Scientists & Staff
Stephen Sebestyen
Current Research
I study how water, nutrients, and pollutants solutes flow through the landscape and affect streams, lakes, or wetlands.
As a research hydrologist with the USDA Forest Service in Grand Rapids, MN. I devote portions of my time to research at the Marcell Experimental Forest (MEF) and national-scale syntheses of data from multiple catchment studies. At the MEF, I co-lead research planning and research on hydrological and biogeochemical research. I have developed a research program that builds upon the 55-year legacy of research at this site. The MEF was established to study the ecology and hydrology of peatlands and uplands along the southern fringe of the boreal zone. I pursue research on the effects of nitrogen pollution on ecosystem functions, carbon cycling in peatlands, understanding effects of climate variability, interactions of dissolved organic matter with mercury and other trace metals, and quantifying effects of landscape disturbance on water and solutes yields. I am an investigator in the SPRUCE Experiment (Spruce and Peatland Response Under Climatic and Environmental change), a large-scale, experiment in which above- and below-ground temperatures are being manipulated in a black spruce-Sphagnum bog at the MEF.
While much of my research is based at the MEF, I continue to study lakes, streams, and wetlands elsewhere in Minnesota and on various catchment studies, whether in the USA or abroad. Some of these studies synthesize information from many sites and are intended to broaden understanding to national and global scales. My other research is focused on particular sites and particular environmental issues. At the Sleepers River Research Watershed in northeastern Vermont, I explore how sources of stream nitrate and dissolved organic matter (DOM) vary over time and space. My research elsewhere in the northeastern USA includes studies of nitrate sources and DOM dynamics. Since the start of my graduate research, a portion of my work has been focused on how groundwater seepage influences biogeochemical cycles in lakes and wetlands. In several studies, I collaborate on research to quantify effects of groundwater seepage on lake trophic status.
I collaborate with a broad range of research scientists, graduate students, and undergraduate students. My position as a Forest Service scientist and being adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota and Michigan Tech allow me to be highly involved with graduate and postdoctoral researchers.
Research Interests
I pursue research to:- Quantify rates of terrestrial and aquatic biogeochemical transformations to definitively pinpoint the landscape processes that affect water chemistry.
- Determine how sources, transformations, and transport processes interact to control nutrient and pollutant concentrations within ecosystems.
- Quantify how short-term processes that occur at discrete locations and times (the hotspots and hot moments of biogeochemical processes) are important when considered at the ecosystem level.
- Synthesize understanding of hydrological and biogeochemical processes from various studies and locations to gain a general understanding of reference conditions and the effects of management decisions on water, air, and soil resources.
Why This Research is Important
- The flow of water transfers energy and matter from the atmosphere and land to lakes, streams, wetlands, and coastal zones. My scientific interests center on understanding how water and chemicals are transported and transformed in the environment. With an emphasis on catchment science, I study hydrological and biogeochemical cycles to identify ways to effectively maintain water quality and ecosystem productivity. I use multiple approaches (hydrologic, biologic, geochemical, biogeochemical, and isotopic) across range of temporal, spatial, climatic, and ecological settings to study such issues as atmospheric pollutant deposition, forest health, ecosystem acidification, nutrient enrichment of surface waters, and ecosystem responses to climate change.
- The variation of stream nutrient concentrations over time and space reflects complex processes that affect ecosystem functions, but more fundamentally, relates to the availability of biologically-essential substances that fuel life cycles on land and in water.
- In landscapes where human activities enrich nutrient availability and affect land use / land cover, my work highlights the need to consider how water and nutrient cycles affect surface water chemistry. Understanding linkages among the atmosphere, land, and water helps to inform scientists, land managers, and policy makers who seek to protect valuable natural resources.
Education
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry, Ph.D. Forest and Natural Resources Management, 2008
- Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources, M.S. Program in Biogeochemistry & Global Change, 2000
- Susquehanna University, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, B.S. , 1997
Professional Organizations
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
- American Geophysical Union
- International Association of Hydrological Sciences
Awards & Recognition
- Forest Service Award for Applying Knowledge Globally, 2017 Awarded by the National Forest System Eastern Region of the USDA Forest Service for the project, "Long Term Benefits of Research in the Northwoods: A Partnership with Northern Research Station and the Chippewa National Forest."
