Beverly Law

Last updated
Beverly Elizabeth Law
Born
St. Paul, Minnesota
Alma materOregon State University
Scientific career
InstitutionsOregon State University
Thesis Remote sensing of radiation intercepted by vegetation to estimate aboveground net primary production across western Oregon  (1994)
Doctoral advisor Richard Waring

Beverly Law is an American forest scientist. She is professor emeritus at Oregon State University known for her research on forest ecosystems, especially with respect to carbon cycling, fire, and how human actions impact future climate.

Contents

Early life and education

Law was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and grew up on a lake where her grandfather taught her about the woods; she describes herself as someone who loved birds, forests, and being outdoors. [1] Going to college, she was split between marine biology and forest ecology, but decided on forest ecology after taking a class from Katherine Ewel. [2] She earned her B.S. in forest management from the University of Florida in 1980. [3] After college she worked at multiple places including AT&T, the University of Florida, and the Environmental Protection Agency in Oregon [1] before going to Oregon State University where she earned her PhD. in forest science from Oregon State University in 1993. [3]

Career

Following her Ph.D., Law was a postdoc at Oregon State University in the College of Oceanic & Atmospheric Sciences until 1998 when she joined the faculty of the College of Forestry at Oregon State University. In 2006 she was promoted to professor; as of 2021 Law is professor emeritus at Oregon State University. [4] [3]

In a 2018 oral history interview, Law noted that she was always interested in a policy component to her research because the research is funded by tax payer dollars, [1] and this is evident when she discusses retaining large, old growth trees that can capture carbon through presentations to Congress, [5] presentations at websites, [6] and newspapers. [7] [8]

Research

Law's research combines direct measurements of forest data, remote sensing, and modeling that spans from regional to global scales. Her Ph.D. research established the metrics needed to estimate aerial coverage of different types of vegetation from space [9] and then used that information to assess net primary production in Oregon. [10] At Oregon State, she quantified temporal changes in respiration in a pine forest through measuring changes in carbon dioxide levels. [11] While building the equipment needed to measure photosynthesis in this project she realized that the spikes in carbon dioxide were caused by cars waiting at a nearby traffic light which she described as an "ah-ha" moment that expanded her interest in global change research. [2]

More recently, Law's research has examined the flux of gases between the land and the atmosphere. She is the lead investigator for the Oregon site of the Ameriflux project, one of the global network of sites within FLUXNET that use eddy covariance to measure carbon, water, and energy fluxes from terrestrial ecosystems. [12] [13] Law's research has revealed that allowing old-growth forests to live longer increases carbon storage by forests relative to planting of new forests. [14] A 2020 investigation by ProPublica revealed that the Oregon Forest Resources Institute, a state-funded agency, was acting as a lobbying arm for the timber industry while discrediting this research [15] despite the fact that the paper passed peer review. [16]

In 2006, Law's student Daniel Donato, published a paper on the role of logging in the recovery of an area after a fire based on his research following the 2002 Biscuit Fire. [17] The paper was controversial (e.g., Biscuit Fire publication controversy) and resulted in a series of articles following up the initial publication. [18] Subsequent research by Law and colleagues revealed carbon emissions from the fire was 16 times higher than the region's annual production in the years prior to the fire. [19]

Selected publications

Awards and honors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carbon sink</span> Reservoir absorbing more carbon from than emitting to the air

A carbon sink is anything, natural or otherwise, that accumulates and stores some carbon-containing chemical compound for an indefinite period and thereby removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. These sinks form an important part of the natural carbon cycle. An overarching term is carbon pool, which is all the places where carbon can be. A carbon sink is a type of carbon pool that has the capability to take up more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primary production</span> Synthesis of organic compounds from carbon dioxide by biological organisms

In ecology, primary production is the synthesis of organic compounds from atmospheric or aqueous carbon dioxide. It principally occurs through the process of photosynthesis, which uses light as its source of energy, but it also occurs through chemosynthesis, which uses the oxidation or reduction of inorganic chemical compounds as its source of energy. Almost all life on Earth relies directly or indirectly on primary production. The organisms responsible for primary production are known as primary producers or autotrophs, and form the base of the food chain. In terrestrial ecoregions, these are mainly plants, while in aquatic ecoregions algae predominate in this role. Ecologists distinguish primary production as either net or gross, the former accounting for losses to processes such as cellular respiration, the latter not.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peat swamp forest</span> Tropical moist forests where waterlogged soil prevents dead leaves and wood from fully decomposing

