits in a heterogeneous landscape:
A case study from California.’ Ecology Lunch seminar series, UC Berkeley, Apr
2008.
‘Using floristic data to assess spatial patterns of moss traits in a heterogeneous landscape:
A case study from California.’ Botany Lunch seminar series, UC Berkeley, Nov
2007.
‘Climate Change and the fate of California’s endemic flora.’ Botany Lunch seminar
series, UC Berkeley, Sept 2006.
‘Bryophyte flora of San Luis Obispo County, California.’ Botany Lunch seminar
series, UC Berkeley, Sept 2006.
Student Leadership
California Botanical Society Graduate Student Representative (UCB)
Integrative Biology Graduate Student Association coChair (UCB)
College of Science and Math Ambassadors, President (CPSLO)
2008-2010
2008-2009
2001-2002
College of Science and Math Student Council, Co-chair (CPSLO)
2001-2002
Associated Students Board of Directors, Science and Math Rep. (CPSLO) 2000-2001
University Union Advisory Board, Science and Math Rep. (CPSLO)
2000-2001
Professional Experience
Graduate Student Researcher, University & Jepson Herbaria, UC Berkeley,
Jan-Dec 2009
Curatorial Assistant, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, UC Berkeley, Jan-Aug 2008
Curatorial Assistant, University & Jepson Herbaria. UC Berkeley, Jun-Aug 2007
Field Technician
Wetlands monitoring, Santa Cruz, CA, Jul-Sep 2005
Sensitive plant species monitoring, San Luis Obispo, CA, May-Jul 2005
Vegetation sampling & small mammal trapping, Carmel, CA, Aug 2002-Jul 2004
Vegetation monitoring & restoration, Fort Hunter Ligget, CA, Mar-Sep 2003
Specimen collection and curation, 2004-present
To date, I have collected, curated and databased over 6,300 bryophyte specimens,
including large collections from French Polynesia, Tanzania, the California
Channel Islands, and San Luis Obispo Co., California