Award Abstract # 0847987
EAR-PF: Critical Zone Controls on Hydrology and the Fate of Nitrogen in Montane Forests of the Colorado Front Range, U.S.

NSF Org: EAR
Division Of Earth Sciences
Recipient:
Initial Amendment Date: July 26, 2009
Latest Amendment Date: July 26, 2009
Award Number: 0847987
Award Instrument: Fellowship Award
Program Manager: Lina Patino
lpatino@nsf.gov
 (703)292-5047
EAR
 Division Of Earth Sciences
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: September 1, 2009
End Date: August 31, 2011 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $160,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $160,000.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2009 = $160,000.00
ARRA Amount: $160,000.00
History of Investigator:
  • Eve-Lyn Hinckley (Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Hinckley Eve-Lyn S
Stanford
CA  US  94305-2115
Sponsor Congressional District:
Primary Place of Performance: Hinckley Eve-Lyn S
Stanford
CA  US  94305-2115
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES,
Integrat & Collab Ed & Rsearch
Primary Program Source: 01R00910DB RRA RECOVERY ACT
Program Reference Code(s): 0000, 6890, 7137, OTHR
Program Element Code(s): 157500, 769900
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).

Dr. Eve-Lyn S. Hinckley is awarded an NSF Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship to develop an integrated program of research and education at the University of Colorado, Boulder. This project addresses the major gaps in the process-level understanding of the interactions between hydrology and nitrogen biogeochemistry. Through directed field efforts, these interactions will be studied at the Boulder Creek Critical Zone Observatory (BcCZO), in Boulder, CO. Three sub-catchments in the BcCZO represent a range of developmental states - from recently glaciated bedrock to deep soil profiles - and ecological zones - from montane to alpine - leading to variation in hydrologic response, nutrient status, and vegetation communities. This two-part study will focus on the two montane sub-catchments to: (1) Investigate how flow paths vary along a hillslope and affect the fate and transport of N species within a sub-catchment; and (2) Evaluate how differences in critical zone development between two sub-catchments affect hydrologic-biogeochemical coupling. To address these unknowns, dual isotopic tracers (15N and deuterium) will be applied during winter snowfall and simulated summer storms to track the fates and transformations of nitrogen in soil, water, and microbial pools under these different hydrologic conditions. This knowledge is relevant for understanding soil and water quality, nutrient supply to vegetation, and mineral weathering - the basic processes of functioning ecosystems that support life. In conjunction with the research activities, a series of lectures will be developed for a graduate-level course on Critical Zone Science to be taught at the University of Colorado, Boulder. In addition, this information will be distilled into talks and activities appropriate for elementary-aged children that participate in the K-12 Science Discovery Program run by the University.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Anderson SP, Anderson RS, Hinckley ES, Kelly P, and Blum A "Exploring weathering and regolith transport controls on Critical Zone development with models and natural experiments" Applied Geochemistry , v.26 , 2011 , p.S3 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2011.03.014
Hinckley, ES and Matson, PA "Transformations, transport, and potential unintended consequences of high sulfur inputs to Napa Valley vineyards" Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , v.108 , 2011 , p.14005 10.1073/pnas.1110741108

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