Alexander Newman

CNI Fellow - Class of 2015

Undergraduate Student, Earth Systems Science
UC Merced

Project

Selective Dissolutions

Description

Iron and aluminum oxides are nanoparticles that are found in soil. These oxides are reactive, forming important associations with organic matter. Soil erosion can remove both oxides and organic matter from soil – affecting carbon sequestration, or the potential of the terrestrial soil mass to remove carbon from the atmosphere. We use three selective dissolution experiments to determine the amount of crystalline, poorly crystalline and organic complex-associated carbon that is transported in a mixed conifer forest in a watershed system.

Goals

To determine which species of protected carbon is transported and retained in a soil system, thus providing the most carbon sequestration.

Future Plans

My mentor and I are working to publish my data set.

Mentor

Asmeret Asefaw Berhe