Glacier Biogeochemistry

Far from sterile blocks of ice, glaciers and glacial systems are biologically rich aquatic ecosystems where microbially-mediated biogeochemical processes cycle biologically important elements such as carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, and iron. 

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We apply a variety of analytical and statistical techniques to characterize changes in dissolved organic matter (DOM) from different glacier environments and at different time scales to try to illuminate how DOM is introduced and modified in glacier systems and how glaciers fit into global nutrient cycling.

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Role of Legacy Organic Matter in Contemporary Ecosystem Processes

​We have identified key sites in Antarctica and the Canadian Arctic where ancient organic matter (OM) in the form of overrun soils and vegetation has been preserved beneath glaciers and within permafrost.  As climate warms, these ancient OM pools are being exposed to contemporary ecosystem processes and may represent an important nutrient source to nutrient-limited systems.

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The Glacial Record of Black Carbon Deposition

Black carbon (BC) is a byproduct of incomplete OM combustion, and is an important component of Earth's radiative budget.  BC both darkens reflective surfaces (decreases albedo), functions as cloud condensation nuclei, and absorbs solar radiation.

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We measure the BC concentration in ice cores to construct a record of BC deposition onto glacier surfaces over time.  In conjunction with other analytes and climate records, it may be possible to identify sources trends of BC deposition as insight into past climate and predictions of future melt.