Dr. Terry Loecke, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

Please note: Due to inclement weather, this seminar has been cancelled.

Seminar Abstract: Spatial heterogeneity of ecological resources can dramatically alter biogeochemical cycling in many ecosystems. Dr. Loecke will present on two research projects that attempt to understand the role of resource spatial heterogeneity on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling of agricultural and urban-forest ecosystems. The first project, from Loecke's dissertation research, examines the influence of sub-plant scale soil resource heterogeneity on plant productivity and N acquisition, as well as nitrate leaching, nitrous oxide emissions, and whole system N balance. The second project will comprise Dr. Loecke's post-doctoral work, which will take place on the Baltimore LTER. This research attempts to use the spatial heterogeneity of environmental conditions (e.g., atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and air temperature) present across rural to urban transects to understand current and historical terrestrial ecosystem feedbacks to global change phenomena.

Research Interests: terrestrial biogeochemistry, agroecology, sustainable agriculture, plant and soil microbe interactions, and global change processes

Host: Dr. Peter Groffman