Steven S Perakis
I am a Supervisory Research Ecologist at the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center in Corvallis, OR
I am interested in forest biogeochemistry and ecosystem studies, watershed science, riparian forests, nutrient cycling, forest soil fertility and stable isotopes.
Professional Experience
2001-present: Supervisory Research Ecologist, USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR
2001: Post Doctoral Position, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (2000)
M.S., University of Washington, Seattle, WA (1994)
B.S., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (1990)
Science and Products
Terrestrial Ecosystems Laboratory (FRESC)
Research in our laboratory centers on the ecology and biogeochemistry of forest ecosystems, as well as grassland and riparian systems. We examine how factors such as natural and human disturbances, climate, succession, and soil fertility shape ecosystem biogeochemistry - and the reciprocal effect of biogeochemical cycles on these and other factors.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 79
Disturbance and topography shape nitrogen availability and δ15 N over long-term forest succession Disturbance and topography shape nitrogen availability and δ15 N over long-term forest succession
Forest disturbance and long-term succession towards old-growth are thought to increase nitrogen (N) availability and N loss, which should increase soil δ15N values. We examined soil and foliar patterns in N and δ15N, and soil N mineralization, across 800 years of forest succession in a topographically complex montane landscape influenced by human logging and wildfire. In contrast to...
Authors
Steven Perakis, Alan Tepley, Jana Compton
Effects and empirical critical loads of Nitrogen for ecoregions of the United States Effects and empirical critical loads of Nitrogen for ecoregions of the United States
Human activity in the last century has increased nitrogen (N) deposition to a level that has caused or is likely to cause alterations to the structure and function of many ecosystems across the United States. We synthesized current research relating atmospheric N deposition to effects on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems in the United States, and estimated associated empirical...
Authors
Linda Pardo, Molly Robin-Abbott, Mark Fenn, Christine Goodale, Linda Geiser, Charles Driscoll, Edith Allen, Jill Baron, Roland Bobbink, William D. Bowman, C Clark, B. Emmett, Frank S Gilliam, Tara Greaver, Sharon Hall, Erik Lilleskov, Lingli Liu, Jason Lynch, Knute Nadelhoffer, Steven Perakis, John L Stoddard, Kathleen Weathers, Robin Dennis
Convergence of soil nitrogen isotopes across global climate gradients Convergence of soil nitrogen isotopes across global climate gradients
Quantifying global patterns of terrestrial nitrogen (N) cycling is central to predicting future patterns of primary productivity, carbon sequestration, nutrient fluxes to aquatic systems, and climate forcing. With limited direct measures of soil N cycling at the global scale, syntheses of the 15 N: 14 N ratio of soil organic matter across climate gradients provide key insights into...
Authors
Joseph Craine, Andrew Elmore, Lixin Wang, Laurent Augusto, W. Troy Baisden, E. Brookshire, Michael Cramer, Niles Hasselquist, Erik Hobbie, Ansgar Kahmen, Keisuke Koba, J. Kranabetter, Michelle C. Mack, Erika Marin-Spiotta, Jordan Mayor, Kendra McLauchlan, Anders Michelsen, Gabriela Nardoto, Rafael S. Oliveira, Steven Perakis, Pablo L. Peri, Carlos Quesada, Andreas Richter, Louis Schipper, Bryan Stevenson, Benjamin Turner, Ricardo Viani, Wolfgang Wanek, Bernd Zeller
Calcium oxalate contribution to calcium cycling in forests of contrasting nutrient status Calcium oxalate contribution to calcium cycling in forests of contrasting nutrient status
Calcium oxalate (Ca oxalate) is an insoluble biomineral that forms in plants and fungi, and occurs in soils across many types of ecosystems. Assessing how Ca oxalate may shape ecosystem Ca cycling requires information on the distribution of Ca oxalate among plant biomass, detritus, and mineral soil, and how it varies with ecosystem Ca status. We compared two Douglas-fir forests of...
Authors
Jenny Dauer, Steven S. Perakis
Three-year growth response of young Douglas-fir to nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and blended fertilizers in Oregon and Washington Three-year growth response of young Douglas-fir to nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and blended fertilizers in Oregon and Washington
Studies of nutrient limitation in Douglas-fir forests of the Pacific Northwest focus predominantly on nitrogen, yet many stands demonstrate negligible or even negative growth response to nitrogen fertilization. To understand what nutrients other than nitrogen may limit forest productivity in this region, we tested six fertilizer treatments for their ability to increase stem volume growth...