- Publication in Biogeochemistry recognized as being highly cited, 2016 Taking the pulse of snowmelt: In situ sensors reveal seasonal, event and diurnal patterns of nitrate and dissolved organic matter ..."(Pellerin et al., 2012) was recognized as one of the "Top Cited Papers for 2012 and 2013," in Biogeochemistry
- Northern Research Station Director's Early Career Scientist Award, 2013 In recognition of exemplary contributions to the fields of biogeochemistry and hydrology across the US, and locally at the Marcell Experimental Forest. Your research on nitrogen and dissolved organic matter identifying sources, chemical transformations,
- Forest Service award for contributions to a strategic focus document on the Clean Air, 2008 Forest Service award for contributions to a strategic focus document on the Clean Air
Featured Publications & Products
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Lany, Nina K.; Roman, Daniel Tyler; Burdick, Jacob M.; Kyllander, Richard L.; Verry, Elon Sandy; Kolka, Randall K. 2021. Hydrological and meteorological data from research catchments at the Marcell Experimental Forest, Minnesota, USA. Hydrological Processes
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Funke, Meghan ; Cotner, James B. 2021. Sources and biodegradability of dissolved organic matter in two headwater peatland catchments at the Marcell Experimental Forest, northern Minnesota, USA. Hydrological Processes
- Hanson, Paul J.; Griffiths, Natalie A.; Iversen, Colleen M.; Norby, Richard J.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Phillips, Jana R.; Chanton, Jeffrey P.; Kolka, Randall K.; Malhotra, Avni ; Oleheiser, Keith C.; Warren, Jeffrey M.; Shi, Xiaoying ; Yang, Xiaojuan ; Mao, Jiafu ; Ricciuto, Daniel M. 2020. Rapid Net Carbon Loss From a Whole‐Ecosystem Warmed Peatland. AGU Advances
- Feng, Xue ; Deventer, M. Julian; Lonchar, Rachel ; Ng, G. H. Crystal; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Roman, D. Tyler; Griffis, Timothy J.; Millet, Dylan B.; Kolka, Randall K. 2020. Climate Sensitivity of Peatland Methane Emissions Mediated by Seasonal Hydrologic Dynamics. Geophysical Research Letters
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Ross, Donald S.; Shanley, James B.; Elliott, Emily M.; Kendall, Carol ; Campbell, John L.; Dail, D. Bryan; Fernandez, Ivan J.; Goodale, Christine L.; Lawrence, Gregory B.; Lovett, Gary M.; McHale, Patrick J.; Mitchell, Myron J.; Nelson, Sarah J.; Shattuck, Michelle D.; Wickman, Trent R.; Barnes, Rebecca T.; Bostic, Joel T.; Buda, Anthony R.; Burns, Douglas A.; Eshleman, Keith N.; Finlay, Jacques C.; Nelson, David M.; Ohte, Nobuhito ; Pardo, Linda H.; Rose, Lucy A.; Sabo, Robert D.; Schiff, Sherry L.; Spoelstra, John ; Williard, Karl W. J. 2019. Unprocessed Atmospheric Nitrate in Waters of the Northern Forest Region in the U.S. and Canada. Environmental Science & Technology
- Griffiths, Natalie A.; Hanson, Paul J.; Ricciuto, Daniel M.; Iversen, Colleen M.; Jensen, Anna M.; Malhotra, Avni ; McFarlane, Karis J.; Norby, Richard J.; Sargsyan, Khachik ; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Shi, Xiaoying ; Walker, Anthony P.; Ward, Eric J.; Warren, Jeffrey M.; Weston, David J. 2017. Temporal and Spatial Variation in Peatland Carbon Cycling and Implications for Interpreting Responses of an Ecosystem-Scale Warming Experiment. Soil Science Society of America Journal
- Shanley, James B.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; McDonnell, Jeffrey J.; McGlynn, Brian L.; Dunne, Thomas. 2015. Water's Way at Sleepers River watershed - revisiting flow generation in a post-glacial landscape, Vermont USA. Hydrological Processes. 29(16): 3447-3459.
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Shanley, James B.; Boyer, Elizabeth W.; Kendall, Carol; Doctor, Daniel H. 2014. Coupled hydrological and biogeochemical processes controlling variability of nitrogen species in streamflow during autumn in an upland forest. Water Resources Research. 50(2): 1569-1591.
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Dorrance, Carrie; Olson, Donna M.; Verry, Elon S.; Kolka, Randall K.; Elling, Art E.; Kyllander, Richard. 2011. Long-term monitoring sites and trends at the Marcell Experimental Forest. Chapter 2.. In: Kolka, Randall K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Verry, Elon S.; Brooks,Kenneth N., eds. Peatland biogeochemistry and watershed hydrology at the Marcell Experimental Forest. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press: 15-71.
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Boyer, Elizabeth W.; Shanley, James B.; Kendall, Carol; Doctor, Daniel H.; Aiken, George R.; Ohte, Nobuhito. 2008. Sources, transformations, and hydrological processes that control stream nitrate and dissolved organic matter concentrations during snowmelt in an upland forest. Water Resources Research. 44: W12410. 1-14.
