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Organic Matter Spectroscopy Lab

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.

Diane McKnight
Director

Natalie Aranda
Grad student

Jared Collins
Grad student

Lauren Magliozzi
Grad student

Tanya Petach
Grad student

Mia Vanderwilt
Grad student

Alumni

Nayoung Hur, MS 2022
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

Diane McKnight

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 in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica

Josh Darling kneels to sample algal mats from a rocky meltwater stream near Canada Glacier in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica

Researcher in shorts and a backpack stands on the grassy shore of an alpine lake within a rocky catchment

Researcher on the grassy shoreline of an alpine lake in the Rocky Mountains.

News

Students involved in Diane McKnight's ongoing research on water quality in the Snake River collect tracer samples along a tributary.

Rare earth elements and old mines spell trouble for Western water supplies

Acid rock and mine drainage into Western streams is a problem. Climate change is making it worse. Read more

More institute news for the Organic Matter Spectroscopy Lab

Publications

Publications for McKnight are shown below

Click to view publications

Sensitivity analysis of conservative and reactive stream transient storage models applied to field data from multiple-reach experiments

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

All Authors: Gooseff MN; Bencala KE; Scott DT; Runkel RL; McKnight DM

Published in: Advances in Water Resources
Publication Date: 2005-05-01
Type: Journal Article

Comment on "El Nino suppresses Antarctic warming" by N. Bertler et al.

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: Geophysical Research Letters
Publication Date: 2005-04-08
Type: Journal Article

Carbon limitation of soil respiration under winter snowpacks: potential feedbacks between growing season and winter carbon fluxes

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Brooks PD; McKnight D; Elder K

Published in: Global Change Biology
Publication Date: 2005-02-01
Type: Journal Article

A temperature-index model of stream flow at below-freezing temperatures in Taylor Valley, Antarctica

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Ebnet AF; Fountain AG; Nylen TH; McKnight DM; Jaros CL

Published in: Annals of Glaciology
Publication Date: 2005-01-01
Type: Journal Article

Chemical characterization of dissolved organic material in Pony Lake, a saline coastal pond in Antarctica

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: Brown A; McKnight DM; Chin YP; Roberts EC; Uhle M

Published in: Marine Chemistry
Publication Date: 2004-10-01
Type: Journal Article

Denitrification and hydrologic transient storage in a glacial meltwater stream, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

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

All Authors: Gooseff MN; McKnight DM; Runkel RL; Duff JH

Published in: Limnology and Oceanography
Publication Date: 2004-09-01
Type: Journal Article

Reach-scale cation exchange controls on major ion chemistry of an Antarctic glacial meltwater stream

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

All Authors: Gooseff MN; Mcknight DM; Runkel RL

Published in: Aquatic Geochemistry
Publication Date: 2004-09-01
Type: Journal Article

Biogeochemical processes controlling midday ferrous iron maxima in stream waters affected by acid rock drainage

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: McKnight DM; Duren SM

Published in: Applied Geochemistry
Publication Date: 2004-07-01
Type: Journal Article

Inorganic N and P dynamics of Antarctic glacial meltwater streams as controlled by hyporheic exchange and benthic autotrophic communities

CU Boulder Authors: McKnight, Diane Marie

All Authors: McKnight DM; Runkel RL; Tate CM; Duff JH; Moorhead DL

Published in: Journal of the North American Benthological Society
Publication Date: 2004-06-01
Type: Journal Article

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: McKnight, Diane Marie; Bowman, Bill

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: Ryan, Joseph N.; McKnight, Diane Marie

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

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: 2003-09-23
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: 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: Gooseff, Michael N; Vaughn, Bruce H; McKnight, Diane Marie

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: McKnight, Diane Marie; Vaughn, Bruce H; 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

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: McKnight, Diane Marie; Gooseff, Michael N

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

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Breadcrumb

Organic Matter Spectroscopy Lab

Breadcrumb

Organic Matter Spectroscopy Lab

Contact & services

News

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

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