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Lehmann, Johannes
Cornell Faculty Member
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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 Areas
- biogeochemistry
- ecology
- international agriculture
- nutrient management
- organic agriculture
- soil and crop science
- soil health
- sustainable agriculture
- value-added agriculture
- watershed science
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Affiliations
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member of
- David R. Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future (ACSF) Faculty Fellow
Research
research overview
- : I am interested to advance our general understanding of biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nutrient elements in soil, providing important insight into regional and global element cycles such as the carbon or sulfur cycle. This field of research has global and local relevance with implications for climate change and environmental pollution. The strong background in the chemistry, biology and physics of soils and its cycles provide the basis for the development of intelligent solutions for sustainable soil and land use management. The most exciting examples include the discovery of stabilization mechanisms of organic matter in soil nano-structures and the development of a biochar soil management technology that improves soil fertility, sequesters carbon and reduces off-site pollution. Recent efforts include the combination of bio-energy and biochar applications to soil, which offer the opportunity to develop a carbon-negative energy technology which at the same time improves the environment.
research activities
- Biogeochemistry and microbial ecology of Amazonian Dark Earth Soils.
- Poverty and environmental degradation in the Kenyan highlands
- The Agricultural Ecosystem Program: Understanding sources and sinks of nutrients and sediment in the upper Susquehanna River basin
- The Agricultural Ecosysystem Program: Understanding sources and sinks of nutrients and sediment in the upper Susquehanna River basin
principal investigator on
- ACQUISITION OF HYDROPYROLYSIS UNIT FOR PRE-TREATMENT OF SOILS FOR ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS AND BLACK CARBON QUANTIFICATION awarded by DIRECTORATE FOR GEOSCIENCES NSF 2011 - 2012
- BLACK CARBON STOCKS IN SOIL OF THE UNITED STATES awarded by NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE-USDA 2008 - 2013
- BREAD: BIOCHAR INOCULANTS FOR ENABLING SMALLHOLDER AGRICULTURE awarded by DIRECTORATE FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES NSF 2010 - 2013
- BRIDGING SCALES FROM NANO-TO MICRO-SCALE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF ORGANIC MATTER IN MINERAL ASSEMBLAGES USING SYNCHROTRON-BASED FTIR AND NEXAFS SPECTROMICROSCOPY awarded by NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE-USDA 2008 - 2012
- FOREST 4 LIFE awarded by FOREST SERVICE, USDA 2012 - 2015
- MITIGATION OF ECOSYSTEM DEGRADATION BY BIO-ENERGY USING BIO-CHAR awarded by NEW YORK STATE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 2007 - 2012
- NANO-SCALE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY OF ORGANIC CARBON ACROSS A LONG-TERM MINERALOGICAL GRADIENT awarded by NATL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 2008 - 2012
- SUSTAINABLE SOIL BIOCHAR SYSTEMS TO ENHANCE SOIL FERTILITY AND CROP PRODUCTIVITY IN ETHIOPIA awarded by MCKNIGHT FOUNDATION 2012 - 2013
co-principal investigator on
- ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH, NY: ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH SPECIAL GRANT: AGRICULTURE, ENERGY, AND ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY awarded by NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE-USDA 2010 - 2012
- NEW TOOLS AND INCENTIVES FOR CARBON, NITROGEN, AND GREENHOUSE GAS ACCOUNTING AND MANAGEMENT IN CORN CROPPING SYSTEMS awarded by NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE-USDA 2011 - 2016
- OIL PRICES AND AFRICAN FOOD SECURITY awarded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 2012 - 2013
area(s) of concentration/expertise
keywords
- Soil Science, Climate Change, sustainable development, tropical agroecosystem
geographic focus
submitted impact statement
Publications
individual publications
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academic article
- Keeping carbon down.. Carbon Management. 3:21-22. 2012
- Abundant and stable char residues in soils: implications for soil fertility and carbon sequestration.. Environmental Science & Technology. 46:9571-9576. 2012
- Activated carbon and biochar amendments decrease pore-water concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sewage sludge.. Bioresource Technology. 111:84-91. 2012
- Analytical electron microscopy of black carbon and microaggregated mineral matter in Amazonian Dark Earth. Journal of Microscopy. 245:129-139. 2012
- Analytical electron microscopy of black carbon and microaggregated mineral matter in Amazonian Dark Earth. Journal of Microscopy. 245:129-139. 2012
- Characterization of biochars to evaluate recalcitrance and agronomic performance. Bioresource Technology. 114:644-653. 2012
- Comparison of wet digestion and dry ashing methods for total elemental analysis of biochar.. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis. 43:1042-1052. 2012
- Corn growth and nitrogen nutrition after additions of biochars with varying properties to a temperate soil.. Biology and Fertility of Soils. 48:271-284. 2012
- Effective monitoring of agriculture: a response.. Journal of Environmental Monitoring. 14:738-742. 2012
- Influence of activated carbon and biochar on phytotoxicity of air-dried sewage sludges to Lepidium sativum.. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 80:321-326. 2012
- Micro- and nano-environments of carbon sequestration: A multi-element STXM-NEXAFS assessment of black carbon and organomineral associations.. Science of the Total Environment. 438:372-388. 2012