Publications & Products
- Jones, Mariel W.; Sebestyen, Stephen; Dymond, Salli F.; Ng, G.H. Crystal; Feng, Xue. 2023. Soil frost controls streamflow generation processes in headwater catchments. Journal of Hydrology
- Curtinrich, Holly J.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Griffiths, Natalie A.; Hall, Steven J. 2022. Warming Stimulates Iron-Mediated Carbon and Nutrient Cycling in Mineral-Poor Peatlands. Ecosystems
- Iversen, Colleen M.; Latimer, John ; Brice, Deanne J.; Childs, Joanne ; Vander Stel, Holly M.; Defrenne, Camille E.; Graham, Jake ; Griffiths, Natalie A.; Malhotra, Avni ; Norby, Richard J.; Oleheiser, Keith C.; Phillips, Jana R.; Salmon, Verity G.; Sebestyen, Stephen; Yang, Xiaojuan ; Hanson, Paul J. 2022. Whole-Ecosystem Warming Increases Plant-Available Nitrogen and Phosphorus in an Ombrotrophic Bog. Ecosystems
- Liptzin, Daniel ; Boy, Jens ; Campbell, John L.; Clarke, Nicholas ; Laclau, Jean‐Paul ; Godoy, Roberto ; Johnson, Sherri L.; Kaiser, Klaus ; Likens, Gene E.; Karlsson, Gunilla Pihl; Markewitz, Daniel ; Rogora, Michela ; Sebestyen, Stephen; Shanley, James B.; Vanguelova, Elena ; Verstraeten, Arne ; Wilcke, Wolfgang ; Worrall, Fred ; McDowell, William H. 2022. Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Atmospheric Deposition of Dissolved Organic Carbon. Global Biogeochemical Cycles
- McCarter, Colin P. R.; Eggert, Susan L.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Kolka, Randall K.; Mitchell, Carl P. J. 2022. Effects of Clearcutting and Residual Biomass Harvesting on Hillslope Mercury Mobilization and Downgradient Mercury Accumulation. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
- McCarter, Colin P. R.; Sebestyen, Stephen; Coleman Wasik, Jill K.; Engstrom, Daniel R.; Kolka, Randall K.; Jeremiason, Jeff D.; Swain, Edward B.; Monson, Bruce A.; Branfireun, Brian A.; Balogh, Steven J.; Nater, Edward A.; Eggert, Susan L.; Ning, Paris ; Mitchell, Carl P. J. 2022. Long-Term Experimental Manipulation of Atmospheric Sulfate Deposition to a Peatland: Response of Methylmercury and Related Solute Export in Streamwater. Environmental Science & Technology
- Pierce, Caroline E.; Furman, Olha S.; Nicholas, Sarah L.; Wasik, Jill Coleman; Gionfriddo, Caitlin M.; Wymore, Ann M.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Kolka, Randall K.; Mitchell, Carl P. J.; Griffiths, Natalie A.; Elias, Dwayne A.; Nater, Edward A.; Toner, Brandy M. 2022. Role of Ester Sulfate and Organic Disulfide in Mercury Methylation in Peatland Soils. Environmental Science & Technology
- Porter, Veronica M.; Shanley, James B.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Liu, Fengjing. 2022. Controls on decadal, annual, and seasonal concentration‐discharge relationships in the Sleepers River Research Watershed, Vermont, northeastern United States. Hydrological Processes
- Ryan, Kevin A.; Adler, Thomas ; Chalmers, Ann T.; Perdrial, Julia ; Sebestyen, Stephen; Shanley, James B.; Stubbins, Aron. 2022. Optical properties of dissolved organic matter in throughfall and stemflow vary across tree species and season in a temperate headwater forest. Biogeochemistry
- Shanley, James B.; Chalmers, Ann T.; Denner, Jon C.; Clark, Stewart F.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Matt, Serena ; Smith, Thor E. 2022. Hydrology and biogeochemistry datasets from Sleepers River Research Watershed, Danville, Vermont, USA. Hydrological Processes
- Shelley, Sarah J.; Brice, Deanne J.; Iversen, Colleen M.; Kolka, Randy K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Griffiths, Natalie A. 2022. Deciphering the shifting role of intrinsic and extrinsic drivers on moss decomposition in peatlands over a 5‐year period. Oikos
- Stockstad, Anna B.; Slesak, Robert A.; Toczydlowski, Alan J.; Blinn, Charles R.; Kolka, Randall K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D. 2022. Limited effects of precipitation manipulation on soil respiration and inorganic N concentrations across soil drainage classes in northern Minnesota aspen forests. Forests. 13(8): 1194.
- Stockstad, Anna B.; Slesak, Robert A.; Toczydlowski, Alan J.; Blinn, Charles R.; Kolka, Randall K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D. 2022. The effects of combined throughfall reduction and snow removal on soil physical properties across a drainage gradient in aspen forests of northern Minnesota, USA. Forest Ecology and Management. 524(8): 120538.
