Charles T Driscoll
Biographic Data
| ID | 5233107 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Charles T Driscoll |
| GIVEN NAMES | Charles T |
| FAMILY NAME | Driscoll |
| SIGNATURE | DRISCOLL C T |
| AFFILIATIONS | Syracuse University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2692-2890 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 24 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 9 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 24 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1989 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Effects of urbanization on the dynamics of carbon, nitrogen, and water cycling in hardwood forests of the northeastern U.S
Climate-driven sulfate export in alpine watersheds may stimulate methylmercury production
Climate change is increasing sulfate export and changing wetland extent in mountain regions. These changes may increase microbially mediated production of the neurotoxic substance methylmercury due to enhanced sulfate metabolism in mountain environments. Here, we assess methylmercury concentrations and formation rates across high-elevation wetlands in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. We also investigate sulfate controls on methylmercury production w…
Carbon dioxide emissions from global overseas coal-fired power plants
Early warning signals of changing resilience in the biogeochemistry and biology of a northern hardwood forest
Resilience is the ability of ecosystems to maintain function while experiencing perturbation. Globally, forests are experiencing disturbances of unprecedented quantity, type, and magnitude that may diminish resilience. Early warning signals are statistical properties of data whose increase over time may provide insights into decreasing resilience, but there have been few applications to forests. We quantified four early warning signals (standard …
Mercury in soils of the conterminous United States
Soils account for the largest global mercury reservoirs, but observations are sparse in many regions. The accumulation and turnover of mercury in soils determines whether they act as an atmospheric source or sink. Here, we present a spatial analysis of soil mercury from a large soil survey (three horizons, ∼4800 sites) across the conterminous United States conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey. Soil mercury pools were calculated for 11 layers, …
Relaxing Energy Policies Coupled with Climate Change Will Significantly Undermine Efforts to Attain US Ozone Standards
The United States (US) federal administration is relaxing energy policies (EPs), with yet uncharacterized effects on ambient air quality. The complex effects of EPs coupled with uncertainties associated with future climate have hindered past quantification. Here, we integrate model simulations to show that compared with a scenario of continued EPs and stationary climate, relaxation of EPs coupled with intense warming will increase the number of U…
The Affordable Clean Energy rule and the impact of emissions rebound on carbon dioxide and criteria air pollutant emissions
The Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed replacement of the Clean Power Plan (CPP), targets heat rate improvements (HRIs) at individual coal plants in the US. Due to greater plant efficiency, such HRIs could lead to increased generation and emissions, known as an emissions rebound effect. The EPA Regulatory Impact Analysis for the ACE and other analyses to date have not quantified the magnitu…
Senegalese artisanal gold mining leads to elevated total mercury and methylmercury concentrations in soils, sediments, and rivers
The largest source of global mercury (Hg) anthropogenic inputs to the environment is derived from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activities in developing countries. While our understanding of global Hg emissions from ASGM is growing, there is limited empirical documentation about the levels of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) contamination near ASGM sites. We measured THg and MeHg concentrations in soil (n = 119), sedime…
Mercury Contamination in Riverine Sediments and Fish Associated with Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Madre de Dios, Peru
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Madre de Dios, Peru, continues to expand rapidly, raising concerns about increases in loading of mercury (Hg) to the environment. We measured physicochemical parameters in water and sampled and analyzed sediments and fish from multiple sites along one ASGM-impacted river and two unimpacted rivers in the region to examine whether Hg concentrations were elevated and possibly related to ASGM activity. …
Air pollution success stories in the United States
We summarize past examples of the use of science to document the effectiveness of policy in air quality management. Our goal is to inform public discourse amidst attempts to negate the relevance and value of scientific data and fact-based analysis in favor of partisan opinion and ideology. Although air quality is fundamental to environmental and human health, air pollution has degraded natural systems and reduced economic and cultural benefits an…
Integrating mercury research and policy in a changing world
Mercury as a Global Pollutant
Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant that affects human and ecosystem health. We synthesize understanding of sources, atmosphere-land-ocean Hg dynamics and health effects, and consider the implications of Hg-control policies. Primary anthropogenic Hg emissions greatly exceed natural geogenic sources, resulting in increases in Hg reservoirs and subsequent secondary Hg emissions that facilitate its global distribution. The ultimate fate of emitted Hg…
Acidic Deposition and Forest Soils
Foliar Nitrogen Responses to the Environmental Gradient Matrix of the Adirondack Park, New York
