Intro
I have worked in the USGS New York Water Science Center since 1990 studying the effects of acidic deposition and climate change on forest and aquatic ecosystems. Before I joined the USGS, I worked at the University of Maine for three years as an assistant research professor conducting research on the biogeochemistry of lowland spruce-fir forests. I’m co-founder and chair of the Northeastern Soil Monitoring Cooperative and serve as the Technical Director of the USGS Soil and Low-Ionic Strength Water Laboratory in Troy.
I received a B.A. degree in Zoology from the University of Vermont in 1979, a M.S. degree in Environmental and Forest Biology from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 1982, and a Ph.D. from Syracuse University in 1987. Since joining the USGS in Troy, NY, much of my work has focused on soil calcium depletion caused by acidic deposition, recovery responses of soils and surface waters to decreasing acidic deposition, nitrogen availability in the environment, and climate change effects on soils and forests.
My academic service includes advising or co-advising more than a dozen students pursing M.S. or Ph.D degrees, co-teaching a four-credit upper level/graduate course entitled “Watershed Biogeochemistry at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and presenting 16 invited seminars at 13 colleges and universities. My scientific service includes serving as an associate editor for the Journal of Environmental Quality for 6 years, a science advisor for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for three years, a member of a CENR (Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, under the National Science and Technology Council of the Executive Branch) workgroup addressing the issue of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico, October 1997 – September 1999, and a co-author of the U.S.E.P.A. report entitled “ Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur—Ecological Criteria”, written to provide the scientific basis for EPA’s decision on retaining or revising the current secondary standards for emissions of nitrogen and sulfur oxides.
Science and Products
Soil and Low-Ionic-Strength Water Quality Laboratory
Acidification and Recovery and Development of Critical Loads of Acidity for Stream Ecosystems of the Adirondack Region of New York State
Assessment of Acidic Deposition Effects on the Chemistry and Benthos of Streams of the East-Central Adirondack Region
Adirondack Long-Term Stream and Soil Monitoring
Effects of acid rain on the ecological health of Long Island’s forests and ponds
Assessment of sugar maple health and associated soil conditions in the Adirondack Region of New York
Appalachian Trail MEGA-Transect Atmospheric Deposition Effects Study
Northeastern Soil Monitoring Cooperative
Whole Ecosystem Restoration Through Liming of Honnedaga Lake Tributary Watersheds
Long-Term Monitoring of Buck Creek Watershed in the Western Adirondack Region of New York
An Assessment of Forest Health and Soil Nutrient Status to Determine the Effects of Logging Practices on Water Quality in New York City's West-of-Hudson Watersheds
Forecasting forest response to N deposition: integrating data from individual plant responses to soil chemistry with a continental-scale gradient analysis
Duplicate Stream Sample Analyses by Laboratories of the U.S. Geological Survey New York Water Science Center and Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation Applied to Adirondack Stream Monitoring Data, 2003-2017
Honnedaga Liming Project soil and vegetation data, 2012-2018, Adirondack region, New York, USA
Adirondack New York soil chemistry data, 1992-2017 (ver. 1.1, December 2020)
Data for effects of watershed and in-stream liming on macroinvertebrate communities in acidified tributaries to an Adirondack lake
Adirondack New York vegetation data, 2000-2015
Adirondack Forest Soil Chemistry 1997-2014
The Biscuit Brook and Neversink Reservoir Watersheds: Long-term investigations of stream chemistry, soil chemistry, and aquatic ecology in the Catskill Mountains, New York, USA, 1983 to 2020
Regional target loads of atmospheric nitrogen and sulfur deposition for the protection of stream and watershed soil resources of the Adirondack Mountains, USA
Have sustained acidic deposition decreases led to increased calcium availability in recovering watersheds of the Adirondack region of New York, USA?
