Our work generally lies in the area of aquatic ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry. We study the transport and transformation of materials through aquatic ecosystems, with a particular focus on the coupled cycles of water and carbon. Our current work aims at understanding the patterns and control of lateral carbon transport, its role in regional and global carbon cycles, and its responses to changing climate. We emphasizes using quantitative methods in our work. Integration of continous monitoring data and mechanistic models is at the core of our research approach. We also have a keen interest in evaluating and developing statistical tools for ecological research. Below are some of the research projects we have done.

Watershed organic carbon flux across flow regimes and ecoregions

Substantial amount of organic carbon, mainly in the form of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), is transported and tranformed through river networks. This project explores how hydrological variability regulates DOC export from watersheds. We use data from National Water Information System to quantify and forcast DOC flux behavior across understudied flow regimes and ecoregions. This work is in collaboration with Jay Zarnetske from Michigan State University.

Statistical methods for meta-analysis in ecology

Meta-analysis is a powerful quantitative tool for research synthesis. Meta-analysis in ecology faces unique challenges, such as non-independent data or extreme heterogeneity. This project evaluates existing meta-analytic methods for various statistical issues and develops recommendations for best practices. This work is in collaboration with James Bence and Scott Peacor from Michigan State University and Craig Osenberg from the University of Georgia.

Scale, consumer, and lotic ecosystem rates

The problem of pattern and scale is a central problem in ecology. This collabrotive project led by Walter Dodds from Kansas State University involves seven participating institutions. We conducted experiments in seven biomes to understand how stream ecosystem functions, such as metabolism and nutrient uptake, vary across spatial scales and how consumer influences the scaling relationship. Our portion of the work is in collaboration with Ford Ballantyne from the University of Georgia.