ESF Researchers Selected for 725K Grant to Study the Relationship Between Forest Management, Reactive Nitrogen Emissions, and Climate Change

12/16/2024

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Dec. 16, 2024 – Researchers at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) were selected for a Department of Energy grant to explore the relationship between forest management, the reactive nitrogen released, and the broader implications for the climate.

Policies to suppress wildfires in eastern U.S. forests have dramatically changed the landscape. Over time, these policies have altered tree growth, soil composition, and moisture levels, a process known as mesophication. This shift could have major implications for the way soil releases nitrogen—a key element that microorganisms in the soil use and recycle.

Some nitrogen-related gases, such as nitrogen oxides and nitrous acid, are harmful air pollutants and contribute to the warming effects of climate change. These gases are created by microorganisms in forest soils, but scientists still don’t fully understand which specific microbes are responsible or how their activity might change with different forest conditions.

To tackle this issue, ESF researchers will study how forest management practices, such as prescribed burns, affect these microbes and the nitrogen gases they produce. By better understanding this connection, the project aims to uncover ways to reduce emissions that drive climate change and improve air quality.

The multi-disciplinary team is led by Dr. Jennifer Goff, an assistant professor in ESF’s Department of Chemistry. Goff’s team includes ESF researchers:

• Huiting Mao, Department of Chemistry
• Andrew Vander Yacht, Department of Sustainable Resources Management
• Jiajue Chai, Department of Chemistry
• Nathan Young, Department of Sustainable Resources Management

The project is in collaboration with a researcher from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, with ESF and LBNL receiving $724,878 and $75,084 for three years, respectively.

“This grant allows ESF to tap into our faculty of multi-disciplinary researchers focused on environmental science research to answer fundamental questions about how human-driven global change impacts ecosystem functioning and climate processes,” said Goff. “Our team’s ability to connect the disciplines of microbiology, forest disturbance ecology, hydrogeology, atmospheric chemistry, and climate modeling is truly a one-of-a-kind effort only possible at a place like ESF.” 

The grant is part of $31 million from the DOE for projects at academic institutions to perform basic research in all areas supported by the DOE Office of Science. ESF was one of just 42 recipient institutions across the country selected for this competitive award.

About SUNY ESF

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.