- McCarter, Colin P. R.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Eggert, Susan L.; Kolka, Randall K.; Mitchell, Carl P. J. 2021. Differential subsurface mobilization of ambient mercury and isotopically enriched mercury tracers in a harvested and residue harvested hardwood forest in northern Minnesota. Biogeochemistry
- McEachran, Zachary P.; Karwan, Diana L.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Slesak, Robert A.; Ng, Gene-Hua Crystal. 2021. Nonstationary flood-frequency analysis to assess effects of harvest and cover type conversion on peak flows at the Marcell Experimental Forest, Minnesota, USA. Journal of Hydrology
- Ricciuto, Daniel M.; Xu, Xiaofeng ; Shi, Xiaoying ; Wang, Yihui ; Song, Xia ; Schadt, Christopher W.; Griffiths, Natalie A.; Mao, Jiafu ; Warren, Jeffrey M.; Thornton, Peter E.; Chanton, Jeff ; Keller, Jason K.; Bridgham, Scott D.; Gutknecht, Jessica ; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Finzi, Adrien ; Kolka, Randall ; Hanson, Paul J. 2021. An Integrative Model for Soil Biogeochemistry and Methane Processes: I. Model Structure and Sensitivity Analysis. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
- Salmon, Verity G.; Brice, Deanne J.; Bridgham, Scott ; Childs, Joanne ; Graham, Jake ; Griffiths, Natalie A.; Hofmockel, Kirsten ; Iversen, Colleen M.; Jicha, Terri M.; Kolka, Randy K.; Kostka, Joel E.; Malhotra, Avni ; Norby, Richard J.; Phillips, Jana R.; Ricciuto, Daniel ; Schadt, Christopher W.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Shi, Xiaoying ; Walker, Anthony P.; Warren, Jeffrey M.; Weston, David J.; Yang, Xiaojuan ; Hanson, Paul J. 2021. Nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in an ombrotrophic peatland: a benchmark for assessing change. Plant and Soil
- Stelling, Jonathan M.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Griffiths, Natalie A.; Mitchell, Carl P. J.; Green, Mark B. 2021. The stable isotopes of natural waters at the Marcell Experimental Forest. Hydrological Processes
- Stockstad, Anna ; Gray, Ella ; Sebestyen, Stephen ; Lany, Nina ; Kolka, Randall ; Windmuller-Campione, Marcella. 2021. Analyzing Trends in Water Table Elevations at the Marcell Experimental Forest, Minnesota, U.S.A.. American Journal of Undergraduate Research
- Wilson, Rachel M.; Griffiths, Natalie A.; Visser, Ate ; McFarlane, Karis J.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Oleheiser, Keith C.; Bosman, Samantha ; Hopple, Anya M.; Tfaily, Malak M.; Kolka, Randall K.; Hanson, Paul J.; Kostka, Joel E.; Bridgham, Scott D.; Keller, Jason K.; Chanton, Jeffrey P. 2021. Radiocarbon Analyses Quantify Peat Carbon Losses With Increasing Temperature in a Whole Ecosystem Warming Experiment. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
- Wilson, Rachel M.; Tfaily, Malak M.; Kolton, Max ; Johnston, Eric R.; Petro, Caitlin ; Zalman, Cassandra A.; Hanson, Paul J.; Heyman, Heino M.; Kyle, Jennifer E.; Hoyt, David W.; Eder, Elizabeth K.; Purvine, Samuel O.; Kolka, Randall K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Griffiths, Natalie A.; Schadt, Christopher W.; Keller, Jason K.; Bridgham, Scott D.; Chanton, Jeffrey P.; Kostka, Joel E. 2021. Soil metabolome response to whole-ecosystem warming at the Spruce and Peatland Responses under Changing Environments experiment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Yuan, Fenghui ; Wang, Yihui ; Ricciuto, Daniel M.; Shi, Xiaoying ; Yuan, Fengming ; Brehme, Thomas ; Bridgham, Scott ; Keller, Jason ; Warren, Jeffrey M.; Griffiths, Natalie A.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Hanson, Paul J.; Thornton, Peter E.; Xu, Xiaofeng. 2021. Hydrological feedbacks on peatland CH4 emission under warming and elevated CO2: A modeling study. Journal of Hydrology
- McCarter, Colin P. R.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Eggert, Susan L.; Kolka, Randall K.; Mitchell, Carl P. J. 2020. Changes in hillslope hydrology in a perched, shallow soil system due to clearcutting and residual biomass removal. Hydrological Processes
- Sirota, Jennie I; Kolka, Randall K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Nater, Edward A. 2020. Mercury dynamics in the pore water of peat columns during experimental freezing and thawing. Journal of Environmental Quality
- Bischof, Stefan M.; Herwig, Brian R.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Hanson, Mark A.; Zimmer, Kyle D.; Cotner, James B.; Kroeger, Timothy J. 2019. Further Development of a Specific Conductivity Approach to Measure Groundwater Discharge Area within Lakes. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association
- Dymond, S.F. ; D'Amato, A.W. ; Kolka, R.K. ; Bolstad, P.V. ; Sebestyen, S.D. ; Gill, K. ; Curzon, M.T. 2019. Climatic controls on peatland black spruce growth in relation to water table variation and precipitation. Ecohydrology
- Griffiths, Natalie A.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Oleheiser, Keith C. 2019. Variation in peatland porewater chemistry over time and space along a bog to fen gradient. Science of The Total Environment
- Herndon, Elizabeth M.; Kinsman-Costello, Lauren ; Duroe, Kiersten A.; Mills, Jonathan ; Kane, Evan S.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Thompson, Aaron A.; Wullschleger, Stan D. 2019. Iron (Oxyhydr)Oxides Serve as Phosphate Traps in Tundra and Boreal Peat Soils. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
- Bertolet, Brittni L.; Corman, Jessica R.; Casson, Nora J.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Kolka, Randy K.; Stanley, Emily H. 2018. Influence of soil temperature and moisture on the dissolved carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in organic matter entering lake ecosystems. Biogeochemistry
- Corman, J. R.; Bertolet, B. L.; Casson, N. J.; Sebestyen, S. D.; Kolka, R. K.; Stanley, E. H. 2018. Nitrogen and Phosphorus Loads to Temperate Seepage Lakes Associated With Allochthonous Dissolved Organic Carbon Loads. Geophysical Research Letters
- Jeremiason, Jeff D.; Baumann, Erin I.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Agather, Alison M.; Seelen, Emily A.; Carlson-Stehlin, Benjamin J.; Funke, Meghan M.; Cotner, James B. 2018. Contemporary Mobilization of Legacy Pb Stores by DOM in a Boreal Peatland. Environmental Science & Technology
- Oda, Tomoki ; Green, Mark B.; Urakawa, Rieko ; Scanlon, Todd M.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; McGuire, Kevin J.; Katsuyama, Masanori ; Fukuzawa, Karibu ; Adams, Mary B.; Ohte, Nobuhito. 2018. Stream Runoff and Nitrate Recovery Times After Forest Disturbance in the USA and Japan. Water Resources Research
- Woerndle, Glenn E.; Tsz-Ki Tsui, Martin ; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Blum, Joel D.; Nie, Xiangping ; Kolka, Randall K. 2018. New Insights on Ecosystem Mercury Cycling Revealed by Stable Isotopes of Mercury in Water Flowing from a Headwater Peatland Catchment. Environmental Science & Technology
- Dymond, Salli F.; Bradford, John B.; Bolstad, Paul V.; Kolka, Randall K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; DeSutter, Thomas M. 2017. Topographic, edaphic, and vegetative controls on plant-available water. Ecohydrology. e1897. 12 p. https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.1897.
