Breadcrumb
Organic Matter Spectroscopy Lab
Breadcrumb
Image: Boulder Reservoir by Richard Saxon
We measure the amount and character of dissolved organic matter from diverse ecosystems, especially aquatic ones. We often combine our lab data with field-scale experiments and modeling to understand of the interactions between hydrologic, chemical and biological processes in controlling the dynamics of these systems.
- Garrett Rue, PhD 2019
- Alia Lauren Khan, NSF Graduate Research Fellow
- Maggie Burns, MA 2014 in Geography; now Hydrologist
- Rachel Gabor, PhD 2013 in Environmental Studies
- Jessica Ebert, MS 2012
Contact & services
Major equipment includes
- Shimadzu TOC analyzer
- Antec 9000 DON analyzer
- Agilent 8453 spectrophotometer
- FluroMax2 fluorometer
- fractionation columns
- Ulter-filtration
Josh Darling kneels to sample algal mats from a rocky meltwater stream near Canada Glacier in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica
Researcher on the grassy shoreline of an alpine lake in the Rocky Mountains.
Publications
Publications for McKnight are shown below
Antarctic lake phytoplankton and bacteria from near-surface waters exhibit high sensitivity to climate-driven disturbance
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Sherwell S; Kalra I; Li W; McKnight DM; Priscu JC; Morgan-Kiss RM
Published in: Environmental MicrobiologyPublication Date: 2022-07-20
Type: Journal Article
Dissolved Organic Carbon Chemostasis in Antarctic Polar Desert Streams
CU Boulder Authors:
Gooseff, Michael N; McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Torrens CL; Gooseff MN; McKnight DM
Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: BiogeosciencesPublication Date: 2022-07-01
Type: Journal Article
Whither Winter: The Altered Role of Winter for Freshwaters as the Climate Changes
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Cotner JB; Powers SM; Sadro S; McKnight D
Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: BiogeosciencesPublication Date: 2022-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Long-term stream hydrology and meteorology of a Polar Desert, the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
CU Boulder Authors:
Gooseff, Michael N; McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Gooseff MN; McKnight DM; Doran PT; Fountain A
Published in: Hydrological ProcessesPublication Date: 2022-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Long-term ecological research and the COVID-19 anthropause: A window to understanding social-ecological disturbance
CU Boulder Authors:
Molotch, Noah Paul; McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Published in: EcosphereGaiser EE; Kominoski JS; McKnight DM; Bahlai CA; Cheng C; Record S; Wollheim WM; Christianson KR; Downs MR; Hawman PA...
- Gaiser EE
- Kominoski JS
- McKnight DM
- Bahlai CA
- Cheng C
- Record S
- Wollheim WM
- Christianson KR
- Downs MR
- Hawman PA
Publication Date: 2022-04-01
Type: Journal Article
Blowin' in the wind: Dispersal, structure, and metacommunity dynamics of aeolian diatoms in the McMurdo Sound region, Antarctica
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Schulte NO; Khan AL; Smith EW; Zoumplis A; Kaul D; Allen AE; Adams BJ; McKnight DM
Published in: Journal of Phycology: an international journal of algal researchPublication Date: 2021-12-27
Type: Journal Article
Effects of hydrologic variability and remedial actions on first flush and metal loading from streams draining the Silverton caldera, 1992-2014
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Petach TN; Runkel RL; Cowie RM; McKnight DM
Published in: Hydrological ProcessesPublication Date: 2021-11-01
Type: Journal Article
Using an unmanned aerial vehicle water sampler to gather data in a pit-lake mining environment to assess closure and monitoring
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Straight BJ; Castendyk DN; McKnight DM; Newman CP; Filiatreault P; Pino A
Published in: Environmental Monitoring and AssessmentPublication Date: 2021-09-01
Type: Journal Article
Supporting Simultaneous Air Revitalization and Thermal Control in a Crewed Habitat With Temperate Chlorella vulgaris and Eurythermic Antarctic Chlorophyta
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie; Nabity, James A.
All Authors:
Matula EE; Nabity JA; McKnight DM
Published in: Frontiers in MicrobiologyPublication Date: 2021-08-24
Type: Journal Article
Enhanced Rare Earth Element Mobilization in a Mountain Watershed of the Colorado Mineral Belt with Concomitant Detection in Aquatic Biota: Increasing Climate Change-Driven Degradation to Water Quality
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Rue GP; McKnight DM
Published in: Environmental Science and Technology (Washington)Publication Date: 2021-08-04
Type: Journal Article
Phytoplankton Drivers of Dissolved Organic Material Production in Colorado Reservoirs and the Formation of Disinfection By-Products
All Authors:
Khan AL; Sokol ER; McKnight DM; Saunders JF; Hohner AK; Summers RS
Published in: Frontiers in Environmental SciencePublication Date: 2021-07-30
Type: Journal Article
From the Heroic Age to today: What diatoms from Shackleton's Nimrod expedition can tell us about the ecological trajectory of Antarctic ponds
All Authors:
Kohler TJ; Howkins A; Sokol ER; Kopalova K; Cox A; Darling JP; Gooseff MN; McKnight DM
Published in: Limnology and Oceanography LettersPublication Date: 2021-07-02
Type: Journal Article
The Role of Hyporheic Connectivity in Determining Nitrogen Availability: Insights From an Intermittent Antarctic Stream
All Authors:
Singley JG; Gooseff MN; McKnight DM; Hinckley ES
Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: BiogeosciencesPublication Date: 2021-05-01
Type: Journal Article
Connectivity: insights from the US Long Term Ecological Research Network
CU Boulder Authors:
Gooseff, Michael N; Johnson, Pieter; McKnight, Diane Marie; Suding, Katharine Nash
All Authors:
Published in: EcosphereIwaniec DM; Gooseff M; Suding KN; Samuel Johnson D; Reed DC; Peters DPC; Adams B; Barrett JE; Bestelmeyer BT; Castorani ...
