Lehmann, Christopher Johannes
Associate Professor
Research and teaching in soil biogeochemistry and soil fertility management. Specialization in soil organic matter and nutrient studies of managed and natural ecosystems. Focus on soil degradation and sustainable agriculture in the tropics (especially Africa), bio-energy, greenhouse gas emissions from soil and headwaters, and synchrotron-based methods for soil research.
research
research and scholarship focus
Soil biogeochemistry with a focus on soil organic matter as it relates to climate change, bio-energy, and sustainable agriculture (mainly in Africa).
primary investigator of
- BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLING OF ORGANIC CARBON IN SOIL ECOSYSTEMS AS AFFECTED BY BLACK CARBON | Research Grant
- BLACK CARBON STOCKS IN SOIL OF THE UNITED STATES | Research Grant
- BRIDGING SCALES FROM NANO-TO MICRO-SCALE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF ORGANIC MATTER IN MINERAL ASSEMBLAGES USING SYNCHROTRON-BASED FTIR AND NEXAFS SPECTROMICROSCOPY | Research Grant
- MITIGATION OF ECOSYSTEM DEGRADATION BY BIO-ENERGY USING BIO-CHAR | Research Grant
- NANO-SCALE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY OF ORGANIC CARBON ACROSS A LONG-TERM MINERALOGICAL GRADIENT | Research Grant
- STEAMWATER NUTRIENT AND CARBON LOSSES FROM AGRICULTURAL HEADWATER CATCHMENTS FOR A GRADIENT OF SOIL ORGANIC MATTER DEGRADATION (BORLAUG LEAP FELLOWSHIP FOR JOHN RECHA) | Research Grant
- SUSTAINABILITY OF BIOCHAR SOIL MANAGEMENT FOR IMPROVING SMALL-HOLDER FARMING IN AFRICA | Research Grant
co investigator of
- AFRICAN FOOD SECURITY AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - SECOND COHORT FIELD RESEARCH | Research Grant
- AGRICULTURAL ECOLOGY PROGRAM: UNDERSTANDING SOURCES AND SINKS OF NUTRIENTS AND SEDIMENT IN THE UPPER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN | Research Grant
- AGRICULTURAL ECOLOGY PROGRAM: UNDERSTANDING SOURCES AND SINKS OF NUTRIENTS AND SEDIMENT IN THE UPPER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN | Research Grant
- CORNELL AFRICAN FOOD SECURITY AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM | Research Grant
- HOMEOSTASIS AND DEGRADATION IN FRAGILE TROPICAL AGROECOSYSTEMS. | Research Grant
- PHOSPHORUS (AND NITRATE) INTERACTIONS IN HYDROLOGICALLY ACTIVE AREAS IN THE NORTHEASTERN US INCLUDING THE DELAWARE RIVER BASIN | Research Grant
research areas
- biogeochemistry | collaborative research area (CALS)
- ecology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- international agriculture | collaborative research area (CALS)
- nutrient management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- organic agriculture | collaborative research area (CALS)
- soil and crop science | collaborative research area (CALS)
- soil health | collaborative research area (CALS)
- sustainable agriculture | collaborative research area (CALS)
- value-added agriculture | collaborative research area (CALS)
- watershed science | collaborative research area (CALS)
international geographic focus
- Brazil | country
submitted impact statement
- Carbon-negative bioenergy production without environmental degradation | 2007 Impact statement
- Carbon-negative bio-energy production without environmental degradation | 2006 Impact statement
- Reduced-impact logging in the Amazon | 2004 Impact statement
- Using Bio-char additives in soil to increase crop production | 2004 Impact statement
affiliations
faculty appointment in
- Crop and Soil Sciences (CSS) | Cornell department
member of graduate field
- International Agriculture and Rural Development | graduate field
- Soil and Crop Sciences | graduate field
other Cornell affiliations
- African Food Security and Natural Resources Management (AFSNRM) | academic program office
- Center for the Environment (CFE) | former research center
teaching
teaching focus
Nutrient management with a focus on basic understanding of soil biogeochemistry, nutrient cycling, environmental pollution and sustainable agriculture.
teaches
- CSS 6980 - Graduate Teaching or Extension Experience (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- CSS 7900 - Graduate-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- CSS 7970 - Graduate Individual Study in Crop and Soil Science (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- CSS 8920 - Master's-Level Thesis Research in Soil Science (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- CSS 9900 - Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- SNES 2000 - Environmental Sciences Colloquium (F 12:20:PM-01:10:PM) | fall 2009 class
- CSS 3210 - Soil Management for Sustainability (F 12:20:PM-01:10:PM) | spring 2009 class
- CSS 4720 - Nutrient Management in Agro-Ecosystems (TR 08:40:AM-09:55:AM) | spring 2009 class
- CSS 9900 - Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- CSS 6720 - Nutrient Cycling in Natural and Managed Ecosystems (TR 10:10:AM-11:00:AM) | fall 2008 class
- SNES 2000 - Environmental Sciences Colloquium (F 12:20:PM-01:10:PM) | fall 2008 class
service
event organizer
event participant
background
educational background
- Ph.D., University of Bayreuth, Germany, 1997
- Diplom Geoecologist, University of Bayreuth, 1993
featured in
- Cornell biogeochemist shows how reproducing the Amazon's black soil could increase fertility and reduce global warming | Cornell Chronicle feature
- CU scientists bring their research to AAAS in St. Louis | Cornell Chronicle feature
- First nanoscale image of soil reveals an 'incredible' variety | Cornell Chronicle feature
- Global warming predictions are overestimated, suggests study on black carbon | Cornell Chronicle feature
- New Cornell initiative transforms 'biotrash' into bioenergy to help fuel the university | Cornell Chronicle feature
- New environmental major preparing to graduate its first group of students | Cornell Chronicle feature
- Simpler way to counter global warming explained: Lock up carbon in soil and use bioenergy exhaust gases for energy | Cornell Chronicle feature
publications
speaker at Cornell event
Keywords: agroforestry, bio-energy, carbon sequestration, climate change, nutrient cycling, soil biogeochemistry, soil fertility, soil health, tropical agriculture