- Ma, Shuang ; Jiang, Jiang ; Huang, Yuanyuan ; Shi, Zheng ; Wilson, Rachel M.; Ricciuto, Daniel ; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Hanson, Paul J.; Luo, Yiqi. 2017. Data-Constrained Projections of Methane Fluxes in a Northern Minnesota Peatland in Response to Elevated CO 2 and Warming. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
- Walker, Anthony P.; Carter, Kelsey R.; Gu, Lianhong; Hanson, Paul J.; Malhotra, Avni; Norby, Richard J.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Wullschleger, Stan D.; Weston, David J. 2017. Biophysical drivers of seasonal variability in Sphagnum gross primary production in a northern temperate bog. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
- Amatya, Devendra; Campbell, John; Wohlgemuth, Pete; Elder, Kelly; Sebestyen, Stephen; Johnson, Sherri; Keppeler, Elizabeth; Adams, Mary Beth; Caldwell, Peter; Misra, D. 2016. Hydrological processes of reference watersheds in Experimental Forests, USA. In: Forest Hydrology: Processes, Management, and Applications, Amatya, Williams, Bren, and de Jong (Editors), CABI Publishers, UK
- Dymond, S.F.; D'Amato, A.W.; Kolka, Randy; Bolstad, P.V.; Sebestyen, Stephen; Bradford, J.B. 2016. Growth-climate relationships across topographic gradients in the northern Great Lakes. Ecohydrology. 9(6): 918-929.
- Griffiths, Natalie A.; Sebestyen, Stephen D. 2016. Dynamic vertical profiles of peat porewater chemistry in a northern peatland. Wetlands. 36: 1119-1130.
- Hill, Brian H.; Jicha, Terri M.; Lehto, LaRae L.P.; Elonen, Colleen M.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Kolka, Randy. 2016. Comparisons of soil nitrogen mass balances for an ombrotrophic bog and a minerotrophic fen in northern Minnesota. Science of The Total Environment. 550: 880-892.
- Sebestyen, Stephen; Kolka, Randy. 2016. Thirty-year results from a paired-catchment study of upland flowpath responses to forest cover conversion in northern Minnesota. In: Stringer, Christina E.; Krauss, Ken W.; Latimer, James S., eds. 2016. Headwaters to estuaries: advances in watershed science and management -Proceedings of the Fifth Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds. March 2-5, 2015, North Charleston, South Carolina. e-General Technical Report SRS-211. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 302 p.
- Wilson, R. M.; Hopple, A. M.; Tfaily, M. M.; Sebestyen, S. D.; Schadt, C. W.; Pfeifer-Meister, L.; Medvedeff, C.; McFarlane, K. J.; Kostka, J. E.; Kolton, M.; Kolka, R.K.; Kluber, L. A.; Keller, J. K.; Guilderson, T. P.; Griffiths, N. A.; Chanton, J. P.; Bridgham, S. D.; Hanson, P. J. 2016. Stability of peatland carbon to rising temperatures. Nature Communications. 7: 13723. 10p.
- Zwart, Jacob A.; Craig, Nicola; Kelly, Patrick T.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Solomon, Christopher T.; Weidel, Brian C.; Jones, Stuart E. 2016. Metabolic and physiochemical responses to a whole-lake experimental increase in dissolved organic carbon in a north-temperate lake. Limnology and Oceanography. 61(2): 723-734.