- Iwaniec DM
- Gooseff M
- Suding KN
- Samuel Johnson D
- Reed DC
- Peters DPC
- Adams B
- Barrett JE
- Bestelmeyer BT
- Castorani MCN
Publication Date: 2021-05-01
Type: Journal Article
Diatoms in Hyporheic Sediments Trace Organic Matter Retention and Processing in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
All Authors:
Heindel RC; Darling JP; Singley JG; Bergstrom AJ; McKnight DM; Lukkari BM; Welch KA; Gooseff MN
Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: BiogeosciencesPublication Date: 2021-02-01
Type: Journal Article
Geochemistry of contrasting stream types, Taylor Valley, Antarctica
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Harmon RS; Leslie DL; Lyons WB; Welch KA; McKnight DM
Published in: Geological Society of America BulletinPublication Date: 2021-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Geochemistry of aeolian material from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica: Insights into Southern Hemisphere dust sources
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Diaz MA; Welch SA; Sheets JM; Welch KA; Khan A; Adams B; McKnight D; Cary SC; Lyons WB
Published in: Earth and Planetary Science LettersPublication Date: 2020-10-01
Type: Journal Article
Evaluating Alternative Metacommunity Hypotheses for Diatoms in the McMurdo Dry Valleys Using Simulations and Remote Sensing Data
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie; Sokol, Eric Robert
All Authors:
Sokol ER; Barrett JE; Kohler TJ; McKnight DM; Salvatore MR; Stanish LF
Published in: Frontiers in Ecology and EvolutionPublication Date: 2020-09-25
Type: Journal Article
Biofuel Burning Influences Refractory Black Carbon Concentrations in Seasonal Snow at Lower Elevations of the Dudh Koshi River Basin of Nepal
CU Boulder Authors:
Rittger, Karl E; McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Khan AL; Rittger K; Xian P; Katich JM; Armstrong RL; Kayastha RB; Dana JL; McKnight DM
Published in: Frontiers in Earth SciencePublication Date: 2020-09-16
Type: Journal Article
Silicon Isotopic Composition of Dry and Wet-Based Glaciers in Antarctica
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Published in: Frontiers in Earth ScienceHatton JE; Hendry KR; Hirst C; Opfergelt S; Henkel S; Silva-Busso A; Welch SA; Wadham JL; Lyons WB; Bagshaw E...
- Hatton JE
- Hendry KR
- Hirst C
- Opfergelt S
- Henkel S
- Silva-Busso A
- Welch SA
- Wadham JL
- Lyons WB
- Bagshaw E
Publication Date: 2020-07-14
Type: Journal Article
Silicon Isotopes Reveal a Non-glacial Source of Silicon to Crescent Stream, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Hirst C; Opfergelt S; Gaspard F; Hendry KR; Hatton JE; Welch S; McKnight DM; Lyons WB
Published in: Frontiers in Earth SciencePublication Date: 2020-06-26
Type: Journal Article
Experimental effects of elevated temperature and nitrogen deposition on high-elevation aquatic communities
All Authors:
Preston DL; Sokol ER; Hell K; McKnight DM; Johnson PTJ
Published in: Aquatic Sciences: research across boundariesPublication Date: 2020-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Dynamic changes in dissolved organic matter composition in a Mountain Lake under ice cover and relationships to changes in nutrient cycling and phytoplankton community composition
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Rue GP; Darling JP; Graham E; Tfaily MM; McKnight DM
Published in: Aquatic Sciences: research across boundariesPublication Date: 2020-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Effects of Spatial Variability and Relic DNA Removal on the Detection of Temporal Dynamics in Soil Microbial Communities
All Authors:
Published in: mBioCarini P; Delgado-Baquerizo M; Hinckley E-LS; Holland-Moritz H; Brewer TE; Rue G; Vanderburgh C; McKnight D; Fierer N...
- Carini P
- Delgado-Baquerizo M
- Hinckley E-LS
- Holland-Moritz H
- Brewer TE
- Rue G
- Vanderburgh C
- McKnight D
- Fierer N
Publication Date: 2020-01-01
Type: Journal Article
The life aquatic in high relief: shifts in the physical and biological characteristics of alpine lakes along an elevation gradient in the Rocky Mountains, USA
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie; Johnson, Pieter
All Authors:
Loria KA; Mcknight D; Ragar DM; Johnson PTJ
Published in: Aquatic Sciences: research across boundariesPublication Date: 2020-01-01
Type: Journal Article
