Kate Lajtha

Last updated
Kate Lajtha
Born1957
Alma materDuke University
Scientific career
Thesis The biogeochemistry of phosphorus cycling and phosphorus availability in a desert ecosystem  (1986)

Kate Lajtha is an ecologist known for her use of stable isotopes to examine biogeochemical cycling in soils.

Contents

Education and career

Lajtha has a B.A. in biology from Harvard University (1979) and earned her Ph.D. from Duke University in botany in 1986. Following her Ph.D. she was a postdoctoral fellow at Ohio State University before joining Boston University in 1987. In 1996 she moved to Oregon State University where she was promoted to Professor in 2010. [1] Lajtha has been Editor-in-Chief of the journal Biogeochemistry since 2002. [2] [3]

Lajtha was elected a fellow of the American Geophysical Union in 2020, and recognized "for sustained impact on long-term soil carbon research and fundamental biogeochemical processes of soil carbon and nitrogen cycling." [4]

Research

While at Boston University, Lajtha investigated the physiology saguaro cactus [5] and the potential impact of trace elements on saguaros. [6] While she concluded that natural, abiotic factors were causing the death of these cacti, the general public was interested in the research because of the emblematic nature of saguaro cacti in the southwestern United States. [7] [8]

More recently, Lajtha's research centers on nutrient cycling, especially nitrogen, in natural environments and those impacted by humans. In this venue she has examined the input of nitrogen and its attenuation in the environment [9] [10] and examined the availability of nitrogen to different types of plants. [11] [12] She has also worked on the ecology of soil carbon with a particular focus on the impact of detritus on soil organic matter. [13] Lajtha works at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon [14] where she leads a study entitled "Detrital Input and Removal Treatment (DIRT), through which undergraduate researchers can participate in research on the role of soils in capturing carbon from the atmosphere. [15] [16]

Selected publications

Awards and honors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nitrogen cycle</span> Biogeochemical cycle by which nitrogen is converted into various chemical forms

The nitrogen cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which nitrogen is converted into multiple chemical forms as it circulates among atmospheric, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems. The conversion of nitrogen can be carried out through both biological and physical processes. Important processes in the nitrogen cycle include fixation, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification. The majority of Earth's atmosphere (78%) is atmospheric nitrogen, making it the largest source of nitrogen. However, atmospheric nitrogen has limited availability for biological use, leading to a scarcity of usable nitrogen in many types of ecosystems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isotope analysis</span> Analytical technique used to study isotopes

Isotope analysis is the identification of isotopic signature, abundance of certain stable isotopes of chemical elements within organic and inorganic compounds. Isotopic analysis can be used to understand the flow of energy through a food web, to reconstruct past environmental and climatic conditions, to investigate human and animal diets, for food authentification, and a variety of other physical, geological, palaeontological and chemical processes. Stable isotope ratios are measured using mass spectrometry, which separates the different isotopes of an element on the basis of their mass-to-charge ratio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biogeochemistry</span> Study of chemical cycles of the earth that are either driven by or influence biological activity

Biogeochemistry is the scientific discipline that involves the study of the chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes and reactions that govern the composition of the natural environment. In particular, biogeochemistry is the study of biogeochemical cycles, the cycles of chemical elements such as carbon and nitrogen, and their interactions with and incorporation into living things transported through earth scale biological systems in space and time. The field focuses on chemical cycles which are either driven by or influence biological activity. Particular emphasis is placed on the study of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, iron, and phosphorus cycles. Biogeochemistry is a systems science closely related to systems ecology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Microbial ecology</span> Study of the relationship of microorganisms with their environment

Microbial ecology is the ecology of microorganisms: their relationship with one another and with their environment. It concerns the three major domains of life—Eukaryota, Archaea, and Bacteria—as well as viruses.

The pedosphere is the outermost layer of the Earth that is composed of soil and subject to soil formation processes. It exists at the interface of the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. The pedosphere is the skin of the Earth and only develops when there is a dynamic interaction between the atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere and the hydrosphere. The pedosphere is the foundation of terrestrial life on Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redfield ratio</span>

The Redfield ratio or Redfield stoichiometry is the consistent atomic ratio of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus found in marine phytoplankton and throughout the deep oceans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immobilization (soil science)</span>

Immobilization in soil science is the conversion of inorganic compounds to organic compounds by microorganisms or plants by which the compounds become inaccessible to plants. Immobilization is the opposite of mineralization. In immobilization, inorganic nutrients are taken up by soil microbes and become unavailable for plant uptake. Immobilization is therefore a biological process controlled by bacteria that consume inorganic nitrogen and form amino acids and biological macromolecules. Immobilization and mineralization are continuous processes that occur concurrently whereby nitrogen of the decomposing system is steadily transformed from an inorganic to an organic state by immobilization and from an organic to an inorganic state by decay and mineralization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Microbial loop</span> Trophic pathway in marine microbial ecosystems

The microbial loop describes a trophic pathway where, in aquatic systems, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is returned to higher trophic levels via its incorporation into bacterial biomass, and then coupled with the classic food chain formed by phytoplankton-zooplankton-nekton. In soil systems, the microbial loop refers to soil carbon. The term microbial loop was coined by Farooq Azam, Tom Fenchel et al. in 1983 to include the role played by bacteria in the carbon and nutrient cycles of the marine environment.

