Dr. Michelle Wong

Biogeochemist | PhD, Cornell University

www.michelleywong.com

845 677-7600 x129

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Dr. Wong's research focuses on how nutrients cycle in the environment and how forests obtain nutrients to grow and support their role in the global carbon cycle.

Current research

Nutrient limitation in regenerating forests

Regenerating secondary tropical forests grow rapidly and are a large land sink for anthropogenic carbon dioxide. A key uncertainty in climate forecasts is whether secondary forests will continue to take up carbon dioxide at the same rates indefinitely, or whether nutrients will eventually limit growth. To combat nutrient limitation, tree species may use different nutrient acquisition strategies.

Dr. Wong will be studying the role individual species have in responding to nutrient conditions. This will help us predict future forest productivity under global change.

Fire decreases soil enzyme activities and reorganizes microbially mediated nutrient cycles: A meta‐analysis
Zhou, Yong, Arielle Biro, Michelle Y. Wong, Sarah A. Batterman, and Carla Staver. 2022. “Fire Decreases Soil Enzyme Activities and Reorganizes Microbially Mediated Nutrient Cycles: A meta‐analysis”. Ecology 103 (11). Wiley. doi:10.1002/ecy.3807.
A roadmap for sampling and scaling biological nitrogen fixation in terrestrial ecosystems
Soper, Fiona M., Benton N. Taylor, Joy B. Winbourne, Michelle Y. Wong, Katherine A. Dynarski, Carla R. G. Reis, Mark B. Peoples, et al. 2021. “A Roadmap for Sampling and Scaling Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Terrestrial Ecosystems”. Edited by Jessica Royles. Methods in Ecology and Evolution. Wiley. doi:10.1111/2041-210x.13586.
Anthropogenic Perturbations to the Atmospheric Molybdenum Cycle
Wong, Michelle Y., Sagar D. Rathod, Roxanne Marino, Longlei Li, Robert W. Howarth, Andres Alastuey, Maria Grazia, et al. 2021. “Anthropogenic Perturbations to the Atmospheric Molybdenum Cycle”. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 35 (2). American Geophysical Union (AGU). doi:10.1029/2020gb006787.
Tradeoffs and Synergies in Tropical Forest Root Traits and Dynamics for Nutrient and Water Acquisition: Field and Modeling Advances
Cusack, DF, SD Addo-Danso, EA Agee, KM Andersen, M Arnaud, Sarah A. Batterman, FQ Brearley, et al. 2021. “Tradeoffs and Synergies in Tropical Forest Root Traits and Dynamics for Nutrient and Water Acquisition: Field and Modeling Advances”. FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE 4. doi:10.3389/ffgc.2021.704469.
Creating community: a peer-led, adaptable postdoc program to build transferable career skills and overcome isolation
Fork, M.L., Elsa C. Anderson, Adrian Castellanos, Ilya R. Fischhoff, Marissa Matsler, Chelsey Nieman, Isabella Oleksy, and Michelle Y. Wong. (2024) 2021. “Creating Community: A Peer-Led, Adaptable Postdoc Program to Build Transferable Career Skills and Overcome Isolation”. ECOSPHERE 12 (10). doi:10.1002/ecs2.3767.
A review of carbon farming impacts on nitrogen cycling, retention, and loss
Almaraz, Maya, Michelle Y. Wong, EK Geoghegan, and BZ Houlton. 2021. “A Review of Carbon Farming Impacts on Nitrogen Cycling, Retention, and Loss”. ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. doi:10.1111/nyas.14690.
Natural atmospheric deposition of molybdenum: a global model and implications for tropical forests
Wong, Michelle Y., Natalie M. Mahowald, Roxanne Marino, Earle R. Williams, Shankar Chellam, and Robert W. Howarth. 2020. “Natural Atmospheric Deposition of Molybdenum: A Global Model and Implications for Tropical Forests”. Biogeochemistry 149 (2). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 159-74. doi:10.1007/s10533-020-00671-w.