Increasing human populations have led to significant land alterations, converting what used to be forested lands into lands dominated by agriculture and urban development. As the landcover is altered, we’ve found significant changes in the amount and quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) within rivers and streams that drain these lands. This research utilizes a combination of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration data with high resolution DOM quality data using Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) to find lower DOC concentrations and greater percentages of bioavailable DOM (BDOM) associated with landcover alterations. The Vaughn Biogeochemistry Lab will continue to investigate the impacts of landcover alteration on river carbon cycling, including impacts to the inorganic pools of carbon, as well as changes in the distributions of ages and sources.
Vaughn Biogeochemistry Lab 