JoAnn Holloway is a Research Physical Scientist (biogeochemistry) with the Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center.
Soil is the basis for terrestrial ecosystems, influencing vegetation patterns and water quality. JoAnn Holloway is a biogeochemist with research interests exploring the influence of parent material, geomorphology and hydrologic processes on soil biogeochemistry. These processes are evaluated in the context of how land use, including historic mining, urbanization, forestry and agricultural practices can influence soil and water quality. Her background in hydrology, geology, geochemistry, pedology and soil microbiology provides the basis for interdiscipline collaborations to evaluate the impact of land use and natural disasters (e.g., hurricane surge, wildfires) on soil and water quality.
Professional Experience
Research Geologist, 2005 - present
U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center; Denver, COResearch Geologist (Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow) 2003-2005
U.S. Geological Survey, Crustal Imaging and Characterization Team; Denver, COLecturer, Spring Semester 2003
"Environmental Microbiology", Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, COResearch Hydrologist (National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow) 1999-2001
U.S. Geological Survey, National Research Program; Boulder, CO
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Hydrologic Sciences, University of California at Davis, 1999
Dissertation: Influence of Bedrock Weathering on Nitrogen Cycling in a Sierra Nevada Watershed
Advisor: Randy DahlgrenM.S. Geology, Western Washington University, 1993
Thesis: Geochemical Interactions in a Subalpine Watershed, Mount Baker National Recreation Area, WashingtonB.S. Geology, University of Utah, 1990
Senior Thesis: Mineralization and Geochemistry of the Escalante Silver Mine, Iron County, Utah
Science and Products
Increased Mercury, Reduced Insect Diversity, and Food Web impacts from Historical Mercury Mining
Salmon River Mountains Legacy Mining Studies
Integrated Hyperspectral, Geophysical and Geochemical Studies of Yellowstone National Park Hydrothermal Systems
Trace Metal Mobility in the Yellow Pine Mining District, Idaho
System analysis of land use and climate effects on ecosystem services affecting C and N exchanges with the atmosphere and water cycles
Stream Temperature, Conductivity, eDNA, and Streamflow Data from the Big Creek and Monumental Creek Tributaries of the Lower Middle Fork Salmon River, Idaho 2021
Water-Chemistry and Isotope Data for Selected Springs, Geysers, Streams, and Rivers in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Geochemical reanalysis of rock and sediment samples from the Middle Fork and South Fork of the Salmon River collected in the mid-1960s through the early 1970s as part of the Idaho Primitive Area studies
Isotopic Examination of Mercury Methylation and Demethylation Rates in Yellowstone National Park Thermal Features
Yellowstone Thermal Feature Mercury and Methylmercury Characterization
Geochemical reanalysis of rock and sediment samples from the Lower Middle Fork of the Salmon River collected as part of the Idaho Primitive Area Studies in the 1960's through 1980's
Chemistry of water, stream sediment, wildfire ash, soil, dust, and mine waste for Fourmile Creek Watershed, Colorado, 2010-2019
Water, Soil, Rock, and Sediment Geochemistry Data from the Vicinity of Yellow Pine, Idaho, 2015-2017
Water and Sediment Geochemistry Data from the Vicinity of Yellow Pine, Idaho, 2014-2015
Increased mercury and reduced insect diversity in linked stream-riparian food webs downstream of a historical mercury mine
Multiscale hyperspectral imaging of hydrothermal alteration in Yellowstone National Park, USA
Effect of organic matter concentration and characteristics on mercury mobilization and methylmercury production at an abandoned mine site
Wildfire-driven changes in hydrology mobilize arsenic and metals from legacy mine waste
The interacting roles of climate, soils, and plant production on soil microbial communities at a continental scale
Mobilization of mercury and arsenic from a carbonate-hosted ore deposit, central Idaho, U.S.A.
