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.
Diane McKnight
Director
Natalie Aranda
Grad student
Jared Collins
Grad student
Lauren Magliozzi
Grad student
Tanya Petach
Grad student
Mia Vanderwilt
Grad student
- 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
Major equipment includes
- Shimadzu TOC analyzer
- Antec 9000 DON analyzer
- Agilent 8453 spectrophotometer
- FluroMax2 fluorometer
- fractionation columns
- Ulter-filtration
News
Rare Earth Water (The Poetry of Science)
An original poem and science podcast episode of The Poetry of Science, by Sam Illingworth, inspired by Garrett Rue and Diane McKnight's new paper reporting on climate change as a driver of acid rock drainage and rare earth element contamination of the Snake River, Colorado. Read more
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
Publications
Publications for McKnight are shown below
Editorial
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
McKnight D
Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: BiogeosciencesPublication Date: 2005-09-07
Type: Journal Article
Effects of annual flooding on dissolved organic carbon dynamics within a pristine wetland, the Okavango Delta, Botswana
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Mladenov N; McKnight DM; Wolski P; Ramberg L
Published in: Wetlands: the journal of the Society of Wetland ScientistsPublication Date: 2005-09-01
Type: Journal Article
Spectrofluorometric and spectrophotometric evaluation of the photoreactivity of dissolved organic matter from a coastal lake on Ross Island, Antarctica
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Guerard J; Cory RM; McKnight D; Miller PL
Published in: ACS National Meeting Book of AbstractsPublication Date: 2005-08-28
Type: Journal Article
The specific molecular identification of life experiment (SMILE)
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Sims MR; Cullen DC; Bannister NP; Grant WD; Henry O; Jones R; McKnight D; Thompson DP; Wilson PK
Published in: Planetary and Space SciencePublication Date: 2005-07-01
Type: Journal Article
Sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in a Rocky Mountain stream using chemical fractionation and stable isotopes
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Hood E; Williams MW; Mcknight DM
Published in: Biogeochemistry: an international journalPublication Date: 2005-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Sensitivity analysis of conservative and reactive stream transient storage models applied to field data from multiple-reach experiments
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie; Gooseff, Mike
All Authors:
Gooseff MN; Bencala KE; Scott DT; Runkel RL; McKnight DM
Published in: Advances in Water ResourcesPublication 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:
Published in: Geophysical Research LettersDoran 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
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 BiologyPublication 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 GlaciologyPublication 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 ChemistryPublication Date: 2004-10-01
Type: Journal Article
Denitrification and hydrologic transient storage in a glacial meltwater stream, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
CU Boulder Authors:
Gooseff, Mike; McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Gooseff MN; McKnight DM; Runkel RL; Duff JH
Published in: Limnology and OceanographyPublication 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, Mike; McKnight, Diane Marie
All Authors:
Gooseff MN; Mcknight DM; Runkel RL
Published in: Aquatic GeochemistryPublication 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 GeochemistryPublication 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 SocietyPublication 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 boundariesPublication 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: BiosciencePublication 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 ResearchPublication 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 ResearchPublication 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 ResearchPublication 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 UnionPublication 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 ResourcesPublication 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 ResearchPublication Date: 2003-07-29
Type: Journal Article
Determining long time-scale hyporheic zone flow paths in Antarctic streams
All Authors:
Gooseff MN; McKnight DM; Runke RL; Vaughn BH
Published in: Hydrological ProcessesPublication Date: 2003-06-30
Type: Journal Article
Direct and indirect effects of mine drainage on bacterial processes in mountain streams
CU Boulder Authors:
McKnight, Diane Marie; Lewis, William M, Jr.
All Authors:
Niyogi DK; Lewis WM; McKnight DM
Published in: Journal of the North American Benthological SocietyPublication Date: 2003-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Surface glaciochemistry of Taylor Valley, southern Victoria Land, Antarctica and its relationship to stream chemistry
All Authors:
Lyons WB; Welch KA; Fountain AG; Dana GL; Vaughn BH; McKnight DM
Published in: Hydrological ProcessesPublication Date: 2003-01-01
Type: Journal Article