Global Ecology
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Investigating Global Rivers: Terrestrial Organic Carbon Exported to the Ocean: Scientists from the Woods Hole Research Center have joined with collaborators around the world to investigate river chemistry and land-ocean linkages in six globally significant river systems: the Congo, Yangtze, Lena, Brahmaputra, Ganges, Kolyma, and Frazer. Begun in 2009, the Global Rivers Project is measuring concentrations of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other naturally occurring compounds in the rivers near their mouths where they empty into the ocean. Samples are also being collected from key tributaries upstream in the watersheds to investigate how chemical signatures vary regionally or in areas with differing land cover or land use. |
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Boreal Forest & Arctic Tundra Dynamics: The circumpolar boreal forest is an integral part of the global ecosystem, with important influences on the global cycling of energy, carbon and water. Over the past 30 years, global boreal forests have experienced a significant amount of warming and drying which, if trends continue as predicted, are likely to induce feedbacks that may further influence global climate. The goal of the Woods Hole Research Center’s work in this region is to quantify the magnitude and variability of carbon exchange, assess the mechanisms by which fire disturbance influences these processes, and characterize how changes in these ecosystems respond to and are influencing climate. |