Overview
Advancing Watershed Biogeochemistry Through Innovations in Stable Isotope Techniques
For nearly two decades, Elliott team research has investigated how human activities alter the cycling of nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur across forested, agricultural, and urban watersheds. A defining contribution of our work has been developing new analytical techniques for measuring reactive nitrogen stable isotopes in air, water, soils, and biota, including methods for minute quantities that were previously difficult to analyze. These tools have enabled us to trace nutrient sources, quantify fluxes, and identify transformations across terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric systems.
Building on this foundation, our research has expanded to address how urban infrastructure, including aging sewer systems, stormwater networks, and drinking water treatment, shapes the biogeochemistry of receiving waters. Current and emerging research themes include harmful algal blooms in rivers and reservoirs, the ecological impacts of drinking water corrosion control, PFAS-nutrient interactions in urban food webs, biogeochemical effects of invasive species, novel approaches to fertilizer design, and long-term trends in riverine nutrient concentrations. Combined with high-resolution hydrologic monitoring, this work seeks to connect biogeochemical processes to infrastructure decisions and inform sustainable water management strategies.
Ongoing Research
Sustainable Fertilizer Development >>
Regulated River Biogeochemistry >>
Research Contributions
Nitrogen Saturation in Forested Watersheds >>