The response of streams to changes in atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen in the Adirondack Mountains
Assessment of methods for soil monitoring in the Adirondack region of New York
Reversal of forest soil acidification in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada: Site and soil factors contributing to recovery
The response of stream ecosystems in the Adirondack region of New York to historical and future changes in atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen
Chronic and episodic acidification of streams along the Appalachian Trail corridor, eastern United States
Declining aluminum toxicity and the role of exposure duration on brook trout mortality in acidified streams of the Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA
Recovery of soils from acidic deposition may exacerbate nitrogen export from forested watersheds
Widespread diminishing anthropogenic effects on calcium in freshwaters
Response of water chemistry and young-of-year brook trout to channel and watershed liming in streams showing lagging recovery from acidic deposition
Science and Products
- Science
Soil and Low-Ionic-Strength Water Quality Laboratory
The New York Water Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Troy, N.Y., operates a state-of-the-science laboratory for the chemical analysis of soil and water.Acidification and Recovery and Development of Critical Loads of Acidity for Stream Ecosystems of the Adirondack Region of New York State
BACKGROUND The Adirondack region of New York has a history of relatively high atmospheric sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition (Greaver et al. 2012). Adirondack ecosystems have been impacted by these inputs, including soil and surface water acidification, and impaired health and diversity of forest vegetation and aquatic biota. Air quality management, through the Clean Air Act, the U.S. EnvirAssessment of Acidic Deposition Effects on the Chemistry and Benthos of Streams of the East-Central Adirondack Region
Project Summary. The Western Adirondack Stream Survey (WASS), conducted in 2003-2005, showed that acidic deposition was causing toxic forms of Al to move from soils to streams in 66% of the 565 watersheds assessed in the study region. The WASS encompassed only 20% of the Adirondack region, and for the remaining 80% (referred to hereafter as the East-Central Adirondack region), there is littAdirondack Long-Term Stream and Soil Monitoring
The current Adirondack Long-Term Monitoring Program combines monitoring of streams and soils based on a watershed design. Not only are headwater streams an important component of Adirondack ecosystems, they are closely tied to the terrestrial environment through runoff that is strongly influenced by soil and vegetation processes. This linkage makes headwater streams a useful tool for monitoringEffects of acid rain on the ecological health of Long Island’s forests and ponds
BACKGROUND Air emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels in electrical power plants, building heating systems and vehicles are the major source of gaseous sulfur (SOx) and nitrogen (NOx) oxides in the atmosphere. These oxides dissolve in atmospheric moisture forming ions which are deposited by rain, snowfall and dust particles as acidic deposition. Acidic deposition releases soluble aluAssessment of sugar maple health and associated soil conditions in the Adirondack Region of New York
This project provides a regional assessment of sugar maple health and associated soil conditions in the Adirondack Region of New York, where sugar maple are a major component of the forest. The focus of the study is to develop an improved understanding of relationships among watershed characteristics, soil chemistry, and acidic deposition effects on sugar maple trees and other tree species that grAppalachian Trail MEGA-Transect Atmospheric Deposition Effects Study
The Appalachian Trail (AT), a 14-state footpath from Maine to Georgia, is a unit of the National Park Service that is cooperatively managed and maintained by the National Park Service (NPS), the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, AT Club volunteers, the USDA Forest Service, and other public land-management agencies. Upper elevation and ridge-top ecosystems, which comprise much of the trail corridoNortheastern Soil Monitoring Cooperative
