Dr. Stephen K. Hamilton

Ecosystem Ecologist, Biogeochemist | PhD, University of California at Santa Barbara

Expertise
wetlands, streams, rivers and lakes, agricultural ecology, water quality, tropical rivers, floodplains

845 677-7600 x237

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Stephen Hamilton’s principal research interests involve ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry, with particular emphasis on water. He has studied wetlands, streams, lakes, reservoirs, and watersheds, as well as agricultural cropping systems and their effects on water and climate. His research draws on multiple disciplines to understand and mitigate environmental problems and inform environmental protection and conservation.

Hamilton’s research publications include studies of nutrient cycling, greenhouse gas emissions, invasive species, food webs, remote sensing, conservation planning, and hydrology. He has received awards for his engagement with environmental issues from the Michigan Environmental Council and the Society for Freshwater Science, and is a Fellow of that society.

Hamilton has conducted a variety of studies in tropical floodplain and river ecosystems of South America and Australia, and presently works with several research groups in Brazil on hydropower effects on river systems.

Hamilton also works part-time as a Professor at Michigan State University’s Kellogg Biological Station. Here, Hamilton has recently served as the Lead Principal Investigator of the National Science Foundation’s Long Term Ecological Research site. He is also a Project Leader in the Department of Energy’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center.

Animal legacies lost and found in river ecosystems
Frauendorf, TC, Amanda L. Subalusky, CL Dutton, Stephen K. Hamilton, FO Masese, Emma J. Rosi, GA Singer, and DM Post. (2025) 2021. “Animal Legacies Lost and Found in River Ecosystems”. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS 16 (11). doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ac2cb0.
Hydropeaking by Small Hydropower Facilities Affects Flow Regimes on Tributaries to the Pantanal Wetland of Brazil
de Figueiredo, Juliane Stella M. C., Ibraim Fantin-Cruz, Geovanna Mikaelle S. Silva, Renato Leandro Beregula, Pierre Girard, Peter Zeilhofer, Eduardo Morgan Uliana, Eduardo Beraldo de Morais, Hans M. Tritico, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2021. “Hydropeaking by Small Hydropower Facilities Affects Flow Regimes on Tributaries to the Pantanal Wetland of Brazil”. Frontiers in Environmental Science 9. Frontiers Media SA. doi:10.3389/fenvs.2021.577286.
Phosphorus availability and leaching losses in annual and perennial cropping systems in an upper US Midwest landscape
Hussain, MZ, Stephen K. Hamilton, GP Robertson, and B Basso. 2021. “Phosphorus Availability and Leaching Losses in Annual and Perennial Cropping Systems in an Upper US Midwest Landscape”. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS 11 (1). doi:10.1038/s41598-021-99877-7.
Root water uptake of biofuel crops revealed by coupled electrical resistivity and soil water content measurements
Kuhl, Alexandria S., Anthony D. Kendall, Remke L. van Dam, Stephen K. Hamilton, and David W. Hyndman. 2021. “Root Water Uptake of Biofuel Crops Revealed by Coupled Electrical Resistivity and Soil Water Content Measurements”. Vadose Zone Journal 20 (4). Wiley. doi:10.1002/vzj2.20124.
Modeling the effects of vegetation on stream temperature dynamics in a large, mixed land cover watershed in the Great Lakes region
Qiu, Han, Stephen K. Hamilton, and Mantha S. Phanikumar. 2020. “Modeling the Effects of Vegetation on Stream Temperature Dynamics in a Large, Mixed Land Cover Watershed in the Great Lakes Region”. Journal of Hydrology 581. Elsevier BV: 124283. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.124283.
Empirical Evidence for the Potential Climate Benefits of Decarbonizing Light Vehicle Transport in the U.S. with Bioenergy from Purpose-Grown Biomass with and without BECCS
Gelfand, Ilya, Stephen K. Hamilton, Alexandra N. Kravchenko, Randall D. Jackson, Kurt D. Thelen, and Philip Robertson. 2020. “Empirical Evidence for the Potential Climate Benefits of Decarbonizing Light Vehicle Transport in the U.S. With Bioenergy from Purpose-Grown Biomass With and Without BECCS”. Environmental Science & Technology 54 (5). American Chemical Society (ACS): 2961-74. doi:10.1021/acs.est.9b07019.
Parasite and pathogen effects on ecosystem processes: A quantitative review
Fischhoff, Ilya R., Tao Huang, Stephen K. Hamilton, Barbara A. Han, Shannon L. LaDeau, Richard S. Ostfeld, Emma J. Rosi, and Christopher T. Solomon. 2020. “Parasite and Pathogen Effects on Ecosystem Processes: A Quantitative Review”. Ecosphere 11 (5). Wiley. doi:10.1002/ecs2.3057.
Alternative Biogeochemical States of River Pools Mediated by Hippo Use and Flow Variability
Dutton, Christopher L., Amanda L. Subalusky, Stephen K. Hamilton, Ella C. Bayer, Laban Njoroge, Emma J. Rosi, and David M. Post. 2020. “Alternative Biogeochemical States of River Pools Mediated by Hippo Use and Flow Variability”. Ecosystems. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1007/s10021-020-00518-3.
Leaching losses of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen from agricultural soils in the upper US Midwest
Hussain, Mir Zaman, Philip Robertson, Bruno Basso, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2020. “Leaching Losses of Dissolved Organic Carbon and Nitrogen from Agricultural Soils in the Upper US Midwest”. Science of The Total Environment 734. Elsevier BV: 139379. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139379.
Hydropeaking Operations of Two Run-of-River Mega-Dams Alter Downstream Hydrology of the Largest Amazon Tributary
Almeida, R. M., Stephen K. Hamilton, Emma J. Rosi, N. Barros, C. R. C. Doria, A. S. Flecker, A. S. Fleischmann, A. J. Reisinger, and F. Roland. (2025) 2020. “Hydropeaking Operations of Two Run-of-River Mega-Dams Alter Downstream Hydrology of the Largest Amazon Tributary”. Frontiers in Environmental Science 8.