Authors
Douglas Mainwaring, Douglas Maguire, Steven S. Perakis
Thresholds for protecting Pacific Northwest ecosystems from atmospheric deposition of nitrogen: state of knowledge report Thresholds for protecting Pacific Northwest ecosystems from atmospheric deposition of nitrogen: state of knowledge report
The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service manage areas in the states of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington – collectively referred to in this report as the Pacific Northwest - that contain significant natural resources and provide many recreational opportunities. The agencies are mandated to protect the air quality and air pollution-sensitive resources on these federal lands. Human...
Authors
Tonnie Cummings, Tamara Blett, Ellen Porter, Linda Geiser, Rick Graw, Jill McMurray, Steven Perakis, Regina Rochefort
Soil fluxes of methane, nitrous oxide, and nitric oxide from aggrading forests in coastal Oregon Soil fluxes of methane, nitrous oxide, and nitric oxide from aggrading forests in coastal Oregon
Soil exchanges of greenhouse and other gases are poorly known for Pacific Northwest forests where gradients in nutrient availability and soil moisture may contribute to large variations in fluxes. Here we report fluxes of methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and nitric oxide (NO) over multiple seasons from three naturally N-rich, aggrading forests of coastal Oregon, USA. Mean methane...
Authors
Heather Erickson, Steven S. Perakis
Reconstructing disturbances and their biogeochemical consequences over multiple timescales Reconstructing disturbances and their biogeochemical consequences over multiple timescales
Ongoing changes in disturbance regimes are predicted to cause acute changes in ecosystem structure and function in the coming decades, but many aspects of these predictions are uncertain. A key challenge is to improve the predictability of postdisturbance biogeochemical trajectories at the ecosystem level. Ecosystem ecologists and paleoecologists have generated complementary data sets...
Authors
Kendra McLauchlan, Philip E. Higuera, Daniel Gavin, Steven S. Perakis, Michelle C. Mack, Heather Alexander, John Battles, Franco Biondi, Brian Buma, Daniele Colombaroli, Sara Enders, Daniel Engstrom, Feng Sheng Hu, Jennifer Marlon, John Marshall, Matt McGlone, Jesse Morris, Lucas Nave, Bryan Shuman, Erica Smithwick, Dunia Urrego, David Wardle, Christopher Williams, Joseph Williams
Forest calcium depletion and biotic retention along a soil nitrogen gradient Forest calcium depletion and biotic retention along a soil nitrogen gradient
High nitrogen (N) accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems can shift patterns of nutrient limitation and deficiency beyond N toward other nutrients, most notably phosphorus (P) and base cations (calcium [Ca], magnesium [Mg], and potassium [K]). We examined how naturally high N accumulation from a legacy of symbiotic N fixation shaped P and base cation cycling across a gradient of nine...
Authors
Steven S. Perakis, Emily Sinkhorn, Christina Catricala, Thomas Bullen, John A. Fitzpatrick, Justin Hynicka, Kermit Cromack
Nutrient limitation of native and invasive N2-fixing plants in northwest prairies Nutrient limitation of native and invasive N2-fixing plants in northwest prairies
Nutrient rich conditions often promote plant invasions, yet additions of non-nitrogen (N) nutrients may provide a novel approach for conserving native symbiotic N-fixing plants in otherwise N-limited ecosystems. Lupinus oreganus is a threatened N-fixing plant endemic to prairies in western Oregon and southwest Washington (USA). We tested the effect of non-N fertilizers on the growth...
Authors
Andrea Thorpe, Steven Perakis, Christina Catricala, Thomas Kaye
Decomposition and nitrogen dynamics of 15N-labeled leaf, root, and twig litter in temperate coniferous forests Decomposition and nitrogen dynamics of 15N-labeled leaf, root, and twig litter in temperate coniferous forests
Litter nutrient dynamics contribute significantly to biogeochemical cycling in forest ecosystems. We examined how site environment and initial substrate quality influence decomposition and nitrogen (N) dynamics of multiple litter types. A 2.5-year decomposition study was installed in the Oregon Coast Range and West Cascades using 15N-labeled litter from Acer macrophyllum, Picea...
Authors
Tiff van Huysen, Mark Harmon, Steven S. Perakis, Hua Chen
Regional constraints to biological nitrogen fixation in post-fire forest communities Regional constraints to biological nitrogen fixation in post-fire forest communities
Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is a key ecological process that can restore nitrogen (N) lost in wildfire and shape the pace and pattern of post-fire forest recovery. To date, there is limited information on how climate and soil fertility interact to influence different pathways of BNF in early forest succession. We studied asymbiotic (forest floor and soil) and symbiotic (the shrub...
Authors
Stephanie Yelenik, Steven Perakis, David Hibbs
Non-USGS Publications**
Perakis, S.S., Hedin, L.O., 2002, Response to commentary on "Nitrogen loss from unpolluted South American forests mainly via dissolved organic compounds": Nature, v. 418, p. 665-665.
