Articles | Volume 23, issue 19
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-7009-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-7009-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
07 Oct 2026
Research article |
| 07 Oct 2026
| 07 Oct 2026
Physicochemical and urban land-use characteristics associated with resistance to precipitation in estuaries vary across scales
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
Nicole G. Dix
Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082, USA
Biology Department, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
Hannah Nicklay
University of Wisconsin Madison, Division of Extension, Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, Superior, WI 54880, USA
Matthew C. Ferner
San Francisco State University, Estuary and Ocean Science Center, Tiburon, CA 94920, USA
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
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Firnaaz Ahamed, James C. Stegen, Emily B. Graham, Timothy D. Scheibe, and Hyun-Seob Song
Biogeosciences, 23, 6817–6833, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-6817-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-6817-2026, 2026
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This research examines how labile organic matter influences the breakdown of complex organic matter (termed priming). Using a new modeling method, the study shows how microbial growth traits and interactions determine whether priming effects are positive or negative. By identifying microbial strategies as critical drivers of decomposition, this work provides a unified framework to improve predictions of nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration across diverse ecosystems.
Morgan E. Barnes, J. Alan Roebuck Jr., Samantha Grieger, Paul J. Aronstein, Vanessa A. Garayburu-Caruso, Kathleen Munson, Robert P. Young, Kevin D. Bladon, John D. Bailey, Emily B. Graham, Lupita Renteria, Peggy A. O'Day, Timothy D. Scheibe, and Allison N. Myers-Pigg
Biogeosciences, 22, 4491–4505, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4491-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4491-2025, 2025
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Wildfires impact nutrient cycles on land and in water. We used burning experiments to understand the types of phosphorous (P), an essential nutrient, that might be released to the environment after different types of fires. We found the amount of P moving through the environment post-fire is dependent on the type of vegetation and degree of burning, which may influence when and where this material is processed or stored.
Robert E. Danczak, Amy E. Goldman, Mikayla A. Borton, Rosalie K. Chu, Jason G. Toyoda, Vanessa A. Garayburu-Caruso, Emily B. Graham, Joseph W. Morad, Lupita Renteria, Jacqueline R. Hager, Shai Arnon, Scott Brooks, Edo Bar-Zeev, Michael Jones, Nikki Jones, Jorg Lewandowski, Christof Meile, Birgit M. Muller, John Schalles, Hanna Schulz, Adam Ward, and James C. Stegen
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.01.10.575030, https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.01.10.575030, 2025
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As dissolved organic matter (DOM) is transported from land to the ocean through rivers, it interacts with the environment and some is converted to CO2. We used high-resolution carbon analysis to show that DOM from seven rivers exhibited ecological patterns particular to the corresponding river. These results indicate that local processes play an outsized role in shaping DOM. By understanding these interactions across environments, we can predict DOM across spatial scales or under perturbations.
Emily B. Graham, Hyun-Seob Song, Samantha Grieger, Vanessa A. Garayburu-Caruso, James C. Stegen, Kevin D. Bladon, and Allison N. Myers-Pigg
Biogeosciences, 20, 3449–3457, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3449-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3449-2023, 2023
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Intensifying wildfires are increasing pyrogenic organic matter (PyOM) production and its impact on water quality. Recent work indicates that PyOM may have a greater impact on aquatic biogeochemistry than previously assumed, driven by higher bioavailability. We provide a full assessment of the potential bioavailability of PyOM across its chemical spectrum. We indicate that PyOM can be actively transformed within the river corridor and, therefore, may be a growing source of riverine C emissions.
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Short summary
We investigated what physicochemical and land-use factors relate to estuarine resistance to precipitation across spatial scales and salinity gradient. Urbanized estuaries generally showed higher apparent resistance. Water temperature, depth, turbidity, nitrogen, and chlorophyll-a were associated with resistance at the continental scale, but relationships varied across salinity groups and individual estuaries, highlighting context-dependent responses to precipitation.
We investigated what physicochemical and land-use factors relate to estuarine resistance to...
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