I am interested in taking a holistic approach to answering questions about rapidly changing ecosystems. Specifically, I want to explore terrestrial-aquatic connections and the flow of carbon and nutrients through Arctic landscapes, as well as the biological and hydrological drivers behind these fluxes. As these environments experience rapid changes due to a warming climate, more information about the internal feedbacks within the system will improve predictions of future land-atmosphere interactions and carbon sinks. This information will be crucial to informing future policy decisions and mitigation efforts.
PhD Research
Terrestrial to Aquatic Carbon Transport and Transformation in a Thawing Permafrost Peatland
Coupling lateral carbon (C) and vertical C fluxes with measurements of microbial activity in terrestrial and aquatic environments will provide a holistic understanding of the C balance of Arctic catchments and critical data for integrated modeling of these dynamic and vulnerable ecosystems. In addition, understanding lateral C fluxes and the speciation of those fluxes will provide crucial insight on the importance of land-water connectivity and the effects of C transport on aquatic ecosystem function. I aim to address three primary questions essential to understanding C cycling within a thawing permafrost peatland (i.e., organic-matter rich wetland) in Stordalen Mire, Sweden:
1) How does belowground C quantity and quality change across the terrestrial-aquatic interface? 2) What is the importance of the lateral flow of this C to net CO₂ & CH₄ emissions? 3) What role do CH₄ cycling microbes play in predicting CH₄ flux variability? PI: Dr. Ruth K. Varner (University of New Hampshire) Collaborators: Dr. McKenzie A. Kuhn (University of New Hampshire), Dr. Clarice R. Perryman (Stanford University) Project: Emergent Ecosystem Response to Change Biological Integration Institute (EMERGE-BII) |
Convergent Arctic Research Perspectives and Education (CARPE)
I became a CARPE Fellow in Spring 2022. CARPE is designed to address the socio-economic challenges from changing seasonality in the Arctic and provide valuable skills in convergent Arctic Research and co-production of knowledge with Indigenous and local communities. My cohort is currently developing a convergent research project spanning multiple disciplines, and we’re partnering with a local non-profit that investigates how clear-cutting forests in Sweden, specifically on Indigenous land, affects water quality. We anticipate that this information can be used to inform local clear-cutting decisions. I am looking forward to growing these relationships with Indigenous and local partners throughout my career.
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Undergraduate/Post-Bacc Research
Throughout my undergraduate research experience and laboratory technician position, I gained several tools and techniques to quantify carbon pools and fluxes and characterizing microbial community composition and soil ecology.
The Legacy of Severe Fire on Soil Carbon Cycling in a Montane Landscape
My undergraduate work investigated the effects of severe fire on soil carbon cycling in a montane forest by examining soil carbon pools and fluxes and the role of microbial communities in the processing of said pools. I collected soil and water samples at five different sites, performed 16S RNA sequencing, and analyzed soil nutrient and chemical properties. I conducted mesocosm experiments and measured respired CO₂ using gas chromatography. In addition, I helped characterize stream dissolved organic carbon using a total organic carbon analyzer and UV absorbance. My results showed that soil organic matter bioavailability was significantly higher in burned soils nearly two-decades post-fire, which will likely impact regional and global carbon budgets, especially as the frequency and intensity of fires increase. I presented my work at the Fall 2019 AGU Meeting and compiled my findings into a senior thesis. Research on this project is still ongoing and a publication incorporating my work is forthcoming.
PI: Dr. Rebecca T. Barnes (Colorado College) Collaborators: Dr. Michael J. Wilkins (Colorado State University), Amelia Nelson (Colorado State University), Carly Bonwell (Colorado College), Michelle Wolford (Colorado College) |
Effects of Soil Microorganisms on Soil Organic Matter and Nutrient Cycling in Agricultural Systems
Following graduation, I wanted to learn more about the microbial drivers of carbon and nitrogen cycling which led me to a laboratory technician position investigating the effects of plant-microbe interactions on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling in agricultural systems. I conducted laboratory analyses for numerous projects including determining how trophic interactions affect soil organic carbon accumulation and how the rhizosphere microbiome affects nitrogen cycling in perennial cropping systems (MMPRNT). I gained experience in quantifying microbial enzymatic activity, soil DNA extraction, soil nutrient and chemical analysis, and measuring microbial respiration with minimal supervision. I also helped to develop a new method for seed endophyte extraction. In addition to learning new molecular methods to study organic matter cycling, I was able to see how research findings can be directly integrated into management practices and used by local stakeholders.
PI: Dr. Lisa Tiemann (Michigan State University)
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