معرفی
Mark Johnson is a Professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC), holding dual appointments in the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) and the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences within the Faculty of Science. He also serves as the Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Ecohydrology, focusing on interdisciplinary water and carbon cycle research. His research emphasizes ecohydrological processes, land-use impacts, and sustainable management strategies under climate change.
Johnson’s work spans tropical and temperate ecosystems, including the Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal biomes, as well as Canadian watersheds. Key areas include carbon sequestration dynamics, freshwater ecosystem health, and agricultural water efficiency. He collaborates with communities, governments, and industry to translate scientific insights into actionable policies and practices.
His research interests are driven by innovative methods such as drone-based hyperspectral and thermal imaging, remote sensing integration, and Bayesian inference to study ecosystem productivity and water-carbon interactions. He has pioneered studies on biochar applications to improve soil fertility and water retention in drought-prone regions.
Johnson’s scientific contributions include advancing understanding of CO2 and CH4 fluxes in wetlands, evaluating water footprints, and modeling evaporative demands. His work highlights the urgency of rethinking water and land management in agriculturally intensive regions like the tropics and the Lower Fraser Valley.
- Awards: Canada Research Chair (Tier 2, Ecohydrology)
In teaching, Johnson instructs courses such as Global Aspects of Ecohydrology, Social-Ecological Systems, and Ecohydrology of Watersheds, bridging theoretical and applied environmental science. His grants and projects, including the AgWIT initiative, prioritize community-driven solutions for water security and sustainable agriculture.
He leads the Ecohydrology Lab at UBC, coordinating with global networks like AmeriFlux and NASA’s ECOSTRESS mission to enhance large-scale ecohydrological monitoring. His team addresses pressing issues like climate adaptation, wetland restoration, and the socio-hydrological resilience of rural communities in Costa Rica and Brazil.
