Carol Adair

Carol Adair is an Associate Professor at the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont, where she also serves as the Gund Fellow and Director of the Aiken Forestry Sciences Laboratory. Her research focuses on understanding ecosystem responses to global environmental changes, particularly through quantitative modeling and experimental approaches. She holds a Ph.D. in Ecosystem Ecology and Biogeochemistry from Colorado State University (2005), an M.S. in the same field (2000), and a B.A. in Environmental Science and Political Science from Allegheny College (1991).

Her expertise spans global climate change, ecosystem ecology, and biogeochemistry, with a focus on decomposition processes, nutrient cycling, and greenhouse gas emissions. Her work integrates field studies, lab experiments, and computational models to explore how ecosystems respond to anthropogenic and natural disturbances. Notable projects include investigations into the impacts of extreme weather events on decomposition rates, nitrogen dynamics in agricultural systems, and the role of cold-air pooling in forest composition.

Recent research highlights include studies on winter nutrient export in watersheds, the effects of manure application on greenhouse gas emissions, and the development of best management practices for Vermont agroecosystems. Her lab collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to address pressing environmental challenges, such as climate adaptation in agriculture and soil resilience under changing climatic conditions.

• Affiliations: Gund Institute for Environment, George D. Aiken Forestry Sciences Laboratory
• Key Projects:
  • USDA Climate Hub 360 Project on Agroecosystems
  • Climate Change Adaptation in Agriculture
  • High-Elevation Watershed Studies (Mt. Mansfield)

Carol’s team has produced influential publications on topics like nitrogen cycling in hayfields, ice storm impacts on mycorrhizal fungi, and the legacy effects of soil microbial communities. Her work emphasizes bridging gaps between ecological theory and practical applications for sustainable resource management.