- Micro- and nano-environments of carbon sequestration: Multi-element STXM-NEXAFS spectromicroscopy assessment of microbial carbon and mineral associations.. Chemical Geology. 329:53-73. 2012
- Modeling the impact of natural resource-based poverty traps on food security in Kenya: The Crops, Livestock and Soils in Smallholder Economic Systems (CLASSES) model.. Food Security. 4:423-439. 2012
- Nutrient leaching in a Colombian savanna Oxisol amended with biochar.. Journal of Environmental Quality. 41:1076-1086. 2012
- Quantifying the total and bioavailable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dioxins in biochars.. Environmental Science & Technology. 46:2830-2838. 2012
- Soil erosion, runoff and nutrient losses in an avocado (Persea Americana Mill) hillside orchard under different groundcover management systems.. Plant and Soil. 2012
- Soil properties and vegetative development in four restored freshwater depressional wetlands. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 76:1482-1495. 2012
- Stream discharge in tropical headwater catchments as a result of forest clearing and soil degradation. Earth Interactions. 16:1-18. 2012
- The effects of some external management factors on the nitrogen composition of cattle manure on smallholder farms. International Journal of Agronomy. 2012. 2012
- The effects of some external management factors on the nitrogen composition of cattle manure on smallholder farms.. International Journal of Agronomy. 2012. 2012
- Adsorption of copper and zinc by biochars produced from pyrolysis of hardwood and corn straw in aqueous solution. Bioresource Technology. 102:8877-8884. 2011
- Anthropogenic soils in the Central Amazon: from categories to a continuum. Area. 43.3:264-273. 2011
- Biochar effects on soil biota – a review. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 43:1812-1836. 2011
- Biomass availability, energy consumption and biochar production in rural households of western Kenya.. Journal of Biomass and Bioenergy. 35:3537-3546. 2011
- C 1s K-edge near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy for characterizing the functional group chemistry of black carbon. Organic Geochemistry. 42:1055-1064. 2011
- Charcoal quality does not change over a century in a tropical agro-ecosystem. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 43:1992-1994. 2011
- Climate change impact of biochar cook stoves in Western Kenyan farm households: System dynamics model analysis. Environmental Science & Technology. 45:3687-3694. 2011
- Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO) links biodiversity conservation with sustainable improvements in livelihoods and food production. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 108:13957-13962. 2011
- Effects of chemical, biological, and physical aging as well as soil addition on the sorption of pyrene to activated carbon and biochar. Environmental Science & Technology. 45:10445-10453. 2011
- Fluorescence index as an indicator of dissolved organic carbon quality in hydrologic flowpaths of forested tropical watersheds. Biogeochemistry. 105:149-157. 2011
- Long-term soil quality degradation along a cultivation chronosequence in Western Kenya. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 141:86-99. 2011
- Modeling black carbon degradation and movement in soil. Plant and Soil. 345:223-236. 2011
- Persistence of soil organic matter as an ecosystem property. Nature. 478:49-56. 2011
- Runoff sources and land cover change in the Amazon: an end-member mixing analysis from small watersheds. Biogeochemistry. 105:7-18. 2011
- Speciation and long- and short-term molecular-level dynamics of soil organic sulfur studied by X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. Journal of Environmental Quality. 40:704-718. 2011
- Systematic under- and overestimation of GHG reductions in renewable biomass systems. Climate Change. 104:415-422. 2011
- The COMACO model: using markets to link biodiversity conservation with sustainable improvements in livelihoods and food production. Proceedings at the National Academy of Science USA. 108:13957-13962. 2011
- Towards sustainable land management in the drylands: Scientific connections in monitoring and assessing dryland degradation, climate change and biodiversity. Land Degradation and Development. 22:248-260. 2011
- Wavelet analysis of soil variation at nanometre- to micrometre-scales; an example of organic carbon content in a micro-aggregate. European Journal of Soil Science. 62:617-628. 2011
- Amazonian anthrosols support similar microbial communities that differ distinctly from those extant in adjacent, unmodified soils of the same mineralogy. Microbial Ecology. 60:192-205. 2010
- An investigation into the reactions of biochar in soil. Australian Journal of Soil Research. 48. 2010
- Biochar projects for mitigating climate change: an investigation of critical methodology issues for carbon accounting. Carbon Management. 1:89-107. 2010
- Black carbon affects the cycling of non-black carbon in soil. Organic Geochemistry. 41. 2010
- C 1s NEXAFS study of changes in black carbon chemistry as a result of interaction with clay minerals. Canadian Light Source Activity Report, Saskatoon. 38-39. 2010
- Effects of storage methods on chemical composition of manure systems and manure decomposition in soil in small-scale Kenyan systems. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 139:134-141. 2010
- Fate of soil-applied black carbon: downward migration, leaching and soil respiration. Global Change Biology. 16:1366-1379. 2010
- Influences of non-herbaceous biochar on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal abundances in roots and soils: Results from growth-chamber and field experiments. Applied Soil Ecology. 46. 2010
- Life cycle assessment of biochar systems: Estimating the energetic, economic and climate change potential. Environmental Science & Technology. 44. 2010