Peat swamp forests are tropical moist forests where waterlogged soil prevents dead leaves and wood from fully decomposing. Over time, this creates a thick layer of acidic peat. Large areas of these forests are being logged at high rates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FLUXNET</span> Global network of micrometeorological towers

FLUXNET is a global network of micrometeorological tower sites that use eddy covariance methods to measure the exchanges of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and energy between the biosphere and atmosphere. FLUXNET is a global 'network of regional networks' that serves to provide an infrastructure to compile, archive and distribute data for the scientific community. The most recent FLUXNET data product, FLUXNET2015, is hosted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA) and is publicly available for download. Currently there are over 1000 active and historic flux measurement sites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Effects of climate change on ecosystems</span> How increased greenhouse gases are affecting wildlife

Climate change has adversely affected terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including tundras, mangroves, coral reefs, and caves. Increasing global temperature, more frequent occurrence of extreme weather, and rising sea level are examples of the most impactful effects of climate change. Possible consequences of these effects include species decline and extinction and overall significant loss of biodiversity, change within ecosystems, increased prevalence of invasive species, loss of habitats, forests converting from carbon sinks to carbon sources, ocean acidification, disruption of the water cycle, increased occurrence and severity of natural disasters like wildfires and flooding, and lasting effects on species adaptation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William J. Ripple</span>

William J. Ripple is a professor of ecology at Oregon State University in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society. He is best known for his research on terrestrial trophic cascades, particularly the role of the gray wolf in North America as an apex predator and a keystone species that shapes food webs and landscape structures via “top-down” pressures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue carbon</span> Carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems

Blue carbon is a term used in the climate change mitigation context that refers to "biologically driven carbon fluxes and storage in marine systems that are amenable to management." Most commonly, it refers to the role that tidal marshes, mangroves and seagrasses can play in carbon sequestration. Such ecosystems can contribute to climate change mitigation and also to ecosystem-based adaptation. When blue carbon ecosystems are degraded or lost they release carbon back to the atmosphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peatland</span> Wetland terrain without forest cover, dominated by living, peat-forming plants

A peatland is a type of wetland whose soils consist of organic matter from decaying plants, forming layers of peat. Peatlands arise because of incomplete decomposition of organic matter, usually litter from vegetation, due to water-logging and subsequent anoxia. Like coral reefs, peatlands are unusual landforms that derive mostly from biological rather than physical processes, and can take on characteristic shapes and surface patterning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deforestation and climate change</span> Relationship between deforestation and global warming

Deforestation is a primary contributor to climate change, and climate change affects forests. Land use changes, especially in the form of deforestation, are the second largest anthropogenic source of atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions, after fossil fuel combustion. Greenhouse gases are emitted during combustion of forest biomass and decomposition of remaining plant material and soil carbon. Global models and national greenhouse gas inventories give similar results for deforestation emissions. As of 2019, deforestation is responsible for about 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon emissions from tropical deforestation are accelerating. Growing forests are a carbon sink with additional potential to mitigate the effects of climate change. Some of the effects of climate change, such as more wildfires, insect outbreaks, invasive species, and storms are factors that increase deforestation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Gordon Jarvis</span>

Paul Gordon Jarvis was a leading ecologist and Professor of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Edinburgh from 1975 to 2001.