Chemical and biotic characteristics of prairie lakes and large wetlands in south-central North Dakota—Effects of a changing climate
Weathering and transport of chromium and nickel from serpentinite in the Coast Range ophiolite to the Sacramento Valley, California, USA
Soil disturbance as a driver of increased stream salinity in a semiarid watershed undergoing energy development
U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative: 2011 annual report
Spectroscopic remote sensing of the distribution and persistence of oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill in Barataria Bay marshes
U.S. Geological Survey Science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative-2010 Annual Report
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
- Science
Increased Mercury, Reduced Insect Diversity, and Food Web impacts from Historical Mercury Mining
U.S. Geological Survey scientists are seeking to understand the impacts of mercury mining on headwater streams, organisms, and food webs, focused on potential effects from historical mining in central Idaho. Mercury associated with mine waste can leave a legacy of contamination that continues to impact stream health in culturally and ecologically important headwater streams after mining activities...Salmon River Mountains Legacy Mining Studies
The objective of this study is to characterize the regional impact of legacy mining in the context of framework geology for the Salmon Mountains in central Idaho. This objective is addressed through three interrelated tasks: 1) framework geology, 2) watershed biogeochemical processes, and 3) characterization of trace metals in colloids (fine particles suspended in water).Integrated Hyperspectral, Geophysical and Geochemical Studies of Yellowstone National Park Hydrothermal Systems
We are researching the subsurface groundwater flow systems in Yellowstone and the relation of these systems to understanding the regional movement of water in a volcanic center. New geophysical data will be integrated with existing data sets from hyperspectral data from Yellowstone's thermal areas and thermal water geochemistry to help define regionally extensive mineral assemblages, the evolution...Trace Metal Mobility in the Yellow Pine Mining District, Idaho
The study objective is to conduct an integrated, interdisciplinary study on source areas, biogeochemical transformations, and physical and biological pathways for trace metal transport in a tributary of the Snake River watershed, focusing on the Sugar Creek watershed. The historical Cinnabar mercury mine site is at the headwaters of Cinnabar Creek, a tributary to Sugar Creek. This integrated...System analysis of land use and climate effects on ecosystem services affecting C and N exchanges with the atmosphere and water cycles
Current land use practices have affected ecosystem structure and processes in ways that have degraded delivery of key ecosystem services controlling exchanges of carbon and nitrogen with the atmosphere and surface and groundwater systems. These impacts are observed in the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and N pollution in our nation’s water systems and coastal areas. Improvements in databases - Data
Stream Temperature, Conductivity, eDNA, and Streamflow Data from the Big Creek and Monumental Creek Tributaries of the Lower Middle Fork Salmon River, Idaho 2021
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release is an assessment of aquatic habitat within the tributaries of the lower Middle Fork Salmon River. These datasets are primarily focused on physical stream habitat (2020-21 stream temperature data) and the presence or absence (2021 eDNA data) of fish that inhabit the basin. Many environmental stressors contribute to the declining range and density of BWater-Chemistry and Isotope Data for Selected Springs, Geysers, Streams, and Rivers in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
There are over 10,000 hydrothermal features in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), where waters have pH values ranging from about 1 to 10 and surface temperatures up to 95 °C. Active geothermal areas in YNP provide insight into a variety of processes occurring at depth, such as water-rock and oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions, the formation of alteration minerals, and microbial (thermophile) metaGeochemical reanalysis of rock and sediment samples from the Middle Fork and South Fork of the Salmon River collected in the mid-1960s through the early 1970s as part of the Idaho Primitive Area studies