- Maize yield and nutrition during 4 years after biochar application to a Colombian savanna oxisol. Plant and Soil. 333:117-128. 2010
- Monitoring the world’s agriculture. Nature. 466:558-560. 2010
- Nano-scale spatial biogeocomplexity of Organomineral assemblages using C K-, Ca L2,3- and Fe L2,3-edges NEXAFS spectromicroscopy . Canadian Light Source Activity Report. 32-33. 2010
- Nitrogen aboveground turnover and soil stocks to 8 m depth in primary and disturbed forest following selective logging in southern Amazonia. Global Change Biology. 16. 2010
- Stability and stabilization of biochar and green manure in soil with different organic carbon contents. Australian Journal of Soil Research. 48. 2010
- Sustainable biochar to mitigate global climate change. Nature Communications. 1:56. 2010
- Temperature sensitivity of black carbon decomposition and oxidation. Environmental Science & Technology. 44. 2010
- Transport and retention of biochar particles in porous media: Effect of pH, ionic strength, and particle size. Ecohydrology. 3:497-508. 2010
- Ageing of black carbon along a temperature gradient. Chemosphere. 75 :1021-1027. 2009
- Anthropogenic and climate influences on biogeochemical dynamics and molecular-level speciation of soil sulfur. Ecological Applications. 19. 2009
- Anthropogenic and climate influences on biogeochemical dynamics and molecular-level speciation of soil sulfur. . Ecological Applications. 19:989-1002. 2009
- Bacterial Community Composition in Brazilian Anthrosols and Adjacent Soils Characterized Using Culturing and Molecular Identification . Microbial Ecology. 58:25-35. 2009
- Biochar – one way forward for soil carbon in offset mechanisms in Africa?. Environmental Science and Policy. 12:1024-1027. 2009
- Biogenic calcium phosphate transformation in soils over millennial time scales. Journal of Soil and Sediment. 9:194-205. 2009
- Biological carbon sequestration must and can be win-win approaches. Climatic Change. 97:459-463. 2009
- Black carbon decomposition under varying water regimes. Organic Geochemistry. 40:846-853. 2009
- Carbon (1s) NEXAFS spectroscopy of biogeochemically relevant organic reference compounds. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 73:1817-1830. 2009
- Effect of rice cultivation systems on nitrogen cycling and nitrifying bacterial community structure . Applied Soil Ecology. 43:139-149. 2009
- Nitrogen aboveground turnover and soil stocks to 8 m depth in primary and disturbed forest following selective logging in southern Amazonia.. Global Change Biology. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2009.02068.x:1365-2486. 2009
- Nutrient balances in two agricultural watersheds in southern Malawi. Agricultural Journal. 4:150-160. 2009
- Review of the pyrolysis platform for coproducing bio-oil and biochar. Biofuels, Bioproducts & Biorefining. 3. 2009
- Soil organic C stabilization and thresholds in C saturation.. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 41. 2009
- Termite (Insecta: Isoptera) species composition in a primary rain forest and agroforests in central Amazonia. 150-160. 41:226-233. 2009
- A simple, direct method to measure dissolved CO2 using soda lime. Oecologia Brasileira. 12:85-91. 2008
- Atmospheric SO2 Emissions since the late 1800s change organic sulfur forms in humic substance extracts of soils. Environmental Science and Technology. 42:3550-3555. 2008
- Australian climate-carbon cycle feedback reduced by soil black carbon . Nature Geoscience. 1. 2008
- CO2 efflux from Amazonian headwater streams represents a significant fate for deep soil respiration. Geophysical Research Letters. 35. 2008
- Comment on “Fire-Derived Charcoal Causes Loss of Forest Humus”. Science. 321:1295. 2008
- Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the exotic invasive vine pale swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum rossicum). Invasive Plant Science and Management. 1:142-152. 2008
- Energy balance and emissions associated with biochar sequestration and pyrolysis bioenergy production. Environmental Science & Technology. 42:4152-4158. 2008
- Long-term black carbon dynamics in cultivated soil. Biogeochemistry. 89:295-308. 2008
- Natural oxidation of black carbon in soils: changes in molecular form and surface charge along a climosequence. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 72:1598-1610. 2008
- Nitrogen retention and plant uptake on a highly weathered central Amazonian Ferralsol amended with compost and charcoal. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science. 171:893-899. 2008
- Nutrient availability at different altitudes in a tropical montane forest in Ecuador. Journal or Tropical Ecology. 24:397-406. 2008
- Nutrient constraints to tropical agroecosystem productivity in long-term degrading soils. Global Change Biology. 14:2810-2822. 2008
- Nutrient constraints to tropical agroecosystem productivity in long-term degrading soils. Global Change Biology. 14. 2008
- Reversibility of soil productivity decline with organic matter of differing quality along a degradation gradient. Ecosystems. 11:726-739. 2008
- Spatial complexity of soil organic matter forms at nanometre scales. Nature Geoscience. 1:238-242. 2008
- Stability of biomass-derived black carbon in soils. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 72:6096-6078. 2008
- Stability of black carbon in soils across a climatic gradient. Journal of Geophysical Research. 113. 2008
- A handful of carbon. Nature. 447:143-144. 2007
- Bio-energy in the black. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 5:381-387. 2007
- Biological nitrogen fixation by common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) increases with bio-char additions. Biology and Fertility of Soils. 43:699-708. 2007
- Distribuição espacial de carbono em solo sob floresta primária na Amazônia Meridional (Spatial distribution of soil carbon under primary forest cover in southern Amazônia). Revista Árvore (Tree Journal). 31:83-92. 2007
