Biology Faculty Profiles

Peter Weishampel

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Title: Assistant Professor of Biology & Natural Resources
Office Location: CSE 139
Phone: (715) 682-1326
Email: pweishampel@northland.edu

Education

Ph.D. Natural Resources, Cornell University
M.S. Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia
B.A. Chemistry, Oberlin College

Profile

Early in my career as an ecologist, I had the opportunity to study the forests and peatlands of northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin. I fell in love with the natural beauty of the region and its complex ecosystems. I am enthusiastic about returning to the region to once again make it my outdoor classroom and to share my passion for its ecology with the Northland College community.

When not actively studying or teaching ecology, I find myself enjoying nature in less structured ways, such as hiking, bicycling, and gardening.

Research

I study the biogeochemistry of terrestrial ecosystems. Biogeochemists study the movement and transformation of chemicals in ecological systems and seek to understand how these chemical dynamics influence and are influenced by organisms. My research has focused on the interactions between the biological and chemical components of forest and wetland soils. Opaque soils obscure our view of plant roots, earthworms and other invertebrates, microbes, and molecules, but their dynamics can have tangible ecological consequences, impacting biodiversity, water quality, atmospheric chemistry, and climate. Here are some examples of questions I have addressed in my research:

• How do different forest soil types buffer acid rain?
• Can an invasive herbivorous insect (the gypsy moth) alter the nitrogen composition of soils and what does that mean for fish in downstream waters?
• To what extent can wetland soils prevent the movement of agricultural fertilizers (nitrogen and phosphorus) to downstream waters, where they have undesirable consequences?
• How will climate change influence the natural production of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) from peatlands?
• How do forest cover types differ in their accumulation of soil carbon?
• Do mycorrhizal fungi (symbiotic organisms found in most plant roots) help wetland plants acquire soil nutrients, and do they influence plant biodiversity?

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