This data release is a geochemical data set from the reanalysis of 23 rock and 85 sediment samples collected between 1966 and 1970 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for a series of studies investigating the mineral resources of the Idaho Primitive Area (Cater et al., 1973). The samples are from the upper Middle Fork Salmon River and the South Fork Salmon River, including the tributaries of EastIsotopic Examination of Mercury Methylation and Demethylation Rates in Yellowstone National Park Thermal Features
Data in this data release were obtained for water samples collected under Yellowstone National Park Research Permit YELL-05194 in 2017 through the Integrated Yellowstone Studies Project funded by the Mineral Resources Program. Isotope-spiked incubations were carried out to determine methylation and demethylation potential for Frying Pan spring, Crystal Sister East, Crystal Sister West, and TurbuleYellowstone Thermal Feature Mercury and Methylmercury Characterization
Data in this data release were obtained from water samples collected under Yellowstone National Park (YNP) Research Permit YELL-05194 in 2017, 2019, and 2020 through the Integrated Yellowstone Studies Project funded by the Mineral Resources Program. These samples were used to assess mercury cycling within YNP. Water samples were analyzed for total mercury and methylmercury, the bioaccumulated formGeochemical reanalysis of rock and sediment samples from the Lower Middle Fork of the Salmon River collected as part of the Idaho Primitive Area Studies in the 1960's through 1980's
This is a geochemical data set from the reanalysis of 44 rock samples collected between 1966 and 1970, and 107 sediment samples collected in 1966 and 1967. These samples were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey for a study investigating the mineral resources of the Idaho Primitive Area (Cater et al., 1973). The samples are from the Lower Middle Fork of the Salmon River, including the tributariChemistry of water, stream sediment, wildfire ash, soil, dust, and mine waste for Fourmile Creek Watershed, Colorado, 2010-2019
In response to the 2010 Fourmile Canyon fire near Boulder, Colorado, the U.S. Geological Survey collected data to support investigations into the magnitude and critical drivers of water-quality impairment after wildfire. We analyzed chemistry of stream water, sediment, wildfire ash, soil, dust, and mine waste for metals and other parameters in order to evaluate the effects of legacy mining and wilWater, Soil, Rock, and Sediment Geochemistry Data from the Vicinity of Yellow Pine, Idaho, 2015-2017
Water and sediment samples were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at or near baseflow conditions from 2015-2017 in the East Fork South Fork Salmon River watershed near Yellow Pine, Valley County, Idaho. Soil, rock and tailings samples were collected in June 2015. Sampling focused on Cinnabar Creek, which flows through the CinnabarWater and Sediment Geochemistry Data from the Vicinity of Yellow Pine, Idaho, 2014-2015
Samples were collected at or near baseflow conditions. Water pH and specific conductance were measured in the field, with specific conductance also measured in the laboratory and calculated based on the ionic strength of samples based on laboratory analyses. Water samples were collected for laboratory analyses using a peristaltic pump with silicon tubing. Samples were filtered through a reusabl - Multimedia
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Filter Total Items: 34
Increased mercury and reduced insect diversity in linked stream-riparian food webs downstream of a historical mercury mine
Historical mining left a legacy of abandoned mines and waste rock in remote headwaters of major river systems in the western United States. Understanding the influence of these legacy mines on culturally and ecological important downstream ecosystems is not always straight-forward because of elevated natural levels of mineralization in mining-impacted watersheds. To test the ecological effects ofAuthorsJohanna M. Kraus, JoAnn Holloway, Michael Pribil, Ben N. Mcgee, Craig A. Stricker, Danny Rutherford, Andrew S. ToddMultiscale hyperspectral imaging of hydrothermal alteration in Yellowstone National Park, USA