Mission Statement: The mission of the cooperative is to facilitate coordinated collection of high quality broad-based soil data to evaluate temporal dynamics, to complement meteorologic, hydrologic and biologic monitoring, and to support decision making and science education. Objectives: Develop and share protocols for field and lab soil sampling and analysis Identify information needs thaWhole Ecosystem Restoration Through Liming of Honnedaga Lake Tributary Watersheds
Summary Acid rain levels in the Adirondack region have substantially declined and recovery from acid rain is underway. Recovery is being limited by the depletion of soil calcium that occurred over past decades. Not only is calcium needed for neutralizing acidity, it is an essential nutrient for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. However, recovery of soil calcium has not yet been observed. Whole-eLong-Term Monitoring of Buck Creek Watershed in the Western Adirondack Region of New York
Monitoring of lake chemistry in the western Adirondack region has indicated reductions in the acidity of these lakes during the past two decades. However, lakes are not always reliable indicators of streams and soils. Uncertainty remains regarding the recovery potential of surface waters and the effects of acidic deposition on soils. Furthermore, nitrogen, long considered a growth-limiting nutrienAn Assessment of Forest Health and Soil Nutrient Status to Determine the Effects of Logging Practices on Water Quality in New York City's West-of-Hudson Watersheds
The growth of temperate forests is typically limited by the availability of nitrogen. Elevated concentrations of nitrate in some Catskill Mountain streams, which are tributary to New York City's water-supply reservoirs west of the Hudson River, indicate that the forests of this region are at the early stages of nitrogen saturation. That is, nitrogen is available in excess of the amount utilizedForecasting forest response to N deposition: integrating data from individual plant responses to soil chemistry with a continental-scale gradient analysis
Nitrogen deposition is altering forest dynamics, terrestrial carbon storage, and biodiversity. However, our ability to forecast how different tree species will respond to N deposition, especially key response thresholds, is limited by a lack of synthesis across spatial scales and research approaches. To develop our best understanding of N deposition impact on tree growth and survival, we will inte - Data
Duplicate Stream Sample Analyses by Laboratories of the U.S. Geological Survey New York Water Science Center and Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation Applied to Adirondack Stream Monitoring Data, 2003-2017
This dataset contains a comparison of chemical analysis results obtained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) New York Water Science Center Soil and Low-Ionic Strength Water Quality Laboratory and the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation (ALSC) Laboratory. Duplicate samples were collected biweekly from Buck Creek and the North and South Tributaries of Buck Creek from September 5, 2006, through SeptHonnedaga Liming Project soil and vegetation data, 2012-2018, Adirondack region, New York, USA
This dataset contains field descriptions of soil profiles and chemical analysis results of soil samples collected in the limed (T16) and reference (T24) watersheds of the Honnedaga Liming Study conducted in the watershed of Honnedaga Lake, in the southwestern portion of the Adirondack State Park in New York State, USA. Field measurements of trees, saplings and seedlings in these watersheds are alAdirondack New York soil chemistry data, 1992-2017 (ver. 1.1, December 2020)
This dataset contains measurements of chemical concentrations of soil samples representing 28 headwater drainage basins completely within the Adirondack Park of New York State (ADK Park), one basin partially in the ADK Park, and one watershed 2 kilometers from the ADK Park boundary. Seven of these watersheds have been sampled 2 or 3 times over periods of 12 to 22 years. Soil samples were collectedData for effects of watershed and in-stream liming on macroinvertebrate communities in acidified tributaries to an Adirondack lake
In 2012, a program was initiated using in-stream and aerial (whole-watershed) liming to improve water quality and Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) recruitment in three acidified tributaries of a high-elevation Adirondack lake in New York State. Concurrently, macroinvertebrates were sampled annually between 2013 and 2016 at 3 treated and 3 untreated reference sites to assess the effects of eachAdirondack New York vegetation data, 2000-2015
