Photo by Joe Klementovich
We study how nutrients cycle through forests and streams, examining the roles of both geologic and biological factors in element fluxes. We use the “small watershed approach” to quantify how forest ecosystems retain nutrients and respond to disturbance, and detailed measurements and experiments to understand the mechanisms underlying these responses. The nitrogen cycle, and how it has been altered by decades of atmospheric pollution, is a particularly vibrant area of research at Hubbard Brook. Constantly changing interactions between nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and carbon are an additional focus.
