Asmeret Berhe
Associate Professor, Soil Biogeochemistry
Life and Environmental Sciences Unit
School of Natural Sciences
University of California, Merced
5200 N. Lake Rd
Merced, California 95348
USA
Email:
Website: external page http://aaberhe.com
Research Interest
My research primarily focuses on biogeochemical cycling of essential elements (esp. carbon and nitrogen) in the soil system and how physical perturbations in the environment (ex. erosion, fire, changes in climate) affects stability and mechanisms of stabilization of soil organic matter.
Education
1996 - University of Asmara; Soil and Water Conservation B.Sc.
2000 - Michigan State University; Resource Development (Political Ecology) M.Sc.
2006 - University of California, Berkeley; Environmental Science Policy and Management (Biogeochemistry) Ph.D.
Work Experience
2014-present - Associate Professor, Soil Biogeochemistry, UC Merced
2009-2014 - Assistant Professor, Soil Biogeochemistry, UC Merced
2008 - UC Presidents Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis
2006-2008 - UC Presidents Postdoctoral Fellow, Earth and Planetary Science Department, UC Berkeley
Selected Publications
Berhe, A. A., Torn, M.S., Harden, J., Kleber, M., Burton, S.D., Harte, J. Persistence of Soil Organic Matter in Eroding vs. Depositional Landform Positions. (2012). Journal of Geophysical Research – Biogeosciences. 117, G02019
Kaiser, M*, M Kleber, A.A. Berhe. (2015) How air-drying and rewetting modify soil organic matter characteristics: an assessment to improve data interpretations and inference. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 80: 324-340
Berhe, A.A., Suttle, K.B., Burton, S.D., and J.F. Banfield. (2012). Contingency in the Direction and Mechanics of Soil Organic Matter Responses to Increased Rainfall. Plant and soil. 358: 371-383
Arnold, C*, T.A. Ghezzehei, A.A. Berhe. (2015) Decomposition of distinct organic matter pools is regulated by moisture status in structured wetland soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 81: 28-37
Berhe, A. A. and M. Kleber. (2013) Erosion, deposition and the persistence of soil organic matter: important considerations and problems with terminology. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 38: 908-912
Amundson, R, A.A. Berhe, J. Hopmans, C. Olson, E. Sztein, D. Sparks. (2015) Soil and Human Security in the 21st Century. Science. 2015. 348 (6235) DOI:10.1126/science.1261071