This dataset contains field measurements of vegetation from the (1) Adirondack Sugar Maple Project (ASM), and (2) Buck Creek North and Buck Creek South Watersheds. The ASM data, collected in 2009 in 20 Adirondack watersheds (2 or 3 0.10 ha plots per watershed), are comprised of general plot characteristics, tree species identification and diameter at breast height (DBH) for all trees greater thanAdirondack Forest Soil Chemistry 1997-2014
This dataset contains measurements of chemical concentrations of forest soil samples and associated site measurements collected in the Adirondack Ecoregion of New York State. Data are presented in four groups (tabs) in an Microsoft EXCEL 2013 spreadsheet (and comma-delimited CSV files): (1) Adirondack Sugar Maple Project (ASM), (2) Buck Creek North Watershed, (3) Buck Creek South Watershed, and (4 - Publications
Filter Total Items: 106
The Biscuit Brook and Neversink Reservoir Watersheds: Long-term investigations of stream chemistry, soil chemistry, and aquatic ecology in the Catskill Mountains, New York, USA, 1983 to 2020
This data note describes the Biscuit Brook and Neversink Reservoir watershed Long-Term Monitoring Data that includes: 1) stream discharge, (1983 – 2020 for Biscuit Brook and 1937 – 2020 for the Neversink Reservoir watershed), 2) stream water chemistry, 1983-2020, at 4 stations, 3) fish survey data from 16 locations in the watershed 1990-2019, 4) soil chemistry data from 2 headwater sub-watersheds,AuthorsPeter S. Murdoch, Douglas A. Burns, Michael McHale, Jason Siemion, Barry P. Baldigo, Gregory B. Lawrence, Scott D. George, Michael R. Antidormi, Donald B. BonvilleRegional target loads of atmospheric nitrogen and sulfur deposition for the protection of stream and watershed soil resources of the Adirondack Mountains, USA
Acidic deposition contributes to a range of environmental impacts across forested landscapes, including acidification of soil and drainage water, toxic aluminum mobilization, depletion of available soil nutrient cations, and impacts to forest and aquatic species health and biodiversity. In response to decreasing levels of acidic deposition, soils and drainage waters in some regions of North AmericAuthorsTodd C. McDonnell, Charles T. Driscoll, Timothy J. Sullivan, Douglas A. Burns, Barry P. Baldigo, Shuai Shao, Gregory B. LawrenceHave sustained acidic deposition decreases led to increased calcium availability in recovering watersheds of the Adirondack region of New York, USA?
Soil calcium depletion has been strongly linked to acidic deposition in eastern North America and recent studies have begun to document the recovery of soils in response to large decreases in acidic deposition. However, increased calcium availability has not yet been seen in the B horizon, where calcium depletion has been most acute, but mineral weathering is critically important for resupplying eAuthorsGregory B. Lawrence, Jason Siemion, Michael R. Antidormi, Donald B. Bonville, Michael McHaleThe response of streams to changes in atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen in the Adirondack Mountains
Acidic deposition is the result of upwind sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) emissions into the atmosphere from human activities. Environmental impacts from acidic deposition across forested landscapes include acidification of soil and drainage water, depletion of available soil nutrient bases, and impacts to and changes in forest and aquatic species composition and biodiversity. Acidic deposition can moAuthorsCharles T. Driscoll, Shuai Shao, Timothy J. Sullivan, Todd C. McDonnell, Barry P. Baldigo, Douglas A. Burns, Gregory B. LawrenceAssessment of methods for soil monitoring in the Adirondack region of New York
Repeated sampling to detect changes in forest soils was rarely used before 1990, but the value of soil monitoring in understanding environmental change is becoming well established. The growing number of resampling studies has shown that sampling designs and procedures must be adapted to the objectives of the monitoring program and the soils being monitored. In the Adirondack region, current priAuthorsGregory B. Lawrence, Michael R. AntidormiReversal of forest soil acidification in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada: Site and soil factors contributing to recovery
