Research Topics • Provide insight into the resilience of freshwater systems by examining their responsiveness to climatic variability • Focus adaptation measures towards more vulnerable resources • Examine the interplay between watershed processing of contaminated water (Nitrogen enrichment) and GHG generation.

1. Research Challenges: Watershed
Hydrology
• “In many locations, water management cannot
satisfactorily cope even with current climate
variability, so that large flood and drought damage
occur.” IPCC, 2007

2. Research Topics
• Provide insight into the resilience of freshwater
systems by examining their responsiveness to
climatic variability
• Focus adaptation measures towards more vulnerable
resources
• Examine the interplay between watershed
processing of contaminated water (Nitrogen
enrichment) and GHG generation.

3. Probability of occurrence and ecological
consequences of extreme low flow events (Alisa
Morrison, Ph.D. student)
•Coupling riffle habitats to minimum flows
•Statistical examination of historical flows
•Watershed modeling to examine flow regime:
•Urbanization – Extent and Approach
•Climate change
Chipuxet River 2008
140
Max. Flow
120
Min Flow
100 Average
25thQuartile
Flow (cfs)
80 75th Quartile
60
40
20
0
Degraded riffle habitat during low flows Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.

4. Effects of nitrogen enrichment on
biogeochemical hotspots in fluvial systems
(Julia Hyman, Ph.D. student)
• Mesocosm studies: Beaver Ponds
– Quantify CH4, CO2 and N2O flux in response to:
• Nitrate enrichment (15N)
• Seasonality
– Algal blooms
– Temperature