Research interests
Nitrogen wet deposition: trends, sources, and influence on stream chemistry
The exchange of N between the atmosphere and biosphere through precipitation represents the largest flux of N to ecosystems. Movement of water and the form of wet deposition N are changing due to anthropogenic and climate change pressures. I am interested in addressing questions like (1) What are the long-term and seasonal trends in N wet deposition? (2) Are nitrogen deposition inputs and watershed outputs synchronized? (3) What is the spatial variability in wet deposition organic matter concentrations, composition, and sources?
Research addressing these questions helps to describe how different aspects of global change are influencing the cycling of nitrogen across the land-atmosphere interface.
Research addressing these questions helps to describe how different aspects of global change are influencing the cycling of nitrogen across the land-atmosphere interface.
Stream water quality and beaver pond biogeochemistry
Non-point source (NPS) pollution remains high in many watersheds despite strategies aimed at reducing such pollution. I have worked as a consultant in New Zealand to try and identify land management practices that contribute to high nutrient loading in rivers and estuaries. In the western U.S., beaver (Castor canadensis) activity is increasing in headwater streams. Beaver ponds are increasingly promoted as a strategy for physical stream restoration, and more recently recognized as natural solutions for excess NPS pollutants like nitrogen. I am interested in (1) Under what environmental conditions do beaver ponds influence the fate and cycling of NPS pollutants? and (2) Does beaver pond geomorphology dictate the degree of biogeochemical processing?
Conducting environmentally-responsible research
The Environmental Responsibility 5-R Framework (ER5F) is centered around Recognition, Refinement, Reduction, Replacement, and Restoration. ER5F starts with Recognizing that research can have environmental consequences, while each subsequent ‘R’ serves as an opportunity for acknowledging, evaluating, and mitigating the environmental impacts of scientific research. These R’s include: Refining research questions, Reducing the resources and energy consumed, Replacing materials with sustainable options and altering methods, and in the case of field research, Restoring an environment to mitigate any harm done. By introducing this novel and approachable framework, we (the ECOSHEDs group) strive to promote enhanced awareness across the entire scientific community by encouraging researchers to recognize their responsibility and identify potential opportunities for the mitigation of the environmental consequences of research activities.