Elizabeth Canuel

Education

• B.S., Stonehill College, North Easton, MA, Chemistry
• Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, Marine Sciences

About

My training and research interests lie in the areas of marine organic geochemistry and chemical oceanography. I use chemical "signatures" present in environmental samples to obtain information about the sources of organic matter important to freshwater, estuarine and marine ecosystems. This information can be present in elemental ratios, the presence of specific organic compounds, and the natural and radiocarbon isotopic ratios of biologically-important elements (C, N, S) and organic compounds. Collectively, these geochemical tools are termed "biomarkers". Important characteristics of biomarkers are: (1) their source specificity and (2) the stability of the compounds. Data obtained through these studies can provide insights into the sources and reactivity of organic materials produced within complex marine and freshwater ecosystems. This information can tell us, for example, whether production is primarily supported by phytoplankton, terrigenous or marsh vascular plants, submerged aquatic vegetation (e.g., seagrass), or inputs from the rivers draining into the estuary.

The over-arching goal in my use of these geochemical tracers has been to identify key processes important in controlling the composition and cycling of particulate and sedimentary organic matter in the coastal ocean.  I use these tracers to study: (1) factors controlling organic carbon composition at both modern and geologic timescales, (2) coastal and estuarine food web interactions and (3) organic matter diagenesis.  My interest in these topics is motivated by the need to understand how human activities (e.g., land use, nutrient enrichment, water management and climate change) influence the carbon cycle.