My main research interests involve paleolimnology and phytoplankton ecology, as I use diatom fossil records in lake sediments to reconstruct environmental change over time. My approach differs from conventional reconstructions involving diatom profiles in that I apply information from both field observations and bioassays to the sediment records, and I use patterns in the sediment record to pose testable hypotheses about mechanisms driving observed changes.

My research focuses on understanding the effects of atmospheric deposition and climate change on lake ecosystems in alpine, arctic, boreal and prairie regions. In particular, my group is interested in: 1) deciphering the ecology of key diatom taxa to better understand their use as indicators of changing environmental conditions; 2) understanding the effects of changing concentrations of dissolved organic carbon on lake ecosystems; 3) implications of climate-driven lake ecosystem change for drinking water quality in the northeastern US.

Current Research

Climate-induced shifts in alpine diatom communities: linking neoecological and paleoecological approaches to incorporate responses to trophic forcing

Deciphering the Ecology of Key Diatom Taxa to Understand Climate Induced Changes in West Greenland Lakes

Changing Dissolved Organic Carbon, Water Transparency and Thermal Structure in Boreal Lakes of the Northern US

Glacial Nitrogen

Drinking Water Quality

Jordan Pond Buoy Project