GLOBAL ECOLOGY
​AND MODELING

Benchmarking the N cycle of CLM to improve climate change forecasts
Collaborators: B.Z. Houlton, E. Bai. 

Redfield ratios on land: stoichiometry of net remineralization in forests
Collaborators: J.B. Winbourne, S.K. Enders, D.J.X. Gonzalez, T.L. van Huysen, J.E. Izquierdo, D.R. Light, D. Liptzin, K.E. Miller, S.L. Morford, R.A. Norton, B.Z. Houlton

New vs. recycled production based on sources of nitrogen and phosphorus
Collaborators: C. Cleveland*, B.Z. Houlton, W.K. Smith, S.C. Reed, W. Parton, S. Del Grosso and S.W. Running

GLOBAL CHANGE ECOLOGY​

I am interested in feedbacks between global changes and terrestrial ecosystems. My research to date focuses on the effects of air pollution, elevated CO2, increased temperature, and changing precipitation regimes on natural and agricultural ecosystems. 

Effects of N and P on phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere and bulk soil (meta-analysis). 
Collaborators: B.Z. Houlton

Effects of CO2, N and P on plant stoichiometry and allometry. 
Collaborators: W. Huang*, B.Z. Houlton, J. Liu, G. Zhou

CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE

I'm excited to be studying the effects of climate change on specialty crops in California as part of the UC Global Food Initiative - a statewide collaboration including UC Davis, UC Berkeley, the USDA Climate Hub of California, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.

​I also am modeling the effects of drought on carbon storage and crop yields throughout California, via microbial, chemical, and physical mechanisms.
Collaborators: Robert Grant, Symon Mezbahuddin, Zelalem Mekonnen, DroCAM Collective

Climate change Agriculture Project
Collaborators: P. Nico and K. Steenwerth

DroCAM Collective: Samantha Ying, Bill Riley, Eoin Brodie, Peter Nico, Margaret Torn, Kate Scow, Sanjai Parikh, Teamrat Ghezzehei, Asmaret Asefaw Berhe, Eric Dubinsky, Nate Bogie, Michael Schaefer, Macon Abernathy, Claudia Avila, Daniel Rath

TROPICAL BIOGEOCHEMISTRY​

Interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and symbiotic nitrogen fixation in costa rica
Collaborators: M. Nasto, C. Cleveland, B. Sullivan

Revisiting nutrient limitation in the tropics
Collaborators: C.C. Cleveland*, A. Townsend*, S. Alvarez-Clare, M. Bustamante, G. Chuyongs, P. Grierson, K. Harms, B. Houlton, W. Parton, S. Porder, S. Reed, C. Sierra, W. Silver, P. Taylor, E. Tanner, W. Wieder

Soil Phosphorus Bioavailability
Collaborators: C. Cleveland, N. Fierer, A. Shaw

OUTREACH AND TEACHING

Biogeochemical Modeling
I developed a carbon cycle modeling activity, which I used while I was a teaching assistant for a graduate class on Ecosystem Biogeochemistry. We discussed the uses and limitations of dynamical models, developed a box model of the carbon cycle, and ran simulations using a simple model I developed for this purpose. Modeling and programming experience are not necessary. Materials available on "Helpful Resources" page. 
Collaborators: B.Z. Houlton

Ecological Modeling using Algebra II
I visited high school Algebra II students to figure out how to predict atmospheric CO2 concentrations in the future by developing and solving a system of equations. Materials available on "Helpful Resources" page. 

​OTHER PROJECTS

​Foods vs. Biofuels
We analyzed the use of land and resources for food and biofuel production to determine the viability of biofuels as an alternative 'green' fuel source.
Collaborators: D. Pimentel*, M. Toth, M. Karpoff, G. Paul, R McCormack, J. Kyriazis, T. Krueger 

Macaque Genome Project
My first research experience! I compared genes in the human, macaque, and chimpanzee genomes for positive selection. 
Collaborators: Macaque Genome Sequencing and Analysis Consortium (led by R. Gibbs)