CO<sub>2</sub> fertilization effect Fertilization from increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide

The CO2 fertilization effect or carbon fertilization effect causes an increased rate of photosynthesis while limiting leaf transpiration in plants. Both processes result from increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). The carbon fertilization effect varies depending on plant species, air and soil temperature, and availability of water and nutrients. Net primary productivity (NPP) might positively respond to the carbon fertilization effect. Although, evidence shows that enhanced rates of photosynthesis in plants due to CO2 fertilization do not directly enhance all plant growth, and thus carbon storage. The carbon fertilization effect has been reported to be the cause of 44% of gross primary productivity (GPP) increase since the 2000s. Earth System Models, Land System Models and Dynamic Global Vegetation Models are used to investigate and interpret vegetation trends related to increasing levels of atmospheric CO2. However, the ecosystem processes associated with the CO2 fertilization effect remain uncertain and therefore are challenging to model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yadvinder Malhi</span>

Yadvinder Singh Malhi is professor of Ecosystem Science at the University of Oxford and a Jackson Senior Research Fellow at Oriel College, Oxford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carbon farming</span> Agricultural methods that capture carbon

Carbon farming is a name for a variety of agricultural methods aimed at sequestering atmospheric carbon into the soil and in crop roots, wood and leaves. The aim of carbon farming is to increase the rate at which carbon is sequestered into soil and plant material with the goal of creating a net loss of carbon from the atmosphere. Increasing a soil's organic matter content can aid plant growth, increase total carbon content, improve soil water retention capacity and reduce fertilizer use. Carbon farming is one component of climate-smart agriculture.

Lisa Welp is a biogeochemist who utilizes stable isotopes to understand how water and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the land and atmosphere. She is a professor at Purdue University in the department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Sciences.

Whendee Silver is an American ecosystem ecologist and biogeochemist.

Proforestation is the practice of protecting existing natural forests to foster continuous growth, carbon accumulation, and structural complexity. It is recognized as an important forest based strategy for addressing the global crises in climate and biodiversity. Forest restoration can be a strategy for climate change mitigation. Proforestation complements other forest-based solutions like afforestation, reforestation and improved forest management.

Kimberly A. Novick is an environmental scientist and an Associate professor at Indiana University, Bloomington. Her research mostly includes the study of land-atmosphere interactions. She received the Thomas Hilker Early Career Award in Biogeosciences from American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 2019.

Tara W. Hudiburg is an American forest scientist who specializes in ecosystem modeling. She is an associate professor at the University of Idaho in the department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences. Hudiburg was honored with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2019.

Margaret Torn is an ecologist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory known for her research on carbon cycling, especially with respect to the interactions between soils and the atmosphere.

