The main focus of the Watershed Biogeochemistry Group is to investigate major elemental cycles in streams and their watersheds, particularly carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus pools and fluxes. We are especially interested in quantifying and characterizing the rich array of organic molecules that exist in stream ecosystems, and serve as the main food source to microorganisms and consequently to all biological communities. Throughout the watershed, water is found in many places beyond stream channels, including aquifers, soils, and sediments. Our biogeochemistry laboratory has the capabilities to perform a wide range of chemistry analyses in water samples from all these places.
Watershed Biogeochemistry Staff
Watershed Biogeochemistry News
Meet Our 2021 Summer Interns
Our summer internship program, now in its 49th year, has ushered through hundreds of interns seeking meaningful learning experiences.
Use Of Biosolids as Soil Amendments May Be a Pathway for PFAS Contamination of Soil, Water, and Ultimately, Our Food
To help understand the extent of this problem in Pennsylvania, scientists are looking at the occurrence and migration of biosolid-derived PFASs into soil and water on agricultural fields.
Elucidating stream bacteria utilizing terrestrial dissolved organic matter
Akinwole, P., L. Kaplan, and R. Findlay. 2021. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 37, article 32.
Oviedo Vargas Shares Her STEM Career Journey
The Stroud Center biogeochemist was featured in a women-in-STEM webinar series hosted by EarthEcho International.
Effect of decreasing biological lability on dissolved organic matter dynamics in streams
Li, A., J.D. Drummond, J.C. Bowen, R.M. Cory, L.A. Kaplan, and A.I. Packman. 2020. Water Resources Research 57(2): e2020WR027918.
A Small Farm Offers Big Opportunities for Measuring Watershed Restoration Success
Stream restorations rarely get monitored rigorously enough to determine if the “patient” has fully recovered.
