Diane M. McKnight

Distinguished Professor •
• Limnology • Biogeochemistry of lakes and streams

Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering • Environmental Studies • Hydrologic Sciences Graduate Program

Bio

My research focuses on interactions between hydrologic, chemical and biological processes in controlling the dynamics in aquatic ecosystems.

This research is carried out through field-scale experiments, modeling, and laboratory characterization of natural substrates. Conducts research focusing on interactions between freshwater biota, trace metals, and natural organic material in diverse freshwater environments, including lakes and streams in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and in the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica.

Main field sites are located in the Rocky Mountains and in the Transantarctic Mountains of Antarctica, and include pristine and stressed ecosystems. A co-principal investigator in the McMurdo Dry Valley LTER and in the Niwot Ridge LTER.

Develops interactions with state and local groups involved in mine drainage and watershed issues in the Rocky Mountains.

CU Connections interview "Five Questions for Diane McKnight."

Education

PhD: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1979

Awards

Distinguished Professor, University of Colorado System, 2021
Robert E. Horton Medal, American Geophysical Union, 2021
AEESP Distinguished Lecturer, Association of Environmental Engineering & Science Professors Foundation, 2019
John Dalton Medal, European Geosciences Union, 2015
Distinguished Research Lectureship, CU Boulder, 2015
Hydrology Section Award, American Geophysical Union, 2014
Elected member, National Academy of Engineering, 2012
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2009
Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2004
Meritorious Service Award, U.S. Geological Survey, 1995

Research

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Publications

Recent publications

Changes in fulvic acid redox state through the oxycline of a permanently ice-covered Antarctic lake

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Fulton JR; McKnight DM; Foreman CM; Cory RM; Stedmon C; Blunt E

Published in: Aquatic Sciences: research across boundaries
Publication Date: 2004-03-01
Type: Journal Article

The landscape continuum: A model for high-elevation ecosystems

CU Boulder Authors: Williams, Mark W; Bowman, Bill; McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Seastedt TR; Bowman WD; Caine TN; McKnight D; Townsend A; Williams MW

Published in: Bioscience
Publication Date: 2004-02-01
Type: Journal Article

Conservative and reactive solute transport in constructed wetlands

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie; Ryan, Joseph N.

All Authors: Keefe SH; Barber LB; Runkel RL; Ryan JN; McKnight DM; Wass RD

Published in: Water Resources Research
Publication Date: 2004-01-27
Type: Journal Article

Transport and cycling of iron and hydrogen peroxide in a freshwater stream: Influence of organic acids

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Scott DT; Runkel RL; McKnight DM; Voelker BM; Kimball BA; Carraway ER

Published in: Water Resources Research
Publication Date: 2003-11-01
Type: Journal Article

Characterization of DOM as a function of MW by fluorescence EEM and HPLC-SEC using UVA, DOC, and fluorescence detection

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Her N; Amy G; McKnight D; Sohn J; Yoon YM

Published in: Water Research
Publication Date: 2003-10-01
Type: Journal Article

Modeling hyporheic zone processes - Preface

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie; Rajaram, Harihar

All Authors: Runkel RL; McKnight DM; Rajaram H

Published in: Advances in Water Resources
Publication Date: 2003-09-01
Type: Journal Article

Sources and chemical character of dissolved organic carbon across an alpine/subalpine ecotone, Green Lakes Valley, Colorado Front Range, United States

CU Boulder Authors: Williams, Mark W; McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Hood E; McKnight DM; Williams MW

Published in: Water Resources Research
Publication Date: 2003-07-29
Type: Journal Article

Determining long time-scale hyporheic zone flow paths in Antarctic streams

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie; Vaughn, Bruce H; Gooseff, Michael N

All Authors: Gooseff MN; McKnight DM; Runke RL; Vaughn BH

Published in: Hydrological Processes
Publication Date: 2003-06-30
Type: Journal Article

Direct and indirect effects of mine drainage on bacterial processes in mountain streams

CU Boulder Authors: Lewis, William M, Jr.; McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Niyogi DK; Lewis WM; McKnight DM