- Zwart, Jacob A.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Solomon, Christopher T.; Jones, Stuart E. 2016. The influence of hydrologic residence time on lake carbon cycling dynamics following extreme precipitation events. Ecosystems
- Lyttle, Amy; Yoo, Kyungsoo; Hale, Cindy; Aufdenkampe, Anthony; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Resner, Kathryn; Blum, Alex. 2015. Impact of exotic earthworms on organic carbon sorption on mineral surfaces and soil carbon inventories in a northern hardwood forest. Ecosystems. 18(1): 16-29.
- Resner, Kit; Yoo, Kyungsoo; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Aufdenkampe, Anthony; Hale, Cindy; Lyttle, Amy; Blum, Alex. 2015. Invasive earthworms deplete key soil inorganic nutrients (Ca, Mg, K, and P) in a northern hardwood forest. Ecosystems. 18(1): 89-102.
- Rose, Lucy A.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Elliott, Emily M.; Koba, Keisuke. 2015. Drivers of atmospheric nitrate processing and export in forested catchments. Water Resources Research. 51(2): 1333-1352.
- Creed, Irena F.; Spargo, Adam T.; Jones, Julia A.; Buttle, Jim M.; Adams, Mary B.; Beall, Fred D.; Booth, Eric G.; Campbell, John L.; Clow, Dave; Elder, Kelly; Green, Mark B.; Grimm, Nancy B.; Miniat, Chelcy; Ramlal, Patricia; Saha, Amartya; Sebestyen, Stephen; Spittlehouse, Dave; Sterling, Shannon; Williams, Mark W.; Winkler, Rita; Yao, Huaxia. 2014. Changing forest water yields in response to climate warming: results from long-term experimental watershed sites across North America. Global Change Biology. 20(10): 3191-3208.
- Dymond, Salli F.; Kolka, Randall K.; Bolstad, Paul V.; Sebestyen, Stephen D. 2014. Long-term soil moisture patterns in a northern Minnesota forest. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 78 (S1): S208-S216.
- Hill, Brian H.; Elonen, Colleen M.; Jicha, Terri M.; Kolka, Randall K.; Lehto, LaRae L.P.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Seifert-Monson, Lindsey R. 2014. Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry and microbial processing of organic matter in northern bogs and fens reveals a common P-limitation between peatland types. Biogeochemistry. 120(1-3): 203-224.
- Mazur, M.; Mitchell, C.P.J.; Eckley, C.S.; Eggert, S.L.; Kolka, R.K.; Sebestyen, S.D.; Swain, E.B. 2014. Gaseous mercury fluxes from forest soils in response to forest harvesting intensity: A field manipulation experiment. Science of The Total Environment. 496: 678-687.
- McGuire, Kevin J.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Ohte, Nobuhito; Elliott, Emily M.; Gomi, Takashi; Green, Mark B.; McGlynn, Brian L.; Tokuchi, Naoko. 2014. Merging perspectives in the catchment sciences: the US-Japan Joint Seminar on catchment hydrology and forest biogeochemistry. Hydrological Processes. 28(5): 2878-2880.
- Argerich, A.; Johnson, S.L.; Sebestyen, S.D.; Rhoades, C.C.; Greathouse, E.; Knoepp, J.D.; Adams, M.B.; Likens, G.E.; Campbell, J.L.; McDowell, W.H.; Scatena, F.N.; Ice, G.G. 2013. Trends in stream nitrogen concentrations for forested reference catchments across the USA. Environmental Research Letters. 8: 014039.
- Jones, Julia A.; Creed, Irena F.; Hatcher, Kendra L.; Warren, Robert J.; Adams, Mary Beth; Benson, Melinda H.; Boose, Emery; Brown, Warren A.; Campbell, John L.; Covich, Alan; Clow, David W.; Dahm, Clifford N.; Elder, Kelly; Ford, Chelcy R.; Grimm, Nancy B.; Henshaw, Donald L; Larson, Kelli L.; Miles, Evan S.; Miles, Kathleen M.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Spargo, Adam T.; Stone, Asa B.; Vose, James M.; Williams, Mark W. 2012. Ecosystem processes and human influences regulate streamflow response to climate change at long-term ecological research sites. BioScience. 62(4): 390-404.
- Parsekian, Andrew D.; Slater, Lee; Ntarlagiannis, Dimitrios; Nolan, James; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Kolka, Randall K.; Hanson, Paul J. 2012. Uncertainty in peat volume and soil carbon estimated using ground-penetrating radar and probing. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 76: 1911-1918.
- Pellerin, Brian A.; Saraceno, John Franco; Shanley, James B.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Aiken, George R.; Wollheim, Wilfred M.; Bergamaschi, Brian A. 2012. Taking the pulse of snowmelt: in situ sensors reveal seasonal, event and diurnal patterns of nitrate and dissolved organic matter variability in an upland forest stream. Biogeochemistry. 108: 183-198.
- Vose, James M.; Ford, Chelcy R.; Laseter, Stephanie; Dymond, Salli; Sun, GE; Adams, Mary Beth; Sebestyen, Stephen; Campbell, John; Luce, Charles; Amatya, Devendra; Elder, Kelly; Heartsill-Scalley, Tamara. 2012. Can forest watershed management mitigate climate change impacts on water resources?. In: Webb, Ashley A.; Bonell, Mike; Bren, Leon; Lane, Patrick N. J.; et. al., eds. Revisiting experimental catchment studies in forest hydrology. Proceedings of a workshop held during the XXV International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics; 2011 June 27- July 8; Melbourne, Australia. International Association of Hydrological Sciences Publication 353. Osfordshire, UK: International Association of Hydrological Sciences Publication: 12-25.