A copiotroph is an organism found in environments rich in nutrients, particularly carbon. They are the opposite to oligotrophs, which survive in much lower carbon concentrations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human impact on the nitrogen cycle</span>

Human impact on the nitrogen cycle is diverse. Agricultural and industrial nitrogen (N) inputs to the environment currently exceed inputs from natural N fixation. As a consequence of anthropogenic inputs, the global nitrogen cycle (Fig. 1) has been significantly altered over the past century. Global atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O) mole fractions have increased from a pre-industrial value of ~270 nmol/mol to ~319 nmol/mol in 2005. Human activities account for over one-third of N2O emissions, most of which are due to the agricultural sector. This article is intended to give a brief review of the history of anthropogenic N inputs, and reported impacts of nitrogen inputs on selected terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saguaro</span> Species of cactus in the Sonoran Desert

The saguaro is a tree-like cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea that can grow to be over 12 meters tall. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California. The saguaro blossom is the state wildflower of Arizona. Its scientific name is given in honor of Andrew Carnegie. In 1994, Saguaro National Park, near Tucson, Arizona, was designated to help protect this species and its habitat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nutrient pollution</span> Contamination of water by excessive inputs of nutrients

Nutrient pollution, a form of water pollution, refers to contamination by excessive inputs of nutrients. It is a primary cause of eutrophication of surface waters, in which excess nutrients, usually nitrogen or phosphorus, stimulate algal growth. Sources of nutrient pollution include surface runoff from farm fields and pastures, discharges from septic tanks and feedlots, and emissions from combustion. Raw sewage is a large contributor to cultural eutrophication since sewage is high in nutrients. Releasing raw sewage into a large water body is referred to as sewage dumping, and still occurs all over the world. Excess reactive nitrogen compounds in the environment are associated with many large-scale environmental concerns. These include eutrophication of surface waters, harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, acid rain, nitrogen saturation in forests, and climate change.

Wendy Yang is an associate professor of Plant Biology and Geology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she works on soil biogeochemistry and ecosystem ecology.

Whendee Silver is an American ecosystem ecologist and biogeochemist.

Nancy B. Grimm is an American ecosystem ecologist and professor at Arizona State University. Grimm's substantial contributions to the understanding of urban and arid ecosystem biogeochemistry are recognized in her numerous awards. Grimm is an elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, Ecological Society of America, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tana Wood</span> US biogeochemist and ecosystem scientist

Tana Elaine Wood is a biogeochemist and ecosystem scientist with a focus in land-use and climate change. Her research is focused on looking into how these issues affect tropical forested ecosystems and particularly focuses on soil science and below ground research efforts.

Anne E. Giblin is a marine biologist who researches the cycling of elements nitrogen, sulfur, iron and phosphorus. She is a Senior Scientist and Acting Director of the Ecosystem Center at the Marine Biological Lab.

Drosophila metlerri, commonly known as the Sonoran Desert fly, is a fly in the genus Drosophila. The species is found in North America and is most concentrated along the southern coast of California and in Mexico. D. mettleri are dependent on plant hosts, namely, the saguaro and cardon cacti. Thus, they are most prevalent in arid, desert conditions. It is able to detoxify chemicals found in the rotting liquid of cacti hosts, which allows it to use otherwise lethal soil as a nesting site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Echinocereeae</span> Tribe of cacti

The Echinocereeae are a tribe of cacti in the subfamily Cactoideae. Since 2006, the tribe has included the former tribe Pachycereeae in many treatments of cactus classification. The exact circumscription of the tribe has been subject to considerable change, particularly since molecular phylogenetic approaches have been used in determining classifications, and remains uncertain. The tribe includes large treelike species, such as the saguaro, as well as shorter shrubby species. Most members of the tribe are found in desert regions, particularly in Mexico and the southwestern United States.

Carol Arlene Johnston is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Natural Resource Management at South Dakota State University. Johnston is known for her research on beaver ecology and wetlands.