Published in: Journal of the North American Benthological Society
Publication Date: 2003-06-01
Type: Journal Article

Surface glaciochemistry of Taylor Valley, southern Victoria Land, Antarctica and its relationship to stream chemistry

CU Boulder Authors: Vaughn, Bruce H; McKnight, Diane Marie; Welch, Kathleen Ann

All Authors: Lyons WB; Welch KA; Fountain AG; Dana GL; Vaughn BH; McKnight DM

Published in: Hydrological Processes
Publication Date: 2003-01-01
Type: Journal Article

Climate and hydrologic variations and implications for lake and stream ecological response in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Welch KA; Lyons BW; McKnight DM; JAROS CL; Fountain AG; Nylen TH; Doran PT; Howard-Williams C

Publication Date: 2003-01-01
Type: Chapter

Trace organic moieties of dissolved organic material in natural waters

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: MCKNIGHT DM

Publication Date: 2003-01-01
Type: Chapter

Abandoned mines, mountain sports, and climate variability: Implications for the Colorado tourism economy

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Todd A; McKnight D; Wyatt L

Published in: Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union
Publication Date: 2003-01-01
Type: Journal Article

Climate and hydrologic variations and implications for lake and stream ecological response in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Welch KA; Lyons BW; MCKNIGHT DM; Jaros C; Fountain AG; Nylen TH; Doran PT; Howard-Williams C

Publication Date: 2003-01-01
Type: Chapter

Weathering reactions and hyporheic exchange controls on stream water chemistry in a glacial meltwater stream in the McMurdo Dry Valleys

CU Boulder Authors: Gooseff, Michael N; McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Gooseff MN; McKnight DM; Lyons WB; Blum AE

Published in: Water Resources Research
Publication Date: 2002-12-07
Type: Journal Article

Fungal communities and biomass in mountain streams affected by mine drainage

CU Boulder Authors: Lewis, William M, Jr.; McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Niyogi DK; McKnight DM; Lewis WM

Published in: Fundamental and Applied Limnology: Official jounal of the International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology
Publication Date: 2002-09-01
Type: Journal Article

Seasonal variability of metals transport through a wetland impacted by mine drainage in the Rocky Mountains

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: August EE; McKnight DM; Hrncir DC; Garhart KS

Published in: Environmental Science and Technology (Washington)
Publication Date: 2002-09-01
Type: Journal Article

Effects of stress from mine drainage on diversity, biomass, and function of primary producers in mountain streams

CU Boulder Authors: Lewis, William M, Jr.; McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Niyogi DK; Lewis WM; McKnight DM

Published in: Ecosystems
Publication Date: 2002-09-01
Type: Journal Article

Spectrofluorescence of sediment humic substances and historical changes of lacustrine organic matter provenance in response to atmospheric nutrient enrichment

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Wolfe AP; Kaushal SS; Fulton JR; McKnight DM

Published in: Environmental Science and Technology (Washington)
Publication Date: 2002-08-01
Type: Journal Article

Climate change - Recent temperature trends in the Antarctic

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Turner J; King JC; Lachlan-Cope TA; Jones PD

Published in: Nature
Publication Date: 2002-07-18
Type: Journal Article

Fulvic acid oxidation state detection using fluorescence spectroscopy

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Klapper L; McKnight DM; Fulton JR; Blunt-Harris EL; Nevin KP; Lovley DR; Hatcher PG

Published in: Environmental Science and Technology (Washington)
Publication Date: 2002-07-15
Type: Journal Article

Direct observations of aluminosilicate weathering in the hyporheic zone of an Antarctic Dry Valley stream

CU Boulder Authors: Gooseff, Michael N; McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Maurice PA; McKnight DM; Leff L; Fulghum JE; Gooseff M

Published in: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Publication Date: 2002-04-01
Type: Journal Article

Late fall phytoplankton dynamics in three lakes, Rocky Mountain National Park

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Kolesar SE; McKnight DM; Waters SB

Published in: Hydrobiologia: the international journal on limnology and marine sciences
Publication Date: 2002-03-01
Type: Journal Article

Redox processes controlling manganese fate and transport in a mountain stream

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Scott DT; McKnight DM; Voelker BM; Hrncir DC

Published in: Environmental Science and Technology (Washington)
Publication Date: 2002-02-01
Type: Journal Article

Antarctic climate cooling and terrestrial ecosystem response

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie; Clow, Gary D

All Authors:

Doran PT; Priscu JC; Lyons WB; Walsh JE; Fountain AG; McKnight DM; Moorhead DL; Virginia RA; Wall DH; Clow GD...