Perakis, S.S., Welch, E.B., Jacoby, J.M., 1996, Sediment-to-water blue-green algal recruitment in response to alum and environmental factors: Hydrobiologia, v. 318, no. 3, p. 165-177.
**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.
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 14
Science and Products
Terrestrial Ecosystems Laboratory (FRESC)
Research in our laboratory centers on the ecology and biogeochemistry of forest ecosystems, as well as grassland and riparian systems. We examine how factors such as natural and human disturbances, climate, succession, and soil fertility shape ecosystem biogeochemistry - and the reciprocal effect of biogeochemical cycles on these and other factors.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 79
Disturbance and topography shape nitrogen availability and δ15 N over long-term forest succession Disturbance and topography shape nitrogen availability and δ15 N over long-term forest succession
Forest disturbance and long-term succession towards old-growth are thought to increase nitrogen (N) availability and N loss, which should increase soil δ15N values. We examined soil and foliar patterns in N and δ15N, and soil N mineralization, across 800 years of forest succession in a topographically complex montane landscape influenced by human logging and wildfire. In contrast to...
Authors
Steven Perakis, Alan Tepley, Jana Compton
Effects and empirical critical loads of Nitrogen for ecoregions of the United States Effects and empirical critical loads of Nitrogen for ecoregions of the United States
Human activity in the last century has increased nitrogen (N) deposition to a level that has caused or is likely to cause alterations to the structure and function of many ecosystems across the United States. We synthesized current research relating atmospheric N deposition to effects on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems in the United States, and estimated associated empirical...
Authors
Linda Pardo, Molly Robin-Abbott, Mark Fenn, Christine Goodale, Linda Geiser, Charles Driscoll, Edith Allen, Jill Baron, Roland Bobbink, William D. Bowman, C Clark, B. Emmett, Frank S Gilliam, Tara Greaver, Sharon Hall, Erik Lilleskov, Lingli Liu, Jason Lynch, Knute Nadelhoffer, Steven Perakis, John L Stoddard, Kathleen Weathers, Robin Dennis
Convergence of soil nitrogen isotopes across global climate gradients Convergence of soil nitrogen isotopes across global climate gradients
Quantifying global patterns of terrestrial nitrogen (N) cycling is central to predicting future patterns of primary productivity, carbon sequestration, nutrient fluxes to aquatic systems, and climate forcing. With limited direct measures of soil N cycling at the global scale, syntheses of the 15 N: 14 N ratio of soil organic matter across climate gradients provide key insights into...
Authors
Joseph Craine, Andrew Elmore, Lixin Wang, Laurent Augusto, W. Troy Baisden, E. Brookshire, Michael Cramer, Niles Hasselquist, Erik Hobbie, Ansgar Kahmen, Keisuke Koba, J. Kranabetter, Michelle C. Mack, Erika Marin-Spiotta, Jordan Mayor, Kendra McLauchlan, Anders Michelsen, Gabriela Nardoto, Rafael S. Oliveira, Steven Perakis, Pablo L. Peri, Carlos Quesada, Andreas Richter, Louis Schipper, Bryan Stevenson, Benjamin Turner, Ricardo Viani, Wolfgang Wanek, Bernd Zeller
Calcium oxalate contribution to calcium cycling in forests of contrasting nutrient status Calcium oxalate contribution to calcium cycling in forests of contrasting nutrient status
Calcium oxalate (Ca oxalate) is an insoluble biomineral that forms in plants and fungi, and occurs in soils across many types of ecosystems. Assessing how Ca oxalate may shape ecosystem Ca cycling requires information on the distribution of Ca oxalate among plant biomass, detritus, and mineral soil, and how it varies with ecosystem Ca status. We compared two Douglas-fir forests of...
Authors
Jenny Dauer, Steven S. Perakis
Three-year growth response of young Douglas-fir to nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and blended fertilizers in Oregon and Washington Three-year growth response of young Douglas-fir to nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and blended fertilizers in Oregon and Washington
Studies of nutrient limitation in Douglas-fir forests of the Pacific Northwest focus predominantly on nitrogen, yet many stands demonstrate negligible or even negative growth response to nitrogen fertilization. To understand what nutrients other than nitrogen may limit forest productivity in this region, we tested six fertilizer treatments for their ability to increase stem volume growth...
Authors
Douglas Mainwaring, Douglas Maguire, Steven S. Perakis
Thresholds for protecting Pacific Northwest ecosystems from atmospheric deposition of nitrogen: state of knowledge report Thresholds for protecting Pacific Northwest ecosystems from atmospheric deposition of nitrogen: state of knowledge report
The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service manage areas in the states of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington – collectively referred to in this report as the Pacific Northwest - that contain significant natural resources and provide many recreational opportunities. The agencies are mandated to protect the air quality and air pollution-sensitive resources on these federal lands. Human...