- Distribuição espacial de carbono em solo sob floresta primária na Amazônia Meridional (Spatial distribution of soil carbon under primary forest cover in southern Amazônia). Revista Árvore (Tree Journal). 31:83-92. 2007
- Litterfall production and fluvial export in headwater catchments of the southern Amazon. Journal of Tropical Ecology. 23:329-335. 2007
- Long term effects of manure, charcoal and mineral fertilization on crop production and fertility on a highly weathered Central Amazonian upland soil. Plant and Soil. 291:275-290. 2007
- Long-term effects of rainforest disturbance on the nutrient composition of throughfall, organic layer percolate and soil solution at Mt. Kilimanjaro. Science of the Total Environment. 376:241-254. 2007
- Long-term impacts of anthropogenic perturbations on dynamics and speciation of organic carbon in tropical forest and subtropical grassland ecosystems. Global Change Biology. 13:511-530. 2007
- Molecular signature and sources of biochemical recalcitrance of organic C in Amazonian Dark Earths. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 71:2285-2298. 2007
- Mycorrhizal responses to biochar in soil – concepts and mechanisms. Plant and Soil. 300:9-20. 2007
- Organic matter stabilization in soil microaggregates: implications from spatial heterogeneity of organic carbon contents and carbon forms. Biogeochemistry. 85:45-57. 2007
- Root tapering between branching points should be included in fractal root system analysis. Ecological Modeling. 207:363-366. 2007
- Soil mineral N dynamics beneath mixtures of leaves from legume and fruit trees in Central Amazonian multi-strata agroforests. Acta Amazonica. 37:313-320. 2007
- Storm pulses of dissolved CO2 in a forested headwater Amazonian stream explored using hydrograph separation. Water Resources Research. 43. 2007
- The impact of mound-building termites on surface soil properties in a secondary forest in Central Amazonia. Applied Soil Ecology. 37:267-276. 2007
- Variabilidade espacial de atributos fisicos de solo usada na identificacao de classes pedologicas de microbasias na Amazonia Meridional. Revista Brasileira de Ciencia do Solo. 31:91-100. 2007
- Bio-char sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems – a review. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change. 11:403-427. 2006
- Biomass, harvestable area, and forest structure estimated from commercial timber inventories and remotely sensed imagery in southern Amazonia. Forest Ecology and Management. 233:121-132. 2006
- Black carbon increases cation exchange capacity in soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 70:1719-1730. 2006
- DOC and DIC in flowpaths of Amazonian headwater catchments with hydrologically contrasting soils. Biogeochemistry. 81:45-57. 2006
- Growth and reproductive potential of the invasive exotic vine Vincetoxicum rossicum in Northern New York State. Canadian Journal of Botany. 84:1771-1780. 2006
- Hydrological and biogeochemical processes in a changing Amazon: results from small watershed studies and the large-scale biosphere-atmosphere experiment. Hydrological Processes. 20:2467-2476. 2006
- Inorganic and organic phosphorus pools in earthworm casts (Glossoscolecidae) and a Brazilian rainforest Oxisol. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 38:553-560. 2006
- Nanoscale biogeocomplexity of the organo-mineral assemblage in soil: application of STXM microscopy and C 1s-NEXAFS spectroscopy. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 70:1708-1718. 2006
- Nitrogen dynamics in maize-based agroforestry systems as affected by landscape position in southern Malawi. Nutrient Cycling and Agroecosystems. 75:271-284. 2006
- Organic carbon fluxes within and stream water exports from headwater catchments in the southern Amazon. Hydrological Processes. 20:2599-2614. 2006
- Oxidation of black carbon by biotic and abiotic processes. Organic Geochemistry. 37:1477-1488. 2006
- Root morphology and anchorage of six native tree species from a tropical montane forest and an elfin forest in Ecuador. Plant and Soil. 279:173-185. 2006
- Soil organic sulfur forms and dynamics in the Great Plains of North America as influenced by long-term cultivation and climate . Geoderma. 133:160-172. 2006
- Stemflow and root-induced preferential flow: the double-funneling of trees. Ecoscience. 13:324-333. 2006
- Sulphur speciation and turnover in soils: evidence from sulphur K-edge XANES spectroscopy and isotope dilution studies. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 38:1000-1007. 2006
- TOC, TON, TOS and TOP in rainfall, throughfall, litter percolate and soil solution of a montane rainforest succession at Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Biogeochemistry. 78:361-387. 2006
- The vertical pattern of rooting and nutrient uptake at different altitudes of a South Ecudaorian montane forest. Plant and Soil. 286:287-299. 2006
- Carbon K-edge NEXAFS and FTIR-ATR spectroscopic investigation of organic carbon speciation in soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 69:107-119. 2005
- Long-term dynamics of phosphorus forms and retention in manure-amended soils. Environmental Science & Technology. 39:6672-6680. 2005
- Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy for mapping nano-scale distribution of organic carbon forms in soil: application to black carbon particles. Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 19. 2005
- Nitrogen transfer between high- and low-quality leaves on a nutrient-poor Oxisol determined by 15N enrichment. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 37:787-794. 2005
- Phosphorus speciation in manure and manure-amended soils using XANES spectroscopy . Environmental Science & Technology. 39:7485-7491. 2005
- Spatial and temporal variability of soil water repellency of Amazonian pastures. Australian Journal of Soil Resources. 43:319-326. 2005