Doran PT
Priscu JC
Lyons WB
Walsh JE
Fountain AG
McKnight DM
Moorhead DL
Virginia RA
Wall DH
Clow GD

Published in: Nature
Publication Date: 2002-01-31
Type: Journal Article

Teaching

Current courses

CVEN 5323: Applied Stream Ecology

Past courses

CVEN 3434: Introduction to Applied Ecology
CVEN 3454: Water Chemistry
CVEN 5454: Environmental Engineering Chemistry
CVEN 6404: Advanced Aquatic Chemistry

Current students

Lane Allen

MS Student •
• Stream ecology • Dissolved organic matter

Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering

Organic Matter Spectroscopy Lab Advisor: Diane McKnight

lane.allen@colorado.edu

Jared Collins

Graduate Student

Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering

Organic Matter Spectroscopy Lab Advisor: Diane McKnight Focusing on toxic blue-green algal bloom detection using remote sensing of RGB bands to model total cyanobacteria growth in the water column in urban reservoirs.

jared.collins-1@colorado.edu

Mia Vanderwilt

MS Student • Graduate Research Assistant •
• Polar microbiology • Snow hydrology • Remote sensing of the cryosphere

Environmental Studies • Hydrologic Sciences Graduate Program

Organic Matter Spectroscopy Lab Advisor: Diane McKnight Bio Education BS: Georgetown University, 2019

mia.vanderwilt@colorado.edu

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Outreach

News

Diane McKnight in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica.

These freeze-drying algae can awaken from cryostasis, could help spaceflights go farther (AGU)

Dec. 8, 2022

Algal mats survive extreme conditions in Antarctica by entering a freeze-dried state. Led by Diane McKnight, researchers collected the green algae that survive there and grew them in the lab to assess their applications for spaceflight.

Snow covers Deer Creek, near the the headwaters of the Snake River on Jan. 29, 2022, in Summit County. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

Climate change is eroding work to clean up the Snake River. Is snowmaking making it worse? (Colorado Sun)

Feb. 16, 2022

A warmer, drier alpine is impeding water quality for streams and rivers used for snowmaking, like the Snake River that runs through Keystone. Diane McKnight is interviewed in this Colorado Sun story.

CU Boulder campus in fall colors with flatirons behind

New class of CU Distinguished Professors: Leaders in research, education, service (CU Connections)

Nov. 11, 2021

University’s highest faculty honor awarded to 11 professors for 2021, including INSTAARs Diane McKnight and Giff Miller.

Two mountain streams come together, one with rusty red acid rock drainage

More metals found in Summit County river due to climate change, scientists say (9NEWS)

Nov. 10, 2021

A first-of-its-kind study by Garrett Rue and Diane McKnight suggests that warmer weather and less snowpack are causing higher concentrations of rare earth elements in the river.

CU Boulder campus building with fall tree colors

Six CU Boulder faculty members become distinguished professors (CU Boulder Today)

Nov. 5, 2021

Diane McKnight and Giff Miller are among those added to the roster of distinguished professors, the highest honor bestowed by the CU System. The award recognizes faculty who demonstrate exemplary performance in research or creative work; a record of excellence in promoting learning and student attainment of knowledge and skills; and outstanding service to the profession, the university and its affiliates.

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Diane M. McKnight

Bio

Education

Awards

Research

Publications

Climate and hydrologic variations and implications for lake and stream ecological response in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

Trace organic moieties of dissolved organic material in natural waters

Climate and hydrologic variations and implications for lake and stream ecological response in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

Fungal communities and biomass in mountain streams affected by mine drainage

Pages

Teaching

Current courses

Past courses

Current students

Outreach

News