Thomas G Huntington, Ph.D.
Thomas Huntington is a Scientist Emeritus in the New England Water Science Center.
Dr. Huntington has served as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator on various projects focusing on process-oriented, applied and basic research concerning carbon cycling, climate change and watershed biogeochemistry.
Professional Experience
Scientist Emeritus, U.S. Geological Survey, New England Water Science Center, 2021 to Present
Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, New England Water Science Center, 1990 to 2021
Research Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 1986 to 1990
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 1984 to 1986
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Soil Chemistry, Fertility, & Microbiology, University of Kentucky, 1984
B.A. Biology - Ecology, Cornell University, 1974
Science and Products
The potential for calcium depletion in forest ecosystems of southeastern United States: Review and analysis
Controls on soil respiration: implications for climate change
Calcium depletion in a Southeastern United States forest ecosystem
A new approach for determining the 87Sr/86Sr ratio of the ‘‘granitoid weathering component"
Mississippi Basin Carbon Project; upland soil database for sites in Yazoo Basin, northern Mississippi
Soil-calcium depletion linked to acid rain and forest growth in the eastern United States
Dynamic replacement and loss of soil carbon on eroding cropland
Carbon cycling in terrestrial environments: Chapter 17
Soil, environmental, and watershed measurements in support of carbon cycling studies in northwestern Mississippi
Effects of acidic deposition on water quality and forest health in Georgia
Small watershed studies: Analytical approaches for understanding ecosystem response to environmental change
Predicting watershed acidification under alternate rainfall conditions
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
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 92
The potential for calcium depletion in forest ecosystems of southeastern United States: Review and analysis
Biogeochemical mass balance assessments of calcium status in southeastern forests indicate that losses through harvesting and soil leaching often exceed inputs from atmospheric deposition and weathering. Many forest soils of the southeastern United States are particularly sensitive because these soils and the underlying saprolite from which these soils are derived are largely depleted of weatherabAuthorsThomas G. HuntingtonControls on soil respiration: implications for climate change
No abstract available.AuthorsLindsey E. Rustad, Thomas G. Huntington, Richard D. BooneCalcium depletion in a Southeastern United States forest ecosystem
Forest soil Ca depletion through leaching and vegetation uptake may threaten long-term sustainability of forest productivity in the southeastern USA. This study was conducted to assess Ca pools and fluxes in a representative southern Piedmont forest to determine the soil Ca depletion rate. Soil Ca storage, Ca inputs in atmospheric deposition, and outputs in soil leaching and vegetation uptake wereAuthorsT.G. Huntington, R. P. Hooper, C.E. Johnson, Brent T. Aulenbach, R. Cappellato, A.E. BlumA new approach for determining the 87Sr/86Sr ratio of the ‘‘granitoid weathering component"
No abstract availableAuthorsThomas D. Bullen, Arthur F. White, Thomas G. Huntington, Norman E. PetersMississippi Basin Carbon Project; upland soil database for sites in Yazoo Basin, northern Mississippi
The conversion of land from its native state to an agricultural use commonly results in a significant loss of soil carbon (Mann, 1985; Davidson and Ackerman, 1993). Globally, this loss is estimated to account for as much as 1/3 of the net CO2 emissions for the period of 1850 to 1980 (Houghton et al, 1983). Roughly 20 to 40 percent of original soil carbon is estimated to be lost as CO2 as a resultAuthorsJ. W. Harden, T. L. Fries, T.G. HuntingtonSoil-calcium depletion linked to acid rain and forest growth in the eastern United States
Since the discovery of acid rain in the 1970's, scientists have been concerned that deposition of acids could cause depletion of calcium in forest soils. Research in the 1980's showed that the amount of calcium in forest soils is controlled by several factors that are difficult to measure. Further research in the 1990's, including several studies by the U.S. Geological Survey, has shown that (1) cAuthorsGregory B. Lawrence, T.G. HuntingtonDynamic replacement and loss of soil carbon on eroding cropland
Links between erosion/sedimentation history and soil carbon cycling were examined in a highly erosive setting in Mississippi loess soils. We sampled soils on (relatively) undisturbed and cropped hillslopes and measured C, N, 14C, and CO2 flux to characterize carbon storage and dynamics and to parameterize Century and spreadsheet 14C models for different erosion and tillage histories. For this siteAuthorsJ. W. Harden, J. M. Sharpe, W.J. Parton, D.S. Ojima, T. L. Fries, Thomas G. Huntington, S. M. DabneyCarbon cycling in terrestrial environments: Chapter 17
This chapter reviews a number of applications of isotopic techniques for the investigation of carbon cycling processes. Carbon dioxide (C02) is an important greenhouse gas. Its concentration in the atmosphere has increased from an estimated 270 ppm at the beginning of the industrial revolution to ∼ 360 ppm at present. Climatic conditions and atmospheric C02 concentration also influence isotopic diAuthorsYang Wang, Thomas G. Huntington, Laurie J. Osher, Leonard I Wassenaar, Susan E. Trumbore, Ronald Amundson, Jennifer W. Harden, Diane M. McKnight, Sherry L. Schiff, George R. Aiken, W. Berry Lyons, Ramon O. Aravena, Jill BaronSoil, environmental, and watershed measurements in support of carbon cycling studies in northwestern Mississippi
Measurements including soil respiration, soil moisture, soil temperature, and carbon export in suspended sediments from small watersheds were recorded at several field sites in northwestern Mississippi in support of hillslope process studies associated with the U.S. Geological Survey's Mississippi Basin Carbon Project (MBCP). These measurements were made to provide information about carbon cyclingAuthorsThomas G. Huntington, J. W. Harden, S. M. Dabney, D. A. Marion, C. Alonso, J. M. Sharpe, T. L. FriesEffects of acidic deposition on water quality and forest health in Georgia
Biogeochemical studies at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed near Atlanta, Ga., and in the Coastal Plain Province of Georgia have provided an assessment of some of the potential effects of acid deposition on streamwater quality and forest health in Georgia. Historically, "acid rain" has not been considered a potentially serious problem in the southeastern United States; however, recent studiesAuthorsThomas G. Huntington, R. P. HooperSmall watershed studies: Analytical approaches for understanding ecosystem response to environmental change
Biogeochemical studies in small watersheds provide an analytical approach to understand how ecosystems respond to natural climatic variations and human-induced environmental change. Small watersheds, usually less than 5 km2, are small enough to permit characterization and understanding of ecosystem processes within relatively simple, homogeneous biological and physical settings; yet they are largeAuthorsThomas G. Huntington, R. P. Hooper, Peter S. MurdochPredicting watershed acidification under alternate rainfall conditions
The effect of alternate rainfall scenarios on acidification of a forested watershed subjected to chronic acidic deposition was assessed using the model of acidification of groundwater in catchments (MAGIC). The model was calibrated at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed, near Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. using measured soil properties, wet and dry deposition, and modeled hydrologic routing. Model fAuthorsThomas G. HuntingtonNon-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
- Data