EMES Seminar Speaker – Dr. Robert Spencer, Florida State University

Organic matter holds a richness of molecular-level information that can be linked to sources, processing, and ultimately its environmental role. In recent decades the rise of ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry has led to enhanced ability in resolving organic matter molecular complexity and opening the black box linking organic matter to the rapidly changing world around us. Combining this technique with other analytical tools recent studies will be described that highlight from the Arctic to the Equator the human impact on the carbon cycle at the molecular level. Examples will focus on permafrost thaw in the Arctic, the impact of agriculture in the tropics, and the utility of glacier ecosystems for providing a window into anthropogenic impacts through depositional processes globally. Linking ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry techniques to other analyses, particularly the use of radiocarbon, these examples highlight how humans are impacting the carbon cycle in a myriad of ways across a range of ecosystems.

To receive CLE Credit, you must attend in person.