Maps derived from remote sensing of canopy nitrogen (N) provide a potential avenue to make spatially explicit, regional-scale predictions of the vital forest ecosystem services that are coupled to the cycling of N and carbon. Yet, to fully use canopy N maps in this capacity, it is necessary to understand how canopy species with differing resource strategies will adjust foliar N in response to environmental variability. In this study, we relate a …
Target loads of atmospheric sulfur deposition protect terrestrial resources in the Adirondack Mountains, New York against biological impacts caused by soil acidification
Recovery of Mercury-Contaminated Fisheries
In this paper, we synthesize available information on the links between changes in ecosystem loading of inorganic mercury (Hg) and levels of methylmercury (MeHg) in fish. Although it is widely hypothesized that increased Hg load to aquatic ecosystems leads to increases in MeHg in fish, there is limited quantitative data to test this hypothesis. Here we examine the available evidence from a range of sources: studies of ecosystems contaminated by i…
The response of lake water in the Adirondack region of New York to changes in acidic deposition
The Adirondack region of New York is characterized by a large number of lakes with low values of acid neutralizing capacity (ANC; ∼25% of lakes have summer ANC values <0 μeq/l), which are sensitive to atmospheric deposition of strong acids. Time-series analysis showed that concentrations of sulfate (SO42−), nitrate (NO3−), ammonium (NH4+) and basic cations have decreased in precipitation, resulting in increases in pH. A relatively uniform rate of…
Acidic Deposition and Forest Soils
The Nature of Soil Acidity and H+ Budgets
Previous Evaluations of Sensitivity of Southern Soils
Simulation of the Potential Impacts of Acidic Deposition on Forest Soils in the South
Synthesis and Recommendations
Forest Soils of the South
Nutrient Cycles and Nutrient Limitations in the South
Recovery of Mercury-Contaminated Fisheries
In this paper, we synthesize available information on the links between changes in ecosystem loading of inorganic mercury (Hg) and levels of methylmercury (MeHg) in fish. Although it is widely hypothesized that increased Hg load to aquatic ecosystems leads to increases in MeHg in fish, there is limited quantitative data to test this hypothesis. Here we examine the available evidence from a range of sources: studies of ecosystems contaminated by i…
Air pollution success stories in the United States
We summarize past examples of the use of science to document the effectiveness of policy in air quality management. Our goal is to inform public discourse amidst attempts to negate the relevance and value of scientific data and fact-based analysis in favor of partisan opinion and ideology. Although air quality is fundamental to environmental and human health, air pollution has degraded natural systems and reduced economic and cultural benefits an…
Integrating mercury research and policy in a changing world
Foliar Nitrogen Responses to the Environmental Gradient Matrix of the Adirondack Park, New York
Maps derived from remote sensing of canopy nitrogen (N) provide a potential avenue to make spatially explicit, regional-scale predictions of the vital forest ecosystem services that are coupled to the cycling of N and carbon. Yet, to fully use canopy N maps in this capacity, it is necessary to understand how canopy species with differing resource strategies will adjust foliar N in response to environmental variability. In this study, we relate a …
The response of lake water in the Adirondack region of New York to changes in acidic deposition
The Adirondack region of New York is characterized by a large number of lakes with low values of acid neutralizing capacity (ANC; ∼25% of lakes have summer ANC values <0 μeq/l), which are sensitive to atmospheric deposition of strong acids. Time-series analysis showed that concentrations of sulfate (SO42−), nitrate (NO3−), ammonium (NH4+) and basic cations have decreased in precipitation, resulting in increases in pH. A relatively uniform rate of…
Acidic Deposition and Forest Soils
The Nature of Soil Acidity and H+ Budgets
Previous Evaluations of Sensitivity of Southern Soils
Simulation of the Potential Impacts of Acidic Deposition on Forest Soils in the South
Synthesis and Recommendations
Forest Soils of the South
Nutrient Cycles and Nutrient Limitations in the South
The response of lake water in the Adirondack region of New York to changes in acidic deposition
The Adirondack region of New York is characterized by a large number of lakes with low values of acid neutralizing capacity (ANC; ∼25% of lakes have summer ANC values <0 μeq/l), which are sensitive to atmospheric deposition of strong acids. Time-series analysis showed that concentrations of sulfate (SO42−), nitrate (NO3−), ammonium (NH4+) and basic cations have decreased in precipitation, resulting in increases in pH. A relatively uniform rate of…
Recovery of Mercury-Contaminated Fisheries
In this paper, we synthesize available information on the links between changes in ecosystem loading of inorganic mercury (Hg) and levels of methylmercury (MeHg) in fish. Although it is widely hypothesized that increased Hg load to aquatic ecosystems leads to increases in MeHg in fish, there is limited quantitative data to test this hypothesis. Here we examine the available evidence from a range of sources: studies of ecosystems contaminated by i…
Target loads of atmospheric sulfur deposition protect terrestrial resources in the Adirondack Mountains, New York against biological impacts caused by soil acidification
Acidic Deposition and Forest Soils
Foliar Nitrogen Responses to the Environmental Gradient Matrix of the Adirondack Park, New York