- Vose, James M.; Ford, Chelcy R.; Laseter, Stephanie; Dymond, Salli; Sun, Ge; Adams, Mary Beth; Sebestyen, Stephen; Campbell, John; Luce, Charlie; Amatya, Devendra; Elder, Kelly; Heartsill Scalley, Tamara. 2012. Can forest watershed management mitigate climate change effects on water resources. In: Webb, Ashley A.; Bonell, Mike; Bren, Leon; Lane, Patrick N. J.; et. al., eds. 2012. Revisiting Experimental Catchment Studies in Forest Hydrology, Proceedings of a Workshop held during the XXV IUGG General Assembly in Melbourne, June-July 2011. IAHS Publ. 353:Oxfordshire, UK. 12-25.
- Kolka, Randall K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Bradford, John B. 2011. An evolving research agenda at the Marcell Experimental Forest. Chapter 3.. In: Kolka, Randall K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Verry, Elon S.; Brooks,Kenneth N., eds. Peatland biogeochemistry and watershed hydrology at the Marcell Experimental Forest. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press: 73-91.
- Lyttle, Amy; Yoo, Kyungsoo; Hale, Cindy; Aufdenkampe, Anthony; Sebestyen, Stephen. 2011. Carbon-mineral interactions along an earthworm ivasion gradient at a sugar maple forest in northern Minnesota. Applied Geochemistry. 26: S85-S88.
- Resner, Kathryn; Yoo, Kyungsoo; Hale, Cindy; Aufdenkampe, Anthony; Blum, Alex; Sebestyen, Stephen. 2011. Elemental and mineralogical changes in soils due to bioturbation along an earthworm invasion chronosequence in northern Minnesota. Applied Geochemistry. 26: S127-S131.
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Verry, Elon S. 2011. Effects of watershed experiments on water chemistry at the Marcell Experimental Forest. Chapter 14.. In: Kolka, Randall K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Verry, Elon S.; Brooks,Kenneth N., eds. Peatland biogeochemistry and watershed hydrology at the Marcell Experimental Forest. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press: 433-458.
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Verry, Elon S.; Brooks, Kenneth N. 2011. Hydrological responses to changes in forest cover on uplands and peatlands. Chapter 13.. In: Kolka, Randall K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Verry, Elon S.; Brooks,Kenneth N., eds. Peatland biogeochemistry and watershed hydrology at the Marcell Experimental Forest. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press: 401-432.
- Urban, Noel; Verry, Elon S.; Eisenreich, Steven; Grigal, David F.; Sebestyen, Stephen D. 2011. Element cycling in upland/peatland watersheds Chapter 8.. In: Kolka, Randall K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Verry, Elon S.; Brooks,Kenneth N., eds. Peatland biogeochemistry and watershed hydrology at the Marcell Experimental Forest. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press: 213-241.
- Verry, Elons S.; Brooks, Kenneth N.; Nichols, Dale S.; Ferris, Dawn R.; Sebestyen, Stephen D. 2011. Watershed hydrology. Chapter 7.. In: Kolka, Randall K.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Verry, Elon S.; Brooks,Kenneth N., eds. Peatland biogeochemistry and watershed hydrology at the Marcell Experimental Forest. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press: 193-212.
- Vidon, Philippe; Allan, Craig; Burns, Douglas; Duval, Tim P.; Gurwick, Noel; Inamdar, Shreeram; Lowrance, Richard; Okay, Judy; Scott, Durelle; Sebestyen, Stephen. 2010. Hot spots and hot moments in riparian zones: Potential for improved water quality management. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA). 46(2): 278-298.
- Glynn, Pierre D.; Larsen, Matthew C.; Greene, Earl A.; Buss, Heather L.; Clow, David W.; Hunt, Randall J.; Mast, M. Alisa; Murphy, Sheila F.; Peters, Norman E.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Shanley, James B.; Walker, John F. 2009. Selected achievements, science directions, and new opportunities for the WEBB Small Watershed Research Program. In: Webb, R.M.T.; Semmens, D.J., eds. Planning for an uncertain future--monitoring, integration, and adaptation. Proceedings of the third interagency conference on research in the watersheds. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5049: 39-52.
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Boyer, Elizabeth W.; Shanley, James B. 2009. Responses of stream nitrate and DOC loadings to hydrological forcing and climate change in an upland forest of the northeastern United States. Journal of Geophysical Research. 114: G02002, doi:10.1029/2008JG000778.
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Shanley, James B.; Boyer, Elizabeth W. 2009. Using high-frequency sampling to detect effects of atmospheric pollutants on stream chemistry. In: Webb, R.M.T.; Semmens, D.J., eds. Planning for an uncertain future--monitoring, integration, and adaptation. Proceedings of the third interagency conference on research in the watersheds: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5049: 171-175.