As acidic deposition has decreased across Eastern North America, forest soils at some sites are beginning to show reversal of soil acidification. However, the degree of recovery appears to vary and is not fully explained by deposition declines alone. To assess if other site and soil factors can help to explain degree of recovery from acid deposition, soil resampling chemistry data (8- to 24-year tAuthorsP.W. Hazlett, C.E. Emilson, Gregory B. Lawrence, I.J. Fernandez, R. Ouimet, S.W. BaileyThe response of stream ecosystems in the Adirondack region of New York to historical and future changes in atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen
The present-day acid-base chemistry of surface waters can be directly linked to contemporary observations of acid deposition; however, pre-industrial conditions are key to predicting the potential future recovery of stream ecosystems under decreasing loads of atmospheric sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition. The integrated biogeochemical model PnET-BGC was applied to 25 forest watersheds that reAuthorsShuai Shao, Charles T. Driscoll, Timothy J. Sullivan, Douglas A. Burns, Barry P. Baldigo, Gregory B. Lawrence, Todd C. McDonnellChronic and episodic acidification of streams along the Appalachian Trail corridor, eastern United States
Acidic atmospheric deposition has adversely affected aquatic ecosystems globally. As emissions and deposition of sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) have declined in recent decades across North America and Europe, ecosystem recovery is evident in many surface waters. However, persistent chronic and episodic acidification remain important concerns in vulnerable regions. We evaluated acidification in 269 heAuthorsDouglas A. Burns, Todd McDonnell, Karen C. Rice, Gregory B. Lawrence, Timothy SullivanDeclining aluminum toxicity and the role of exposure duration on brook trout mortality in acidified streams of the Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA
Mortality of brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and water chemistry were characterized in 6 headwater streams in the western Adirondacks of New York during spring 2015, 2016, and 2017 and compared with results from analogous tests done between 1980 and 2003 in many of the same streams, to assess temporal changes in toxicity and inorganic monomeric aluminum (Ali) concentrations, and the role of AliAuthorsBarry P. Baldigo, Scott George, Gregory B. Lawrence, Eric A. PaulRecovery of soils from acidic deposition may exacerbate nitrogen export from forested watersheds
Effects of ambient decreases in N deposition on forest N cycling remain unclear as soils recover from acidic deposition. To investigate, repeated soil sampling data were related to deposition, vegetation, and stream data, for 2000–2015 in North and South Buck Creek watersheds, in the Adirondack region of New York, USA. In 63 other Adirondack streams, NO3− concentrations were also compared betweenAuthorsGregory B. Lawrence, Sara E. Scanga, Robert D. SaboWidespread diminishing anthropogenic effects on calcium in freshwaters
Calcium (Ca) is an essential element for almost all living organisms. Here, we examined global variation and controls of freshwater Ca concentrations, using 440 599 water samples from 43 184 inland water sites in 57 countries. We found that the global median Ca concentration was 4.0 mg L−1 with 20.7% of the water samples showing Ca concentrations ≤ 1.5 mg L−1, a threshold considered critical for tAuthorsGesa A. Weyhenmeyer, Jens Hartmann, Dag O. Hessen, Jiří Kopáček, Josef Hejzlar, Stéphan Jacquet, Stephen K. Hamilton, Piet Verburg, Taylor H. Leach, Martin Schmid, Giovanna Flaim, Tiina Nõges, Peeter Nõges, Valerie C. Wentzky, Michela Rogora, James A. Rusak, Sarian Kosten, Andrew M. Paterson, Katrin Teubner, Scott N. Higgins, Gregory B. Lawrence, Külli Kangur, Ilga Kokorite, Leonardo Cerasino, Clara Funk, Rebecca G. Harvey, Florentina Moatar, Heleen de Wit, Thomas ZechmeisterResponse of water chemistry and young-of-year brook trout to channel and watershed liming in streams showing lagging recovery from acidic deposition
Reductions in sulfur emissions have initiated chemical recovery of surface waters impacted by acidic deposition in the Adirondack region of New York State. However, acidified streams remain common in the region, which limits recovery of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) populations. To investigate liming as a method to accelerate recovery of brook trout, the channels of two acidified streams werAuthorsDaniel C Josephson, Gregory B. Lawrence, Scott D. George, Jason Siemion, Barry P. Baldigo, Clifford E. Kraft - News