Imaging spectroscopy (hyperspectral imaging) data have mainly been used to map surface materials covering relatively small areas from airborne sensors over the past 20+ years. As part of the U.S. Geological Survey Integrated hyperspectral, geophysical and geochemical studies of Yellowstone National Park hydrothermal systems project, we have collected multiscale imaging spectrometer data includingAuthorsTodd M. Hoefen, Raymond F. Kokaly, Keith Eric Livo, John Michael Meyer, JoAnn HollowayEffect of organic matter concentration and characteristics on mercury mobilization and methylmercury production at an abandoned mine site
Thousands of abandoned mines throughout the western region of North America contain elevated total-mercury (THg) concentrations. Mercury is mobilized from these sites primarily due to erosion of particulate-bound Hg (THg-P). Organic matter-based soil amendments can promote vegetation growth on mine tailings, reducing erosion and subsequent loading of THg-P into downstream waterbodies. However, theAuthorsChris S. Eckley, Todd P. Luxton, Brooks Stanfield, Austin K. Baldwin, JoAnn Holloway, John McKernan, Mark JohnsonWildfire-driven changes in hydrology mobilize arsenic and metals from legacy mine waste
Wildfires burning in watersheds that have been mined and since revegetated pose unique risks to downstream water supplies. A wildfire near Boulder, Colorado that burned a forested watershed recovering from mining disturbance that occurred 80-160 years ago allowed us to 1) assess arsenic and metal contamination in streams draining the burned area for a five-year period after the wildfire and 2) detAuthorsSheila F. Murphy, R. Blaine McCleskey, Deborah A. Martin, JoAnn Holloway, Jeffrey H. WriterThe interacting roles of climate, soils, and plant production on soil microbial communities at a continental scale
Soil microbial communities control critical ecosystem processes such as decomposition, nutrient cycling, and soil organic matter formation. Continental scale patterns in the composition and functioning of microbial communities are related to climatic, biotic, and edaphic factors such as temperature and precipitation, plant community composition, and soil carbon, nitrogen, and pH. Although these reAuthorsMark P. Waldrop, JoAnn M. Holloway, David B. Smith, Martin B. Goldhaber, R. E. Drenovsky, K. M. Scow, R. Dick, Daniel M. Howard, Bruce K. Wylie, James B. GraceByEcosystems Mission Area, Energy and Minerals Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Energy Resources Program, Land Change Science Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research CenterMobilization of mercury and arsenic from a carbonate-hosted ore deposit, central Idaho, U.S.A.
The Cinnabar and Fern mine sites in central Idaho are primary source areas for elevated mercury and arsenic entering the South Fork of the Salmon River, which provides critical spawning habitat for bull trout and Chinook salmon. Mercury mineralization is hosted by carbonate rocks, which generate waters dominated by Ca2+ and HCO3 - at pH 7 to 9. A synoptic sampling was conducted on headwater tributAuthorsJoAnn M. Holloway, Michael Pribil, R. Blaine McCleskey, Alexandra B. Etheridge, David P. Krabbenhoft, George R. AikenChemical and biotic characteristics of prairie lakes and large wetlands in south-central North Dakota—Effects of a changing climate
The climate of the prairie pothole region of North America is known for variability that results in significant interannual changes in water depths and volumes of prairie lakes and wetlands; however, beginning in July 1993, the climate of the region shifted to an extended period of increased precipitation that has likely been unequaled in the preceding 500 years. Associated changing water volumesAuthorsDavid M. Mushet, Martin B. Goldhaber, Christopher T. Mills, Kyle I. McLean, Vanessa M. Aparicio, R. Blaine McCleskey, JoAnn M. Holloway, Craig A. StockwellWeathering and transport of chromium and nickel from serpentinite in the Coast Range ophiolite to the Sacramento Valley, California, USA
A soil geochemical study in northern California was done to investigate the role that weathering and transport play in the regional distribution and mobility of geogenic Cr and Ni, which are both potentially toxic and carcinogenic. These elements are enriched in ultramafic rocks (primarily serpentinite) and the soils derived from them (1700–10,000 mg Cr per kg soil and 1300–3900 mg Ni per kg soil)AuthorsJean Morrison, Martin B. Goldhaber, Christopher T. Mills, George N. Breit, Robert L. Hooper, JoAnn M. Holloway, Sharon F. Diehl, James F. RanvilleSoil disturbance as a driver of increased stream salinity in a semiarid watershed undergoing energy development