- Doctor, Daniel H.; Kendall, Carol; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Shanley, James B.; Ohte, Nobuhito; Boyer, Elizabeth W. 2008. Carbon isotope fractionation of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) due to outgassing of carbon dioxide from a headwater stream. Hydrologic Processes. 22(14): 2410-2423.
- Ohte, N.; Sebestyen, S.D.; Kendall, C.; Shanley, J.B.; Wankel, S.D.; Doctor, D.H.; Boyer, E.W. 2004. Tracing sources of nitrate in snowmelt runoff using a high-resolution isotopic technique. Geophysical Research Letters. 31(21): L21506.
Research Datasets
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Kendall, Carol; Elliott, Emily M.; Schiff, Sherry L.; Barnes, Rebecca T.; Bostic, Joel T.; Buda, Anthony R.; Burns, Douglas A.; Campbell, John L.; Dail, D. Bryan; Eshleman, Keith N.; Fernandez, Ivan J.; Finlay, Jacques C.; Goodale, Christine L.; Griffiths, Natalie A.; Hall, Steven J.; Lawrence, Gregory B.; Lovett, Gary M.; McHale, Patrick J.; Mitchell, Myron J.; Nelson, David M.; Nelson, Sarah J.; Ohte, Nobuhito; Pardo, Linda H.; Rose, Lucy A.; Ross, Donald S.; Sabo, Robert D.; Shanley, James B.; Shattuck, Michelle D.; Spoelstra, John; Weintraub, Samantha R.; Wickman, Trent R.; Williard, Karl W. J. 2019. Nitrate isotope database for meteoric waters, surface waters, soil waters, and groundwaters. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2019-0003.
- Shanley, James B.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Smith, Thor E.; Chalmers, Ann T.; Clark, Stew F.; Denner, Jon C. 2019. Groundwater level data for Watershed-9 (W-9) in the Sleepers River Research Watershed (Vermont). Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2018-0064.
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Kyllander, Richard. 2018. Event runoff volume data and daily runoff data for the S2 and S6 catchments at the Marcell Experimental Forest. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2018-0020.
- Verry, Elon S.; Elling, Arthur E.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Kolka, Randall K.; Kyllander, Richard. 2018. Marcell Experimental Forest daily streamflow data. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2018-0009.
- Verry, Elon S.; Elling, Arthur E.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Kolka, Randall K.; Kyllander, Richard. 2018. Marcell Experimental Forest peatland and upland water table elevations. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2018-0002.
- Walker, Anthony P.; Carter, Kelsey R.; Hanson, Paul J.; Nettles, W. Robert; Phillips, Jane R.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Weston, David J. 2017. SPRUCE S1 bog Sphagnum CO2 flux measurements and partitioning into Re and GPP. Oak Ridge, TN: U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center. https://doi.org/10.3334/CDIAC/spruce.039.
- Griffiths, Natalie A.; Sebestyen, Stephen D. 2017. SPRUCE hollow elevation data for experimental plots beginning in 2015. Oak Ridge, TN: U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center. https://doi.org/10.3334/CDIAC/spruce.035.
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Kyllander, Richard. 2017. Daily water and TOC yields for studies of the biodegradability of dissolved organic matter in peatland catchments at the Marcell Experimental Forest: 2009-2011. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2017-0068.
- Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Funke, Meghan M.; Cotner, James B.; Larson, John T.; Aspelin, Nathan A. 2017. Water chemistry data for studies of the biodegradability of dissolved organic matter in peatland catchments at the Marcell Experimental Forest: 2009-2011. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2017-0067.
- Griffiths, Natalie A.; Sebestyen, Stephen D. 2016. SPRUCE S1 bog porewater, groundwater, and stream chemistry data: 2011-2013. Oak Ridge, TN: U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center. https://doi.org/10.3334/CDIAC/spruce.018.
- Griffiths, Natalie A.; Sebestyen, Stephen D. 2016. SPRUCE porewater chemistry data for experimental plots beginning in 2013. Oak Ridge, TN: U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center. https://doi.org/10.3334/CDIAC/spruce.028.
National Research Highlights
Warming Peatlands Emit Carbon Faster than Previously Known
Year: 2020
Peatlands occupy just 3 %of the planet but store about 30 %of the soil carbon in terrestrial landscapes. A team of scientists is exploring whether climate change could transform peatlands from a carbon sink to a carbon source and, if so, how quickly.
Legacy Lead vs. Newer Mercury: Atmospheric Pollutants Linger in Streams
Year: 2018
Trace metal pollutants from the atmosphere may affect water resources on vastly different timescales. Lead from before the 1980s still leaches from peatlands, while mercury appears to largely originate from recent deposition.
“Smart Forests” Digital Environmental Sensors and Telecommunications Take Research to New Levels
Year: 2015
Scientific breakthroughs of the 21st century will be powered by tools that help researchers collect and manipulate massive datasets, visualize that data, and offer new ways of understanding the scientific processes behind that information. Forest Service scientists are taking a lead in developing a national Experimental Forests and Ranges “Smart Forests” Network. This network of wired forests uses digital environmental sensors, wireless communications, and new data visualization programs to create a powerful integrated research and monitoring program for the nation’s air, water, forest and rangeland resources.