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
Controls on dissolved organic carbon quantity and chemical character in temperate rivers of North America
Export of dissolved organic carbon from the Penobscot River basin in north-central Maine
Ambient and potential denitrification rates in marsh soils of Northeast Creek and Bass Harbor Marsh watersheds, Mount Desert Island, Maine
Evidence from 12-year study links ecosystem changes in the Gulf of Maine with climate change
Changing climate, changing forests: the impacts of climate change on forests of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada
Physical Climate Forces
Step-changes in the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the Gulf of Maine, as documented by the GNATS time series
Identifying fluorescent pulp mill effluent in the Gulf of Maine and its watershed
Denitrification rates in marsh soils and hydrologic and water quality data for Northeast Creek and Bass Harbor Marsh watersheds, Mount Desert Island, Maine
Climate warming-induced intensification of the hydrologic cycle: A review of the published record and assessment of the potential impacts on agriculture
Analysis of the Arctic system for freshwater cycle intensification: Observations and expectations
Changes in the global water cycle
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
Controls on dissolved organic carbon quantity and chemical character in temperate rivers of North America
Understanding the processes controlling the transfer and chemical composition of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in freshwater systems is crucial to understanding the carbon cycle and the effects of DOC on water quality. Previous studies have identified watershed-scale controls on bulk DOC flux and concentration among small basins but fewer studies have explored controls among large basins or simulAuthorsKevin W. Hanley, Wilfred M. Wollheim, Joseph Salisbury, Thomas G. Huntington, George R. AikenExport of dissolved organic carbon from the Penobscot River basin in north-central Maine
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) flux from the Penobscot River and its major tributaries in Maine was determined using continuous discharge measurements, discrete water sampling, and the LOADEST regression software. The average daily flux during 2004–2007 was 71 kg C ha−1 yr−1 (392 Mt C d−1), an amount larger than measured in most northern temperate and boreal rivers. Distinct seasonal variation wasAuthorsThomas G. Huntington, George R. AikenAmbient and potential denitrification rates in marsh soils of Northeast Creek and Bass Harbor Marsh watersheds, Mount Desert Island, Maine
Nutrient enrichment from atmospheric deposition, agricultural activities, wildlife, and domestic sources is a concern at Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island, Maine, because of the potential problems of degradation of water quality and eutrophication in estuaries. Degradation of water quality has been observed at Bass Harbor Marsh estuary in the park but only minimally in Northeast Creek esAuthorsThomas G. Huntington, Charles W. Culbertson, John H. DuffEvidence from 12-year study links ecosystem changes in the Gulf of Maine with climate change
Investigators at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (East Boothbay, Maine) and the U.S. Geological Survey collaborated to study ecosystem changes in the Gulf of Maine. As part of the Gulf of Maine North Atlantic Time Series (GNATS), a comprehensive long-term study of hydrographic, biological, optical and chemical properties, multiple cruises have been conducted each year since 2001 by usinAuthorsGeorge R. Aiken, Thomas G. Huntington, William Balch, David Drapeau, Bruce BowlerChanging climate, changing forests: the impacts of climate change on forests of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada
Decades of study on climatic change and its direct and indirect effects on forest ecosystems provide important insights for forest science, management, and policy. A synthesis of recent research from the northeastern United States and eastern Canada shows that the climate of the region has become warmer and wetter over the past 100 years and that there are more extreme precipitation events. GreateAuthorsLindsey Rustad, John Campbell, Jeffrey S. Dukes, Thomas Huntington, Kathy Fallon Lambert, Jacqueline Mohan, Nicholas RodenhousePhysical Climate Forces