- Sulphur speciation and biogeochemical cycling in long-term arable cropping of subtropical soils: evidence from wet-chemical reduction and S K-edge XANES spectroscopy. European Journal of Soil Science. 56:621-634. 2005
- Weed composition and cover after three years of soil fertility management in the central Brazilian Amazon: compost, fertilizer, manure and charcoal applications. Weed Biology and Management. 5:69-76. 2005
- Weed dynamics on Amazonian Dark Earth and adjacent soils of Brazil. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 111:1-12. 2005
- Rapid water flow and transport of inorganic and organic nitrogen in a highly aggregated tropical soil. Soil Science Journal. 169:330-341. 2004
- Subsoil retention of organic and inorganic nitrogen in a Brazilian savanna Oxisol. Soil Use and Management. 20:163-172. 2004
- Fertilization and cover crop effects on soil nitrogen and plant nutrition in a young guarana plantation. Acta Amazonica. 33:535-548. 2003
- Nitrogen availability and leaching during the terrestrial phase in a várzea forest of the Central Amazon floodplain. Biology and Fertility of Soils. 39:62-64. 2003
- Nitrogen uptake from 15N-enriched fertilizer by four tree crops in an Amazonian agroforest. Agroforestry Systems. 57:213-224. 2003
- Nutrient availability and leaching in an archaeological Anthrosol and a Ferralsol of the Central Amazon basin: fertilizer manure and charcoal amendments. Plant and Soil. 249:343-357. 2003
- Soil microbial activities in tree-based systems and natural forests of the Central Amazon Brazil. Biology and Fertility of Soils. 38. 2003
- Subsoil root activity in tree-based cropping systems. Plant and Soil. 255:319-331. 2003
- Sulfur K-edge XANES spectroscopy as a tool for understanding sulfur dynamics in soil organic matter. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 37:1721-1731. 2003
- Tree species of the central Amazon and soil moisture alter stable isotope composition of nitrogen and oxygen in nitrous oxide evolved from soil. Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies. 39:41-52. 2003
- Ameliorating physical and chemical properties of highly weathered soils in the tropics with charcoal - a review. Biology and Fertility of Soils. 35:219-230. 2002
- Nitrogen cycling assessment in a hedgerow intercropping system using 15N enrichment. Nutrient Cycling and Agroecosystems. 62:1-9. 2002
- Phosphorus forms and dynamics as influenced by land use in the subhumid Ethiopian highlands. Geoderma. 105:21-48. 2002
- Soil organic matter dynamics in the subhumid agroecosystems of the Ethiopian highlands: evidence from natural 13C abundance and particle size fractionation. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 66:969-978. 2002
- Soil organic matter in the subhumid Ethiopian highlands as influenced by deforestation and agricultural management. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 66:68-82. 2002
- Carbon and nitrogen mineralization in cultivated and natural savanna soils in Northern Tanzania. Biology and Fertility of Soils. 33:301-309. 2001
- Exchange resin cores for the estimation of nutrient fluxes in highly permeable tropical soil. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science. 164:57-64. 2001
- Inorganic and organic soil phosphorous and sulfur pools in an Amazonian multistrata agroforestry system. Agroforestry Systems. 53:113-124. 2001
- Land use effects on amino sugar signatures of chromic Luvisols in the semiarid tropics. Biology and Fertility of Soils. 33:33-40. 2001
- Organic matter stabilization in a Xanthic Ferralsol of the central Amazon as affected by single trees: chemical characterization of density aggregate and particle size fractions. Geoderma. 99:147-168. 2001
- Phosphorus management for perennial crops in central Amazonian upland soils. Plant and Soil. 237:309-319. 2001
- Plant-soil interactions in multistrata agroforestry in the humid tropics. Agroforestry Systems. 53:85-102. 2001
- Root activity patterns in an Amazonian agroforest with fruit trees determined by 32P 33P and 15N applications. Agroforestry Systems. 52:185-197. 2001
- Sulfur fractions in particle-size separates of the subhumid Ethiopian highlands as influenced by land use changes. Geoderma. 102:41-59. 2001
- Tracer methods to assess nutrient uptake distribution in multistrata agroforestry systems. Agroforestry Systems. 53:133-140. 2001
- Land use effects on soil organic matter properties of chromic Luvisols in the semiarid tropics: Carbon nitrogen lignin and carbohydrates. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 78:203-218. 2000
- Loss of phosphorus from soil in semiarid northern Tanzania as a result of cropping: evidence from sequential extraction and 31P NMR spectroscopy. European Journal of Soil Science. 51:699-708. 2000
- Nitrogen use in mixed tree crop plantations with a legume cover crop. Plant and Soil. 225:63-72. 2000
- Pruning effects on root distribution and nutrient dynamics in an acacia hedgerow planting. Agroforestry Systems. 50:59-75. 2000
- Water use efficiency and uptake patterns in a runoff agroforestry system in an arid environment. Agroforestry Systems. 49:223-243. 2000
- Emissions of nitrous oxide from runoff-irrigated and rainfed soils in semiarid north-west Kenya. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 72:201-205. 1999
- Nitrogen uptake of sorghum from tree mulch and chemical fertilizer under high leaching conditions estimated by 15N enrichment. Biology and Fertility of Soils. 30:90-95. 1999
- Nutrient cycling in agroforestry with runoff irrigation. Agroforestry Systems. 43:49-70. 1999
- Nutrient interactions of alley-cropped Sorghum bicolor and Acacia saligna in a runoff irrigation system in Northern Kenya. Plant and Soil. 210:249-262. 1999
- Below-ground interactions in dryland agroforestry. Forest Ecology and Management. 111:157-169. 1998
- Fine root turnover of hedgerow intercropping in Northern Kenya. Plant and Soil. 198:19-31. 1998
