Resolving unconstrained processes in soil nitrogen biogeochemistry
The Elliott lab is dedicated to addressing critical uncertainties in soil nitrogen biogeochemistry, developing precise methods to trace nitrogen cycling processes and quantify nitric oxide (NO) emissions—an important yet underexamined contributor to global nitrogen budgets. Their work includes a high-precision method for analyzing soil-emitted NO, involving isotope analysis through triethanolamine trapping, which achieves exceptional accuracy (±1.1‰) and produces detailed soil δ15N-NO datasets across diverse environments (Yu & Elliott, 2017). The lab also utilizes mass-independent Δ17O as a tracer to distinguish between nitrification and denitrification pathways, offering valuable insights into nitrogen transformations and resolving discrepancies in traditional nitrogen cycle models.
Findings highlight the impact of processes such as nitrification's isotopic influence on denitrification signatures and the role of re-oxidation under anoxic conditions in shaping NO yields (Yu & Elliott, 2018, 2021). This research contributes to refining global nitrogen budgets, improving NOx emission inventories, and informing practical strategies for nitrogen management in agriculture and soil systems. By developing tools that scale from controlled experiments to real-world applications, the lab provides a thoughtful approach to advancing nitrogen cycle research. This work offers exciting opportunities for graduate students and collaborators interested in environmental and agricultural sustainability.
Representative Publications
Yu, Z., & Elliott, E. M. (2021). Nitrogen isotopic fractionations during nitric oxide production in an agricultural soil. Biogeosciences, 18(3), 805–829. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-805-2021
Yu, Z., & Elliott, E. M. (2018). Quantifying gross nitrification and nitrate consumption in soil using Δ17O-based modeling. Biogeochemistry.
Yu, Z., & Elliott, E. M. (2017). Novel method for nitrogen isotopic analysis of soil-emitted nitric oxide. Environmental Science & Technology, 51, 6268–6278.