RESEARCH INTERESTS

Central Arizona — Phoenix LTER

Comprehensive investigation of an urban social-ecological system. PI and Co-Director since 1997; 100+ collaborators from diverse natural and social science fields and engineering, mostly from Arizona State University (ASU) and local partnerships (C. Redman is Co-Director). My research is focused on biogeochemical patterns and processes as they affect and are affected by society, and synthesis and scenarios of future change in this complex system under continued demographic, land-use, and climate change.

Urban Stormwater

Studies of sources, fates, and retention of nutrients in urban stormwater flowpaths; ecosystem services of designed ecosystems such as streams, floodways, retention basins, and riparian parks; collaborations with ecologists, hydrologists, and atmospheric scientists from University of Arizona (Lohse, Brooks, Meixner), CAP LTER (Earl, Turnbull, Childers), and Purdue University (Mikulsky).

Effects Of The Urban Atmosphere

How does atmospheric deposition of urban pollutants and nutrients affect ecosystem processes in unmanaged, desert patches within and downwind from the city? Studies of impacts and fates of atmospheric deposition, especially nitrogen and organic carbon. Collaboration with atmospheric chemist Allen and ecologists Hall, Clark, and Collins.

Effects Of Climate Variability And Change On Stream Ecosystem Processes

Long-term study (since 1978) of Sycamore Creek, a spatially intermittent desert stream-riparian ecosystem. Current research focuses on how climate variability and change drive ecosystem state change from gravel runs to wetlands, and resilience of these contrasting reach types to the hydrologic disturbance regime (flash floods, drying). Collaborators include past Sycamore Creek researchers as well as current ASU colleague Sabo.