Salinization is a global threat to the quality of streams and rivers, but it can have many causes. Oil and gas development were investigated as one of several potential causes of changes in the salinity of Muddy Creek, which drains 2470 km2 of mostly public land in Wyoming, U.S.A. Stream discharge and salinity vary with seasonal snowmelt and define a primary salinity-discharge relationship. SaliniAuthorsCarleton R. Bern, Melanie L. Clark, Travis S. Schmidt, JoAnn M. Holloway, Robert McdougalU.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative: 2011 annual report
This is the fourth report produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) to detail annual work activities. In FY2011, there were 37 ongoing, completed, or new projects conducted under the five major multi-disciplinary science and technical-assistance activities: (1) Baseline Synthesis, (2) Targeted Monitoring and Research, (3) Data and InformAuthorsZachary H. Bowen, Cameron L. Aldridge, Patrick J. Anderson, Timothy J. Assal, Laura Biewick, Steven W. Blecker, Gregory K. Boughton, Natasha B. Carr, Anna D. Chalfoun, Geneva W. Chong, Melanie L. Clark, Jay E. Diffendorfer, Bradley C. Fedy, Katharine Foster, Steven L. Garman, Stephanie Germaine, Matthew G. Hethcoat, JoAnn Holloway, Collin G. Homer, Matthew J. Kauffman, Douglas Keinath, Natalie Latysh, Daniel J. Manier, Robert R. McDougal, Cynthia P. Melcher, Kirk A. Miller, Jessica Montag, Edward M. Olexa, Christopher J. Potter, Spencer Schell, Sarah L. Shafer, David B. Smith, Lisa L. Stillings, Michael J. Sweat, Michele L. Tuttle, Anna B. WilsonSpectroscopic remote sensing of the distribution and persistence of oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill in Barataria Bay marshes
We applied a spectroscopic analysis to Airborne Visible/InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data collected from low and medium altitudes during and after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to delineate the distribution of oil-damaged canopies in the marshes of Barataria Bay, Louisiana. Spectral feature analysis compared the AVIRIS data to reference spectra of oiled marsh by using absorption featurAuthorsRaymond F. Kokaly, Brady Couvillion, JoAnn M. Holloway, Dar A. Roberts, Susan L. Ustin, Seth H. Peterson, Shruti Khanna, Sarai C. PiazzaU.S. Geological Survey Science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative-2010 Annual Report
This is the third report produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) to detail annual work activities. The first report described activities for 2007 and 2008, and the second report covered work activities for FY09. This third report covers work activities conducted in FY2010, and it continues the 2009 approach of reporting on all the indiAuthorsZachary H. Bowen, Cameron L. Aldridge, Patrick J. Anderson, Timothy J. Assal, Laura Biewick, Steven W. Blecker, Gregory K. Boughton, R. Sky Bristol, Natasha B. Carr, Anna D. Chalfoun, Geneva W. Chong, Melanie L. Clark, Jay E. Diffendorfer, Bradley C. Fedy, Katharine Foster, Steven L. Garman, Steve Germaine, JoAnn Holloway, Collin G. Homer, Matthew J. Kauffman, Douglas Keinath, Natalie Latysh, Daniel J. Manier, Robert R. McDougal, Cynthia P. Melcher, Kirk A. Miller, Jessica Montag, Christopher J. Potter, Spencer Schell, Sarah L. Shafer, David B. Smith, Lisa L. Stillings, Michele L. Tuttle, Anna B. WilsonNon-USGS Publications**
Holloway, J. M., Dahlgren, R. A., Hansen, B. & Casey, W. H., 1998, Contribution of bedrock nitrogen to high nitrate concentrations in stream water: Nature 395, 785-788, https://doi.org/10.1038/27410.Holloway, J. M. & Dahlgren, R. A., 1999, Geologic nitrogen in biogeochemical cycling: Geology 27, 567-570, https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1999)027%3C0567:GNITBC%3E2.3.CO;2.Holloway, J.M. & Petersen, E.U., 1991 Mineralization and geochemistry of the Escalante silver mine, Iron County, Utah: (ed., Allison, M. Lee et al.) Utah Geological Association Publication 18, p 83-95.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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