Biogeochemical Dynamics
Delivering predictive understanding of hydro-biogeochemical processes in watersheds and terrestrial ecosystems
Researchers in the Biogeochemical Dynamics group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory provide a predictive understanding of the critical environmental processes that determine the mobilization, transformation, and transport of water and matter in soils, groundwater, and surface water, and how these processes are altered by disturbance. This understanding is crucial for managing, restoring and protecting the freshwater resources and ecosystem services vital to our country’s health, security and economy, thereby supporting the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s environmental and energy missions.
The team combines field, experimental and computational expertise, to generate data that informs strategies for addressing critical global environmental and energy challenges Credit: Kase Clapp and Genevieve Martin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy
A core objective of the group is to investigate how complex biogeochemical interactions affect the cycling and mobility of critical substances – nutrients, trace elements, and contaminants – within natural and impacted ecosystems. Researchers explore these processes across a wide range of spatial scales, from microscopic interactions in soil pores to watershed-level transport and global elemental cycles. Additionally, the group addresses how these processes evolve over various temporal scales, from rapid chemical reactions occurring in seconds to ecological impacts unfolding over decades.
Scientists use a terrestrial LiDAR (light detection and ranging) scanner to capture a three-dimensional representation of a creek bank in East Fork Poplar Creek. The data is used to calculate the erosion of mercury-contaminated bank soils to obtain accurate estimates of mercury fluxes to the creek. Credit: ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy
The team takes a multidisciplinary approach to their research, uniting scientists with specialized expertise in hydrology, geochemistry, environmental microbiology, ecology, and biophysics. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, the group can comprehensively evaluate the multifaceted interactions that govern environmental transformations. This integrative approach enables the team to tackle complex scientific challenges related to pollutant remediation, environmental health, and response to environmental disturbance providing actionable insights for environmental management.
Researchers use a differential Zeeman atomic absorption spectrometer to determine mercury concentrations in field samples as part of ORNL’s Mercury Remediation Technology Development for Lower East Fork Poplar Creek. Credit: ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy
The team’s research spans lab- to field-based investigations utilizing a range of novel observational, manipulative and modeling approaches. Intensive field sites and field-scale experimental facilities support detailed investigations of real-world environmental scenarios, while innovative imaging and sensing technologies allow for highly resolved quantification of biogeochemical patterns in time and space. Additionally, the team leverages Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s world-renowned facilities and advanced infrastructure. Scientists utilize cutting-edge neutron and X-ray scattering instruments to gain unique insights into chemical and physical processes at molecular scales. High-performance computing resources at ORNL allow researchers to run sophisticated numerical simulations, translating complex observational data into robust predictive models.
By combining these field, experimental and computational expertise, the group generates foundational knowledge that informs strategies for addressing critical global environmental and energy challenges, such as the long-term risks from legacy contamination, the need for clean and abundant water for power generation and societal needs, and resilience to extreme events and environmental disturbance. Their research outcomes provide critical insights to enable informed decision-making and effective stewardship of the environmental resources vital to energy security, human and environmental health, and the global economy.
