David Olefeldt

David Olefeldt is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Renewable Resources Department at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences. His research focuses on catchment carbon cycling in boreal and Arctic landscapes, emphasizing wetland functions, permafrost thaw impacts, and greenhouse gas fluxes. He investigates both terrestrial and aquatic aspects of carbon dynamics, including methane emissions and dissolved organic carbon transport. Olefeldt combines fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and remote sensing to address climate change feedbacks in northern ecosystems.

• Affiliations: Catchment and Wetland Sciences Research Group (CAWS)
• Teaching: Courses include BIOL 333 (Wetland Science and Management), REN R 250 (Water Resource Management), and REN R 333 (Wetland Sciences and Management).

His work bridges soil and aquatic sciences, with recent studies on permafrost carbon vulnerability, wildfire effects on carbon export, and global wetland methane synthesis. He emphasizes connecting small-scale studies to large-scale climate projections, particularly in peatland-rich regions.

Labs/Teams: Active in the CAWS group, focusing on integrated catchment studies and wetland science.