- Runoff irrigation of crops with contrasting root and shoot development in the semi-arid North of Kenya: water depletion and above- and below-ground biomass production. Journal of Arid Environments. 38:479-492. 1998
- Short-term effects of soil amendment with legume tree biomass on carbon and nitrogen in particle size fractions in central Togo. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 30:1545-1552. 1998
- Factors controlling humification and mineralization of soil organic matter in the tropics. Geoderma. 79:117-161. 1997
- Influence of runoff irrigation on nitrogen dynamics of Sorghum bicolor (L.) in Northern Kenya. Advances in Geoecology. 31:1255-1260. 1997
- Contrasting effects of roots and mulch from three agroforestry tree species on yields of alley-cropped maize. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 54:89-101. 1995
- Decomposition and nutrient release from leaves twigs and roots of three alley-cropped tree legumes in central Togo (abstract only). Agroforestry Systems. 29:21-36. 1995
- Soil evaluation on the Western slopes of Jebel Mara Darfur Sudan with special reference to plantation forestry and agroforestry. Applied Geography and Development. 40:89-111. 1992
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book
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chapter
- Biochar in Soil for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. Soil Health and Climate Change. Soil Biology Series. 345-368. 2011
- Organic carbon chemistry in soils observed by synchrotron-based spectroscopy. Synchrotron-based Techniques in Soils and Sediment. 2010
- Role of biochar in mitigation of climate change. Handbook of Climate Change and Agroecosystems: Impacts, Adaptation, and Mitigation. 343-363. 2010
- The maintenance of soil fertility in Amazonian managed systems. Amazonia and Global Change, Geophysical Monographs 186. 2010
- Synchrotron-based near-edge X-ray Spectroscopy of NOM in soils and sediments. Biophysico-Chemical Processes Involving Natural Nonliving Organic Matter in Environmental Systems IUPAC Series on Biophysico-Chemical Processes in Environmental Systems. 2009
- The global extent of black C in soils: is it everywhere?. Grasslands: Ecology, Management and Restoration (ISBN 978-1-60692-023-7). 2008
- Bio-char soil management on highly weathered soils in the humid tropics. Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems. 517-530. 2006
- Microbial response to charcoal amendments of highly weathered soils and Amazonian Dark Earths in Central Amazonia – preliminary results. Amazonian Dark Earths: Explorations in Time and Space. 195-212. 2004
- Sequential fractionation and sources of P in Amazonian Dark Earths. Amazonian Dark Earths: Explorations in Time and Space. 113-123. 2004
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conference paper
- Effects of Composition and Rainfall on the Quality of Manure from Small-Scale Manure Storage Systems in Kenya. Agron Abst. 2008
- Effects of Composition and Rainfall on the Quality of Manure from Small-Scale Manure Storage Systems in Kenya. 10th World Conference on Animal Production. 2008
- Effects of Storage Methods on Manure Systems and Manure Decomposition in Soil in Small-Scale Kenyan Systems. Agron Abst. 2008
- Effects of Storage Methods on Manure Systems and Manure Decomposition in Soil in Small-Scale Kenyan Systems. 10th World Conference on Animal Production. 2008
- Stability of black carbon in soils across a climatic gradient. Journal of Geophysical Research-Geosciences 113(G2): G02027. 2008
- Analysis of bacterial communities in Amazonian Dark Earths through community-level molecular analysis and identifying dominant species in soils from the eastern and central Amazon. International Agrichar Initiative (IAI) 2007 Conference. 23. 2007
- Biochar for Carbon Sequestration, Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Enhancement of Soil Fertility; A Review of the Materials Science. Proceedings of the Australian Combustion Symposium. 2007
- Carbon sequestration and mitigation of carbon dioxide accumulation in the biosphere: the role of biochar in tropical agricultural systems. International Agrichar Initiative (IAI) 2007 Conference. 36. 2007
- Classification of chars for agricultural use. International Agrichar Initiative (IAI) 2007 Conference. 27. 2007
- Fate of biochar applied to a Colombian savanna Oxisol during the first and second years. International Agrichar Initiative (IAI) 2007 Conference. 34. 2007
- Field maize yield and yield determining factors for four years following biochar application on a Colombian savanna Oxisol. International Agrichar Initiative (IAI) 2007 Conference. 32. 2007
- Permanency and long-term changes of bio-char in soil. International Agrichar Initiative (IAI) 2007 Conference. 23. 2007
- Prospects for carbon trading based in the reductions of greenhouse gas emissions arising from the use of bio-char. International Agrichar Initiative (IAI) 2007 Conference. 20. 2007
- Slash and char as alternative to slash and burn – soil charcoal amendments maintain soil fertility and establish a carbon sink. International Agrichar Initiative (IAI) 2007 Conference. 32. 2007
- Soil fungal communities in three ADE sites characterized by molecular fingerprinting, isolating unique species, and assessing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. International Agrichar Initiative (IAI) 2007 Conference. 39. 2007
- Phosphorus Speciation in Poultry Manure and Manure-applied Soils Using XANES Spectroscopy. Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America annual meeting. 2004
- Using carbon k-edge XANES to assess organic matter stabilization in microaggregates during 100 years of cropping. Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America annual meeting. 2004
- Fate if applied N fertilizer in mixed cropping systems in the central Amazon. Proceedings of the German-Brazilian Workshop. 859-862. 2002
