As a middle school student in eastern Massachusetts, Earth and Environmental Sciences Area (EESA) research scientist Christina Patricola became fascinated with the snowstorms that frequently blanketed her hometown—and quickly recognized her passion for atmospheric science. But despite her early interest, Patricola says she doesn’t know if she would have continued on a scientific career path…
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Robinson Negrón-Juárez and his co-authors have now published the first study on windthrow variability, focusing on Central Amazonia. Windthrows destroy large swaths of trees, play a significant role in forest structures and dynamics, and affect carbon storage. In this study the co-authors present the seasonal and interannual variability of windthrows, and discuss the potential meteorological factors…
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Soils could release much more CO2 than expected into the atmosphere as the climate warms, according to new research by scientists in EESA's Climate and Ecosystems Sciences Division—Caitlin Hicks Pries, Christina Castanha, Rachel Porras, and Margaret Torn.
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EESA’s Trevor Keenan and collaborator Ülo Niinemets of the Estonian University of Life Sciences and Estonian Academy of Sciences have just published a new study in a Letter in Nature Plants that concludes that global plant databases and models are underestimating plant growth rates and photosynthesis, plus other traits, because leaf measurements are reported as…
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Many scientisst have expected that trees and tree line would migrate to higher elevations and latitudes as the climate warms. However, new research conducted by a team led by Lara Kueppers, research scientist in EESA’s Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division and at UC Merced’s Sierra Nevada Research Institute, just published in the journal Global Change Biology, shows…
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Little is known about the spring thaws of the frozen Arctic tundra in May that generate large pulses of greenhouse gases—how large are these emissions? What are the mechanisms? “We can see the effects of climate change happening more rapidly in the Arctic than in any other part of world,” said Berkeley Lab/EESA scientist Naama Raz-Yaseef. “So…
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The Director’s Awards program recognizes significant achievements of Berkeley Lab employees. Each year, these awards are given for accomplishments, leadership, collaboration, multi-disciplinary science, cross-divisional projects, and commitment to excellence in support of the Lab’s mission and strategic goals. The 2016 recipients of the Director’s Achievement Awards were recognized this month. To see a complete list…
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The Earth and Environmental Sciences Area (EESA) recently held a townhall (Oct. 31) to preview the upcoming release of its 10-year strategic plan. Deputy Director Horst Simon, as well as Directors from other Lab Areas, joined the full house. Five Grand Challenges have been identified to drive EESA’s research over the coming decade: Earth’s Microbial…
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The benefits of pioneering science to agriculture was on display when Karen Ross, Secretary of the CA Department of Food & Agriculture, visited Berkeley Lab.
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As part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Berkeley Lab interviews Newton Nguyen, a research assistant in the Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division. Diagnosed with a degenerative vision condition when he was five, Newton is legally blind but says his disability has helped him better understand other peoples’ perspectives and broaden his own thinking. Read…
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