Current Research
Effects of Atmospheric Deposition of Biodiversity
Air pollutants such as sulfur, nitrogen, ozone and mercury have serious direct and indirect effects on organisms in our region. A recent workshop and synthesis of research findings reports that no major ecosystem types in the Northeast are free of air pollution effects. Many ecosystem types are subject to serious impacts that impede their function and affect the survival of sensitive species. Conservation organizations should realize that land preservation alone is not sufficient to protect ecosystems, and should consider air pollution threats to the ecosystems they are trying to protect.
Ecosystem Effects of Exotic Forest Pests.
Introduced pests and pathogens can alter the composition of tree species in our forests. We are currently researching the impact of two exotic pests-- gypsy moth and beech bark disease. These invaders alter species composition, resulting in a fundamental changes in forest nitrogen cycling, decomposition rates, and the acid-base status of forest soils.
Control of Nitrogen Loss from Watersheds.
Combustion of fossil fuel releases nitrogen oxides, which can be deposited to forested watersheds and have serious effects on forest health, stream quality, and pollution of estuaries. Understanding how atmospheric nitrogen deposition is processed, retained and released by forested watersheds is integral to maintaining healthy ecosystems.
Patterns of Atmospheric Deposition.
Air pollutants are deposited not only in rain and snow, but also as gases, particles, and fog droplets. Measuring the deposition of all of these forms is difficult, especially in mountainous terrain, where deposition rates are strongly influenced by elevation and characteristics of the forest canopy. Knowing the rates and patterns of deposition is critical to evaluating ecosystem response to the pollutants.
Long-Term Monitoring of the Forest Ecosystem at IES
We measure key aspects of forest nutrient cycling in the mixed-oak forest at IES in Millbrook, New York. This long-term monitoring allows us to track trends in the forest ecosystem resulting from air pollution and other stresses. |
Selected Publications
- Lovett, G. M., and T. H. Tear. 2007. Effects of Atmospheric Deposition on Biological Diversity in the Eastern United States. Report published by The Institute of Ecosystem Studies and the Nature Conservancy.
- Lovett, G. M., C. D. Canham, M. A. Arthur, K. C. Weathers, and R. D. Fitzhugh. 2006. Forest ecosystem responses to exotic pests and pathogens in eastern North America. Bioscience 56:395-405.
- Lovett, G. M., J. J. Cole, and M. L. Pace. 2006. Is net ecosystem production equal to ecosystem carbon accumulation? Ecosystems 9:152-155.
- Lovett, G. M., C. G. Jones, M. G. Turner, and K. C. Weathers (eds.) 2005. Ecosystem Function in Heterogeneous Landscapes. Springer, NY. 489 pp.
- Lovett, G. M., G. E. Likens, D. C. Buso, C. T. Driscoll, and S. W. Bailey. 2005. The biogeochemistry of chlorine at Hubbard Brook, New Hampshire, USA. Biogeochemistry 72:191-232.
- Lovett, G. M., and M. J. Mitchell. 2004. Sugar maple and nitrogen cycling in forests of eastern North America. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2:81-88.
- Lovett, G. M., K. C. Weathers, M. A. Arthur, and J. C. Schultz. 2004. Nitrogen cycling in a northern hardwood forest: Do species matter? Biogeochemistry 67:289-308.
- Lovett, G. M., K. C. Weathers, and M. A. Arthur. 2002. Control of nitrogen loss from forested watersheds by soil carbon:nitrogen ratio and tree species composition. Ecosystems 5:712-718
- Lovett G. M., L. M. Christenson, P. M. Groffman, C. G. Jones, J. E. Hart, and M. J. Mitchell. 2002. Insect defoliation and nitrogen cycling in forests. Bioscience 52, 335-341
- Lovett, G. M., K. C. Weathers, and W. Sobczak. 2000. Nitrogen saturation and retention in forested watersheds of the Catskill Mountains, NY. Ecological Applications 10:73-84.
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