Maps derived from remote sensing of canopy nitrogen (N) provide a potential avenue to make spatially explicit, regional-scale predictions of the vital forest ecosystem services that are coupled to the cycling of N and carbon. Yet, to fully use canopy N maps in this capacity, it is necessary to understand how canopy species with differing resource strategies will adjust foliar N in response to environmental variability. In this study, we relate a …
Mercury as a Global Pollutant
Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant that affects human and ecosystem health. We synthesize understanding of sources, atmosphere-land-ocean Hg dynamics and health effects, and consider the implications of Hg-control policies. Primary anthropogenic Hg emissions greatly exceed natural geogenic sources, resulting in increases in Hg reservoirs and subsequent secondary Hg emissions that facilitate its global distribution. The ultimate fate of emitted Hg…
Senegalese artisanal gold mining leads to elevated total mercury and methylmercury concentrations in soils, sediments, and rivers
The largest source of global mercury (Hg) anthropogenic inputs to the environment is derived from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activities in developing countries. While our understanding of global Hg emissions from ASGM is growing, there is limited empirical documentation about the levels of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) contamination near ASGM sites. We measured THg and MeHg concentrations in soil (n = 119), sedime…
Mercury Contamination in Riverine Sediments and Fish Associated with Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Madre de Dios, Peru
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Madre de Dios, Peru, continues to expand rapidly, raising concerns about increases in loading of mercury (Hg) to the environment. We measured physicochemical parameters in water and sampled and analyzed sediments and fish from multiple sites along one ASGM-impacted river and two unimpacted rivers in the region to examine whether Hg concentrations were elevated and possibly related to ASGM activity. …
Air pollution success stories in the United States
We summarize past examples of the use of science to document the effectiveness of policy in air quality management. Our goal is to inform public discourse amidst attempts to negate the relevance and value of scientific data and fact-based analysis in favor of partisan opinion and ideology. Although air quality is fundamental to environmental and human health, air pollution has degraded natural systems and reduced economic and cultural benefits an…
Integrating mercury research and policy in a changing world
Relaxing Energy Policies Coupled with Climate Change Will Significantly Undermine Efforts to Attain US Ozone Standards
The United States (US) federal administration is relaxing energy policies (EPs), with yet uncharacterized effects on ambient air quality. The complex effects of EPs coupled with uncertainties associated with future climate have hindered past quantification. Here, we integrate model simulations to show that compared with a scenario of continued EPs and stationary climate, relaxation of EPs coupled with intense warming will increase the number of U…
The Affordable Clean Energy rule and the impact of emissions rebound on carbon dioxide and criteria air pollutant emissions
The Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed replacement of the Clean Power Plan (CPP), targets heat rate improvements (HRIs) at individual coal plants in the US. Due to greater plant efficiency, such HRIs could lead to increased generation and emissions, known as an emissions rebound effect. The EPA Regulatory Impact Analysis for the ACE and other analyses to date have not quantified the magnitu…
Mercury in soils of the conterminous United States
Soils account for the largest global mercury reservoirs, but observations are sparse in many regions. The accumulation and turnover of mercury in soils determines whether they act as an atmospheric source or sink. Here, we present a spatial analysis of soil mercury from a large soil survey (three horizons, ∼4800 sites) across the conterminous United States conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey. Soil mercury pools were calculated for 11 layers, …
Early warning signals of changing resilience in the biogeochemistry and biology of a northern hardwood forest
Resilience is the ability of ecosystems to maintain function while experiencing perturbation. Globally, forests are experiencing disturbances of unprecedented quantity, type, and magnitude that may diminish resilience. Early warning signals are statistical properties of data whose increase over time may provide insights into decreasing resilience, but there have been few applications to forests. We quantified four early warning signals (standard …
Carbon dioxide emissions from global overseas coal-fired power plants
Climate-driven sulfate export in alpine watersheds may stimulate methylmercury production
Climate change is increasing sulfate export and changing wetland extent in mountain regions. These changes may increase microbially mediated production of the neurotoxic substance methylmercury due to enhanced sulfate metabolism in mountain environments. Here, we assess methylmercury concentrations and formation rates across high-elevation wetlands in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. We also investigate sulfate controls on methylmercury production w…
Effects of urbanization on the dynamics of carbon, nitrogen, and water cycling in hardwood forests of the northeastern U.S
Environmental Science (23 works) · Chemistry (17 works) · Biology (11 works) · Soil water (11 works) · Ecology (8 works) · Ecosystem (8 works) · Environmental Chemistry (8 works) · Geography (8 works) · Mercury impact and mitigation studies (8 works) · Ecology (7 works)