References

  1. ↑ "Kate Lajtha". College of Agricultural Sciences.
  2. ↑ "Biogeochemistry". Springer. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  3. ↑ "Biogeochemistry". Springer. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  4. ↑ "Lajtha". Honors Program.
  5. ↑ Lajtha, Kate; Kolberg, Kristin; Getz, Jenna (1997). "Ecophysiology of the saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) in the Saguaro National Monument: relationship to symptoms of decline". Journal of Arid Environments. 36 (4): 579–590. Bibcode:1997JArEn..36..579L. doi: 10.1006/jare.1996.0240 . ISSN   0140-1963.
  6. ↑ KOLBERG, Kristin; LAJTHA, Kate (1997). "Population dynamics and trace metal biogeochemistry of the saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) in the Sonoran desert". Écoscience. 4 (2): 223–231. doi:10.1080/11956860.1997.11682399. ISSN   1195-6860. JSTOR   42900731.
  7. ↑ "Dying Saguaro Cactuses Are Bewildering Scientists". The New York Times. Reuters. 1991-08-11. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-07-17.
  8. ↑ "Mysterious Ailment Afflicting Saguaro Cactus Baffles Experts : Ecology: Pollution, ozone depletion and loss of sheltering 'nurse plants' are among possible causes of the slow-growing desert giants' decline". Los Angeles Times. 1993-07-18. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
  9. ↑ Valiela, Ivan; Foreman, Kenneth; LaMontagne, Michael; Hersh, Douglas; Costa, Joseph; Peckol, Paulette; DeMeo-Andreson, Barbara; D'Avanzo, Charlene; Babione, Michele; Sham, Chi-Ho; Brawley, John; Lajtha, Kate (December 1992). "Couplings of Watersheds and Coastal Waters: Sources and Consequences of Nutrient Enrichment in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts". Estuaries. 15 (4): 443. doi:10.2307/1352389. JSTOR   1352389. S2CID   83501004.
  10. ↑ Lajtha, Kate; Whitford, Walter G. (1989-08-01). "The effect of water and nitrogen amendments on photosynthesis, leaf demography, and resource-use efficiency in Larrea tridentata, a desert evergreen shrub". Oecologia. 80 (3): 341–348. Bibcode:1989Oecol..80..341L. doi:10.1007/BF00379035. ISSN   1432-1939. PMID   28312061. S2CID   28502580.
  11. ↑ Lajtha, Kate; Schlesinger, William H. (1986-03-01). "Plant response to variations in nitrogen availability in a desert shrubland community". Biogeochemistry. 2 (1): 29–37. doi:10.1007/BF02186963. ISSN   1573-515X. S2CID   85177180.
  12. ↑ van Breemen, N.; Boyer, E.W.; Goodale, C.L.; Jaworski, N.A.; Paustian, K.; Seitzinger, S.P.; Lajtha, K.; Mayer, B.; van Dam, D.; Howarth, R.W.; Nadelhoffer, K.J. (2002-04-01). "Where did all the nitrogen go? Fate of nitrogen inputs to large watersheds in the northeastern U.S.A." Biogeochemistry. 57 (1): 267–293. doi:10.1023/A:1015775225913. ISSN   1573-515X. S2CID   98015768.
  13. ↑ Jackson, Robert B.; Lajtha, Kate; Crow, Susan E.; Hugelius, Gustaf; Kramer, Marc G.; Piñeiro, Gervasio (2017-11-02). "The Ecology of Soil Carbon: Pools, Vulnerabilities, and Biotic and Abiotic Controls". Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics. 48 (1): 419–445. doi: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-112414-054234 . ISSN   1543-592X.
  14. ↑ "Kate Lajtha named 2020 AGU Fellow". H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest - Oregon State University. 2020-12-10. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
  15. ↑ Adams, Tom (2007-06-20). "Students do ground breaking soil research near Blue River". KVAL. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
  16. ↑ Sulzman, Elizabeth W.; Brant, Justin B.; Bowden, Richard D.; Lajtha, Kate (2005-03-01). "Contribution of aboveground litter, belowground litter, and rhizosphere respiration to total soil CO2 efflux in an old growth coniferous forest". Biogeochemistry. 73 (1): 231–256. doi:10.1007/s10533-004-7314-6. ISSN   1573-515X. S2CID   97577812.
  17. ↑ Kuserk, Frank T. (1987). "Buell Award: Kate Lajtha". Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America. 68 (1): 32–33. doi:10.2307/20166561. ISSN   0012-9623. JSTOR   20166561. S2CID   178961387.
  18. ↑ Howarth, R. W.; Billen, G.; Swaney, D.; Townsend, A.; Jaworski, N.; Lajtha, K.; Downing, J. A.; Elmgren, R.; Caraco, N.; Jordan, T.; Berendse, F.; Freney, J.; Kudeyarov, V.; Murdoch, P.; Zhao-Liang, Zhu (1996). "Regional nitrogen budgets and riverine N & P fluxes for the drainages to the North Atlantic Ocean: Natural and human influences". Nitrogen Cycling in the North Atlantic Ocean and Its Watersheds: 75–139. doi:10.1007/978-94-009-1776-7_3. ISBN   978-94-010-7293-9. S2CID   54538868.
  19. ↑ "Lajtha". Honors Program.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.