- Potential of pyrolized organic matter in soil amelioration. Sustainable Utilization of Global Soil and Water Resources. Vol III Tech nology and Method of Soil and Water Conservation. 421-427. 2002
- Slash-and-char - a feasible alternative for soil fertility management in the central Amazon?. 17th World Congress of Soil Science. 1-12. 2002
- Slash-and-char - a feasible alternative for soil fertility management in the central Amazon?. 17th World Congress of Soil Science. 1-12. 2002
- Soil phosphorus properties and management for perennial crops in the central Amazon. Neotropical Ecosystems. 477-484. 2002
- Sulfur K-edge XANES spectroscopy in soil organic matter study. Proceedings of the Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America annual meeting. 2002
- Subsoil root activity in tree-based croppping systems. 6th Symposium of the International Society of Root Research. 158-159. 2001
- Subsoil root activity in tree-based croppping systems. 6th Symposium of the International Society of Root Research. 158-159. 2001
- Dinamica de fosforo no solo sob cupuacu (Theobroma grandiflorum) e urucum (Bixa orellana) em um sistema agroflorestal na Amazonia Central. Proceedings of the 3rd National Brazilian Congress on Agroforestry. 140-141. 2000
- Legume cover crops and nutrient cycling in tropical fruit tree production. Acta Horticuturae. 65-72. 2000
- Legume cover crops and nutrient cycling in tropical fruit tree production. Acta Horticuturae. 65-72. 2000
- Possibilities and limitations of yield increase in tropical alley-cropping systems. Plant Research and Development. 42-54. 1999
- Single-tree effects on soil P pools in a multi strata agroforestry system. Multi-strata agroforestry systems with perennial crops. 120-123. 1999
- Single-tree effects on soil P pools in a multi strata agroforestry system. Multi-strata agroforestry systems with perennial crops. 120-123. 1999
- Tracer applications for assessing nutrient pathways in multi-strata agroforestry systems. Multi-strata agroforestry systems with perennial crops. 175-179. 1999
- Determination of ecologically relevant pools for soil organic matter stability in terra firme oxisols. Proceedings of the Third SHIFT-Workshop. 441-452. 1998
- Nachhaltige Landnutzung in Afrika: Prozeßforschung im System Boden-Pflanze. Afrikaforschung in Bayreuth. 137-144. 1998
- Nutrient and water dynamics in a multi-strata agroforestry system. Embrapa-CPATU. 38-41. 1998
- Nutrient and water dynamics in a multi-strata agroforestry system. Embrapa-CPATU. 38-41. 1998
- Optimizing biomass production in a runoff agroforestry system in Northern Kenya. German Society of Tropical Ecology. 59-63. 1998
- Tracer applications for the assessment of nutrient pathways in agroforestry systems. Embrapa-CPATU. 42-45. 1998
- Water and nutrient fluxes as indicators fo the sustainability of different land-use systems on the terra firme near Manaus - a project overview. Proceedings of the Third SHIFT-Workshop. 435-550. 1998
- Can trees recover nutrients under high leaching conditions?. Agroforestry for Sustainable Land-use. 155-158. 1997
- Can trees recover nutrients under high leaching conditions?. Agroforestry for Sustainable Land-use. 155-158. 1997
- Grenzen und Möglichkeiten der Ertragssteigerung in tropischen alley-cropping Systemen.. Leguminosen zur Verbesserung und nachhaltigen Sicherung der Agrarproduktion. 165-176. 1997
- Stickstofffreisetzung und Bindung von Stickstoff in organo-mineralischen Komplexen aus Wurzelstreu und Gründüngung in einem Alley Cropping System mit verschiedenen Leguminosen. Zentraltogo: Einfluß der anfänglichen chemischen Zusammensetzung. 1993
- Stickstofffreisetzung und Bindung von Stickstoff in organo-mineralischen Komplexen aus Wurzelstreu und Gründüngung in einem Alley Cropping System mit verschiedenen Leguminosen. Zentraltogo: Einfluß der anfänglichen chemischen Zusammensetzung. 1993
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conference poster
- Properties of phosphorus forms in leachate from soils with long-term manure additions 2006
- Phosphorus speciation in poultry manure and manure-applied soils using XANES spectroscopy 2004
- Phosphorus leaching and organic phosphorus forms in soil after long-term manure applications 2003
- Land use Effects on Sulfur Fractions in Fine Earth and Particle-size Separates of Soils in Southern Ethiopian Highlands 2000
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document part
- Biochar as An Organic Amendment Alternative in Sand-Based Turfgrass Sites or Golf Course Putting Greens 2009
- Influence of AMF on competition between the invasive vine, pale swallow-wort and common milkweed. 53. 2006
- Long-term human and biophysical dynamics of soil degradation in the Kenyan Highlands 2006
- No. 112: Do mycorrhizal fungi influence competition between the invasive; pale swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum rossicum) and native; common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)? 2006
- Properties of phosphorus forms in leachate from soils with long-term manure additions 2006
- Dynamics of poverty and soil degradation on smallholder farms in central and western Kenya 2005
- Influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the invasive vine pale swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum rossicum). 132. 2005
- Biology of the invasive plant pale swallow-wort. 96. 2004
- Forms and distribution of phosphorus leached from manure amended soils 2004
- Maize and weed flora dynamics on Amazonian Dark Earth and adjacent soils in the central Brazilian Amazon 2004
- Nitrogen fluxes in Soils Amended with Manure and Tithonia on a Chronosequence 2004
- Phosphorus speciation in poultry manure and manure-applied soils using XANES spectroscopy 2004
- Phosphorus leaching and organic phosphorus forms in soil after long-term manure applications 2003
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report
- Nitrogen Speciation in Soils by Near-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) Spectroscopy and Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy (STXM) 2008