Authors
Tonnie Cummings, Tamara Blett, Ellen Porter, Linda Geiser, Rick Graw, Jill McMurray, Steven Perakis, Regina Rochefort
Soil fluxes of methane, nitrous oxide, and nitric oxide from aggrading forests in coastal Oregon Soil fluxes of methane, nitrous oxide, and nitric oxide from aggrading forests in coastal Oregon
Soil exchanges of greenhouse and other gases are poorly known for Pacific Northwest forests where gradients in nutrient availability and soil moisture may contribute to large variations in fluxes. Here we report fluxes of methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and nitric oxide (NO) over multiple seasons from three naturally N-rich, aggrading forests of coastal Oregon, USA. Mean methane...
Authors
Heather Erickson, Steven S. Perakis
Reconstructing disturbances and their biogeochemical consequences over multiple timescales Reconstructing disturbances and their biogeochemical consequences over multiple timescales
Ongoing changes in disturbance regimes are predicted to cause acute changes in ecosystem structure and function in the coming decades, but many aspects of these predictions are uncertain. A key challenge is to improve the predictability of postdisturbance biogeochemical trajectories at the ecosystem level. Ecosystem ecologists and paleoecologists have generated complementary data sets...
Authors
Kendra McLauchlan, Philip E. Higuera, Daniel Gavin, Steven S. Perakis, Michelle C. Mack, Heather Alexander, John Battles, Franco Biondi, Brian Buma, Daniele Colombaroli, Sara Enders, Daniel Engstrom, Feng Sheng Hu, Jennifer Marlon, John Marshall, Matt McGlone, Jesse Morris, Lucas Nave, Bryan Shuman, Erica Smithwick, Dunia Urrego, David Wardle, Christopher Williams, Joseph Williams
Forest calcium depletion and biotic retention along a soil nitrogen gradient Forest calcium depletion and biotic retention along a soil nitrogen gradient
High nitrogen (N) accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems can shift patterns of nutrient limitation and deficiency beyond N toward other nutrients, most notably phosphorus (P) and base cations (calcium [Ca], magnesium [Mg], and potassium [K]). We examined how naturally high N accumulation from a legacy of symbiotic N fixation shaped P and base cation cycling across a gradient of nine...
Authors
Steven S. Perakis, Emily Sinkhorn, Christina Catricala, Thomas Bullen, John A. Fitzpatrick, Justin Hynicka, Kermit Cromack
Nutrient limitation of native and invasive N2-fixing plants in northwest prairies Nutrient limitation of native and invasive N2-fixing plants in northwest prairies
Nutrient rich conditions often promote plant invasions, yet additions of non-nitrogen (N) nutrients may provide a novel approach for conserving native symbiotic N-fixing plants in otherwise N-limited ecosystems. Lupinus oreganus is a threatened N-fixing plant endemic to prairies in western Oregon and southwest Washington (USA). We tested the effect of non-N fertilizers on the growth...
Authors
Andrea Thorpe, Steven Perakis, Christina Catricala, Thomas Kaye
Decomposition and nitrogen dynamics of 15N-labeled leaf, root, and twig litter in temperate coniferous forests Decomposition and nitrogen dynamics of 15N-labeled leaf, root, and twig litter in temperate coniferous forests
Litter nutrient dynamics contribute significantly to biogeochemical cycling in forest ecosystems. We examined how site environment and initial substrate quality influence decomposition and nitrogen (N) dynamics of multiple litter types. A 2.5-year decomposition study was installed in the Oregon Coast Range and West Cascades using 15N-labeled litter from Acer macrophyllum, Picea...
Authors
Tiff van Huysen, Mark Harmon, Steven S. Perakis, Hua Chen
Regional constraints to biological nitrogen fixation in post-fire forest communities Regional constraints to biological nitrogen fixation in post-fire forest communities
Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is a key ecological process that can restore nitrogen (N) lost in wildfire and shape the pace and pattern of post-fire forest recovery. To date, there is limited information on how climate and soil fertility interact to influence different pathways of BNF in early forest succession. We studied asymbiotic (forest floor and soil) and symbiotic (the shrub...
Authors
Stephanie Yelenik, Steven Perakis, David Hibbs
Non-USGS Publications**
Perakis, S.S., Hedin, L.O., 2002, Response to commentary on "Nitrogen loss from unpolluted South American forests mainly via dissolved organic compounds": Nature, v. 418, p. 665-665.
Perakis, S.S., Welch, E.B., Jacoby, J.M., 1996, Sediment-to-water blue-green algal recruitment in response to alum and environmental factors: Hydrobiologia, v. 318, no. 3, p. 165-177.
**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.
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 14