Key FindingsThe coasts of the U.S. are home to many large urban centers and important infrastructure such seaports, airports, transportation routes, oil import and refining facilities, power plants, and military bases. All are vulnerable to varying degrees to impacts of global warming such as sea-level rise, storms, and flooding. High Confidence.Physical observations collected over the past severaAuthorsS. J. Williams, D. Atkinson, A. R. Byrd, H. Eicken, T. M. Hall, Thomas G. Huntington, Y. Kim, T.R. Knutson, J.P. Kossin, M. Lilly, J. M. Marra, J Obeysekera, A. Parris, J. Ratcliff, T. Ravens, D. Resio, P. Ruggiero, E. Robert Thieler, James G. Titus, T.V. WamsleyStep-changes in the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the Gulf of Maine, as documented by the GNATS time series
We identify step-changes in the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the Gulf of Maine (GoM) using the Gulf of Maine North Atlantic Time Series (GNATS), a series of oceanographic measurements obtained between September 1998 and December 2010 along a transect in the GoM running from Portland, ME, to Yarmouth, NS. GNATS sampled a period of extremes in precipitation and river dischargAuthorsWilliam M. Balch, D.T. Drapeau, B.C. Bowler, Thomas G. HuntingtonIdentifying fluorescent pulp mill effluent in the Gulf of Maine and its watershed
Using fluorescence spectroscopy and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) we characterized and modeled the fluorescence properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in samples from the Penobscot River, Androscoggin River, Penobscot Bay, and the Gulf of Maine (GoM). We analyzed excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) using an existing PARAFAC model (Cory and McKnight, 2005) and created a system-specific mAuthorsKaelin M. Cawley, Kenna D. Butler, George R. Aiken, Laurel G. Larsen, Thomas G. Huntington, Diane M. McKnightDenitrification rates in marsh soils and hydrologic and water quality data for Northeast Creek and Bass Harbor Marsh watersheds, Mount Desert Island, Maine
Nutrient enrichment from atmospheric deposition, agricultural activities, wildlife, and domestic sources is a concern at Acadia National Park because of the potential problem of water-quality degradation and eutrophication in estuaries. Water-quality degradation has been observed at the park's Bass Harbor Marsh estuary but minimal degradation is observed in Northeast Creek estuary. Previous studieAuthorsThomas G. Huntington, Charles W. Culbertson, John H. DuffClimate warming-induced intensification of the hydrologic cycle: A review of the published record and assessment of the potential impacts on agriculture
Climate warming is expected to intensify and accelerate the global hydrologic cycle resulting in increases in evaporation, evapotranspiration (ET), atmospheric water-vapor content, and precipitation. The strength of the hydrologic response, or sensitivity of the response for a given degree of warming, is a critical outstanding question in climatology and hydrology. In this review chapter, I examinAuthorsThomas G. HuntingtonAnalysis of the Arctic system for freshwater cycle intensification: Observations and expectations
Hydrologic cycle intensification is an expected manifestation of a warming climate. Although positive trends in several global average quantities have been reported, no previous studies have documented broad intensification across elements of the Arctic freshwater cycle (FWC). In this study, the authors examine the character and quantitative significance of changes in annual precipitation, evapotrAuthorsM.A. Rawlins, M. Steele, M.M. Holland, J.C. Adam, J.E. Cherry, J.A. Francis, P.Y. Groisman, L. D. Hinzman, T.G. Huntington, D.L. Kane, J.S. Kimball, R. Kwok, R.B. Lammers, C.M. Lee, D.P. Lettenmaier, K.C. McDonald, E. Podest, J.W. Pundsack, B. Rudels, Mark C. Serreze, A. Shiklomanov, O. Skagseth, T.J. Troy, C. J. Vorosmarty, M. Wensnahan, E.F. Wood, R. Woodgate, D. Yang, K. Zhang, T. ZhangChanges in the global water cycle
No abstract availableAuthorsD.P. Lettenmaier, V. Aizen, A. Amani, T. Bohn, F. Giorgi, S. Harrison, Thomas G. Huntington, R. Lawford, P. Letitre, H. Lins, J. Magomi, G-K. Park, I. Severskiy, W.J. Shuttleworth, P. Singh, S. Sorooshian, W. Struckmeier, K. Takeuchi, L. Tallaksen, C. Vorosmarty, Tandorig Yan, T. ZhangNon-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.
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