Climate, Ecology and Environment Group

Our diverse group works broadly across the fields of hydrology, ecology, atmospheric science, molecular biology, microbiology, plant physiology, geomorphology, geochemistry, and process- and data-based modeling. The problems we tackle typically lie at the nexus between impactful domains such as food-energy-water security or energy-greenhouse gas emissions-climate.

Primary Expertise

• Atmospheric science
• Hydroclimatology/ecohydrology
• Vegetation-fire interactions
• Arctic and coastal landscape processes
• Isotope geochemistry and ecology
• Analytical chemistry
• Mineral and rock chemistry
• Carbon tracking and sequestration
• Remote deployments of observational equipment
• Experimental and computational molecular biology
• Climate change impacts on ecosystem and
  landscapes.
• Nature-based solutions for climate change
  mitigation
• Plant stress response and resilience

Current and Emerging Strategic Thrusts

• Nature-based solutions for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal and greenhouse gas emission reduction. Example: managing biofuel crops in marginal labs to produce biofuels while preferentially sequestering carbon in soils and avoiding nitrous oxide emissions.
• Water security in the desert Southwest and beyond. Example: understanding ecohydrological processes from mountain snowpacks to points of water withdrawal in the Colorado River Basin.
• Food security in food deserts. Example: developing climate resilient agriculture solutions in semi-arid and arid landscapes and promoting energy efficient controlled environmental agriculture in food deserts.
• Climate impacts on national security. Example: understanding how climate change will affect water and crop security in globally vulnerable regions.
• Bioassurance, particularly as related to crops and animal-borne diseases.  Example: understanding hydrological and ecological controls on mosquitoes as disease vectors or understanding how atmospheric processes may disperse plant diseases to vulnerable crops.
• Geoengineering, utilizing a systems approach to understanding potential unintended consequences before employing any particular strategy.  Example: understanding any unintended consequences to cloud-seeding to promote water security in the West.
• Urban green infrastructure to promote cooling and quality of life, particularly for disadvantaged communities. Example: increasing connected green spaces in urban settings and employing vegetation resistant to projected increases in urban heat island effects.