Dear Hubbard Brook colleagues:

One of the sessions at the January 3-4 Hubbard Brook COS meeting will focus on the surprisingly low stream export of nitrogen from the reference watersheds in recent years.  Some of the questions we are considering exploring in this session are:

Do we know why the N in streamwater is currently low?

Can we predict if and when it will increase?

How close are we to being able to model this phenomenon with our current models?

How close are we to quantifying elusive terms in the ecosystem N budget such as gaseous N loss and mineral soil N exchange?

Are there new measurements or other novel approaches we can use for answering these questions?

Will nitrogen “oligotrophication” continue and what will be the consequences for the ecosystem, including forests, streams, microbes, and animals?

If you are interested in making a presentation or leading a discussion on any of these topics, please let us know by responding to this email.  Likewise, if you are particularly enthusiastic about some of these questions but not others, or have suggestions for other questions we should pursue in this general topic area, please let us know. 

We can’t address all these questions in the time available but will chose an agenda based on levels of enthusiasm from the group.

PLEASE RESPOND BY NEXT WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5.

Thanks!

Gary Lovett, Peter Groffman, and Christy Goodale

Gary M. Lovett, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

Box AB, 2801 Sharon Turnpike

Millbrook, NY 12545 USA

Phone   845-677-7600 x132

Email    LovettG@caryinstitute.org

Website  http://www.caryinstitute.org/science-program/our-scientists/dr-gary-m-lovett