- The interplay between smallholder farmers and fragile tropical agroecosystems in the Kenyan highlands 2005
- Long-term Carbon Stabilization in Soils - The Role of Aggregates as Revealed by Synchrotron Based FTIR Spectroscopy 2002
- Sulfur K-edge X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (XANES) Spectroscopy as a Tool for Understanding Sulfur Dynamics in Soil Organic Matter Following Land Use Changes 2002
presentations
featured in archived article
- Biochar could reduce CO2 emissions by 12 percent, research shows
- CU researchers, students offer ideas at climate conference
- CU scientists bring their research to AAAS in St. Louis
- Cornell biogeochemist shows how reproducing the Amazon's black soil could increase fertility and reduce global warming
- Faculty to brief Congress staff on carbon sequestering
- First nanoscale image of soil reveals an 'incredible' variety
- Global warming predictions are overestimated, suggests study on black carbon
- New Cornell initiative transforms 'biotrash' into bioenergy to help fuel the university
- New environmental major preparing to graduate its first group of students
- Philanthropist facilitates $5 million gift for biomass and biochar research at CCSF
- Scientists receive $3.3 million to improve soil, plant breeding in Africa
- Simpler way to counter global warming explained: Lock up carbon in soil and use bioenergy exhaust gases for energy
speaker at Cornell event
Teaching
teaching overview
- Nutrient Management in Agroecosystems and Nutrient Cycling in Natural and Managed Ecosystems, Environmental Science Colloquium and support of introductory courses in Environmental Sciences, Traditional Agriculture in Developing Countries and Tropical Cropping Systems. The goals of my teaching program is to create enthusiasm in students for the study of soil biogeochemistry, soil fertility and nutrient cycling, as they realize the importance of these topics not only for agricultural production but also for environmental protection. A solid knowledge of the basic processes in soil biogeochemistry are required. In the area of environmental sciences, we focus on the pollution of soils and aquifers with inorganic and organic fertilizers, on the effects of atmospheric emissions and on questions regarding soil processes and climate change. The students should get familiar with critical thinking about the impact of land use management on the environment such as soil degradation, climate change or pollution of waterways with agrochemicals. Apart from covering processes and dynamics in temperate agro-ecosystems, particular emphasis is placed on the understanding of constraints and options for nutrient management in tropical environments. The sustainable management of fragile ecosystems under low-input conditions is at the center of such discussions. These three constraints: limited input, environmental protection and sustainability of food production force creative thinking. In order to achieve scientifically sound solutions students need to acquire a profound and integrated understanding of the biological, physical and chemical processes in soil. The students are faced with the challenge to develop previously acquired disciplinary knowledge into more integrated and multidisciplinary thinking.
teaching activities
- CSS-4720: Nutrient Management in Agro-Ecosystems - Spring 2013
- CSS-6980: Graduate Teaching or Extension Experience - Spring 2013
- CSS-7900: Graduate-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Spring 2013
- CSS-7970: Graduate Individual Study in Crop and Soil Science - Spring 2013
- CSS-8920: Master's Level Thesis Research in Soil Science - Spring 2013
- CSS-9900: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Spring 2013
- CSS-6720: Nutrient Cycling in Natural and Managed Ecosystems - Fall 2012
- CSS-6980: Graduate Teaching or Extension Experience - Fall 2012
- CSS-7900: Graduate-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Fall 2012
- CSS-7970: Graduate Individual Study in Crop and Soil Science - Fall 2012
- CSS-8920: Master's Level Thesis Research in Soil Science - Fall 2012
- CSS-9900: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Fall 2012
- SNES-2000: Environmental Sciences Colloquium - Fall 2012
- CSS-4720: Nutrient Management in Agro-Ecosystems - Spring 2012
- CSS-6980: Graduate Teaching or Extension Experience - Spring 2012
- CSS-7900: Graduate-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Spring 2012
- CSS-7970: Graduate Individual Study in Crop and Soil Science - Spring 2012
- CSS-8920: Master's Level Thesis Research in Soil Science - Spring 2012
- CSS-9900: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Spring 2012
- CSS-6980: Graduate Teaching or Extension Experience - Fall 2011
- CSS-7900: Graduate-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Fall 2011
- CSS-7970: Graduate Individual Study in Crop and Soil Science - Fall 2011
- CSS-8920: Master's-Level Thesis Research in Soil Science - Fall 2011
- CSS-9900: Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research in Soil Science - Fall 2011
- SNES-2000: Environmental Sciences Colloquium - Fall 2011
Service
service to the profession
- International Biochar Initiative Chairperson 2008 -
- American Geophysical Union Member 2002 -
- American Society of Agronomy Member 1995 -
- Soil Science Society of America Member 1995 -
- German Tropical Society Member 1994 -
- German Soil Science Society Member 1992 -
- Technical Working Group of the Global Soil Partnership Committee Member 2011 - 2012
- IPCC Workgroup on Geoengineering Member 2011
reviewer or editor for
Background
education and training
- Ph.D. in Soil Science, University of Bayreuth 1997
- University of Bayreuth 1993
awards and honors
Other
college
- CALS
research keyword
- Soil Science, Climate Change, sustainable development, tropical agroecosystem
name prefix
- Professor