Jennifer Harden is geologist known for her research on soils, particularly tracking changes in soil profiles over time and the role of soil systems in carbon and nitrogen cycling.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Bev Law Oral History Interview · Special Collections & Archives Research Center". scarc.library.oregonstate.edu. Oregon State University. January 5, 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  2. 1 2 Law, Beverly E.; Shekar, Rachel G. (2021). "Researcher profile: Beverly Law". Global Change Biology. 27 (8): 1501–1503. Bibcode:2021GCBio..27.1501L. doi:10.1111/gcb.15495. ISSN   1365-2486. PMC   8048792 . PMID   33494120.
  3. 1 2 3 "Beverly Law CV" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-29.
  4. ↑ "Law, Beverly | College of Forestry Directory". directory.forestry.oregonstate.edu. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  5. ↑ "Subcommittee Hearing: Wildfire in a Warming World: Opportunities to Improve Community Collaboration, Climate Resilience, and Workforce Capacity" (PDF). House Committee on Natural Resources. April 29, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-05-01. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  6. ↑ Law, Beverly; Moomaw, William (February 22, 2021). "Keeping trees in the ground where they are already growing is an effective low-tech way to slow climate change". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  7. ↑ DellaSala, Dominick; Law, Beverly; Moomaw, William R. (1 December 2020). "A strategic natural-carbon reserve to fight climate change". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  8. ↑ Schlesinger, William H.; Law, Beverly; Sterman, John; Moomaw, William R. (2018-05-03). "Opinion | Pruitt Is Wrong on Burning Forests for Energy". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  9. ↑ Law, Beverly E.; Waring, Richard H. (1994). "Remote Sensing of Leaf Area Index and Radiation Intercepted by Understory Vegetation". Ecological Applications. 4 (2): 272–279. doi:10.2307/1941933. ISSN   1939-5582. JSTOR   1941933.
  10. ↑ Law, Beverly E.; Waring, Richard H. (1994). "Combining Remote Sensing and Climatic Data to Estimate Net Primary Production Across Oregon". Ecological Applications. 4 (4): 717–728. doi:10.2307/1942002. ISSN   1939-5582. JSTOR   1942002.
  11. ↑ Law, Beverly E.; Ryan, Michael G.; Anthoni, Peter M. (1999). "Seasonal and annual respiration of a ponderosa pine ecosystem". Global Change Biology. 5 (2): 169–182. Bibcode:1999GCBio...5..169L. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2486.1999.00214.x. ISSN   1365-2486. S2CID   39050007.
  12. ↑ Wilson, Kell; Goldstein, Allen; Falge, Eva; Aubinet, Marc; Baldocchi, Dennis; Berbigier, Paul; Bernhofer, Christian; Ceulemans, Reinhart; Dolman, Han; Field, Chris; Grelle, Achim; Ibrom, Andreas; Law, B.E; Kowalski, Andy; Meyers, Tilden; Moncrieff, John; Monson, Russ; Oechel, Walter; Tenhunen, John; Valentini, Riccardo; Verma, Shashi (2002-12-02). "Energy balance closure at FLUXNET sites". Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 113 (1–4): 223–243. Bibcode:2002AgFM..113..223W. doi:10.1016/S0168-1923(02)00109-0. ISSN   0168-1923. S2CID   9223999.
  13. ↑ Baldocchi, Dennis; Falge, Eva; Gu, Lianhong; Olson, Richard; Hollinger, David; Running, Steve; Anthoni, Peter; Bernhofer, Ch; Davis, Kenneth; Evans, Robert; Fuentes, Jose (2001-11-01). "FLUXNET: A New Tool to Study the Temporal and Spatial Variability of Ecosystem-Scale Carbon Dioxide, Water Vapor, and Energy Flux Densities". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 82 (11): 2415–2434. Bibcode:2001BAMS...82.2415B. doi: 10.1175/1520-0477(2001)082<2415:FANTTS>2.3.CO;2 . ISSN   0003-0007. S2CID   29768827.
  14. 1 2 Law, Beverly E.; Hudiburg, Tara W.; Berner, Logan T.; Kent, Jeffrey J.; Buotte, Polly C.; Harmon, Mark E. (2018-04-03). "Land use strategies to mitigate climate change in carbon dense temperate forests". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 115 (14): 3663–3668. Bibcode:2018PNAS..115.3663L. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1720064115 . PMC   5889652 . PMID   29555758.
  15. ↑ Davis, Rob (August 4, 2020). "What Happened When a Public Institute Became a De Facto Lobbying Arm of the Timber Industry". ProPublica. Archived from the original on 2021-07-22. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  16. ↑ Harkins, Luke (2021-05-25). "The state of Oregon should have nothing to do with the timber lobby". Vanguard. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  17. ↑ Donato, D. C.; Fontaine, J. B.; Campbell, J. L.; Robinson, W. D.; Kauffman, J. B.; Law, B. E. (2006-01-20). "Post-Wildfire Logging Hinders Regeneration and Increases Fire Risk". Science. 311 (5759): 352. doi:10.1126/science.1122855. ISSN   0036-8075. PMID   16400111. S2CID   28709932.
  18. ↑ Donato, D. C. (2006-08-04). "Response to Comments on "Post-Wildfire Logging Hinders Regeneration and Increases Fire Risk"". Science. 313 (5787): 615c. doi:10.1126/science.1126583. ISSN   0036-8075. S2CID   130296656.
  19. ↑ Campbell, John; Donato, Dan; Azuma, David; Law, Beverly (2007). "Pyrogenic carbon emission from a large wildfire in Oregon, United States". Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. 112 (G4): n/a. Bibcode:2007JGRG..112.4014C. doi: 10.1029/2007JG000451 . ISSN   2156-2202.
  20. ↑ "Beverly e. Law: H-index & Awards - Academic Profile".
  21. ↑ "Law". Honors Program. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  22. ↑ "FELLOWS (By Name)". Earth Leadership. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  23. ↑ "Norbert Gerbier-Mumm International Award". World Meteorological Organization. 2015-12-09. Archived from the original on January 7, 2017. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
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