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.

Does flood rhythm drive ecosystem responses in tropical riverscapes?
Jardine, Timothy D., Nicholas R. Bond, Michele A. Burford, Mark J. Kennard, Douglas P. Ward, Peter Bayliss, Peter M. Davies, et al. 2015. “Does Flood Rhythm Drive Ecosystem Responses in Tropical Riverscapes?”. Ecology 96 (3): 684-92. doi:10.1890/14-0991.1.
Effects of a diversion hydropower facility on the hydrological regime of the Correntes River, a tributary to the Pantanal floodplain, Brazil
Fantin-Cruz, Ibraim, Olavo Pedrollo, Pierre Girard, Peter Zeilhofer, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2015. “Effects of a Diversion Hydropower Facility on the Hydrological Regime of the Correntes River, a Tributary to the Pantanal Floodplain, Brazil”. Journal of Hydrology 531: 810-20. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2015.10.045.
Evapotranspiration of annual and perennial biofuel crops in a variable climate
Abraha, Michael, Jiquan Chen, Housen Chu, Terenzio Zenone, Ranjeet John, Yahn-Jauh Su, Stephen K. Hamilton, and Philip Robertson. 2015. “Evapotranspiration of Annual and Perennial Biofuel Crops in a Variable Climate”. Global Change Biology - Bioenergy 7 (6): 1344-56. doi:10.1111/gcbb.12239.
Heat-induced mass mortality of invasive zebra mussels (<i>Dreissena polymorpha</i>) at sublethal water temperatures
White, Jeffrey D, Stephen K. Hamilton, and Orlando Sarnelle. 2015. “Heat-Induced Mass Mortality of Invasive Zebra Mussels (<i>Dreissena polymorpha< I>) at Sublethal Water Temperatures”. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 72 (8): 1221-29. doi:10.1139/cjfas-2015-0064.
Natural stressors in uncontaminated sediments of shallow freshwaters: The prevalence of sulfide, ammonia, and reduced iron
Kinsman-Costello, Lauren E., Jonathan M. O’Brien, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2015. “Natural Stressors in Uncontaminated Sediments of Shallow Freshwaters: The Prevalence of Sulfide, Ammonia, and Reduced Iron”. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 34 (3): 467-79. doi:10.1002/etc.2801.
The relative importance of groundwater and its ecological implications in diverse glacial wetlands
Thobaben, Eric T., and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2014. “The Relative Importance of Groundwater and Its Ecological Implications in Diverse Glacial Wetlands”. American Midland Naturalist 172 (2): 205-18. doi:10.1674/0003-0031-172.2.205.
Understanding and overcoming baseline isotopic variability in running waters
Jardine, T. D., W. L. Hadwen, Stephen K. Hamilton, S. Hladyz, S. M. Mitrovic, K. A. Kidd, W . Y. Tsoi, et al. 2014. “Understanding and Overcoming Baseline Isotopic Variability in Running Waters”. River Research and Applications 30 (2): 155-65. doi:10.1002/rra.2630.
You are not always what we think you eat: selective assimilation across multiple whole-stream isotopic tracer studies
Dodds, Walter K., S. M. Collins, Stephen K. Hamilton, J.L. Tank, S.L. Johnson, J.R. Webster, Kevin S. Simon, et al. 2014. “You Are Not Always What We Think You Eat: Selective Assimilation across Multiple Whole-Stream Isotopic Tracer Studies”. Ecology 95 (10): 2757-67. doi:10.1890/13-2276.1.
Nitrate reduction, denitrification, and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium in wetland sediments
Burgin, Amy J., Stephen K. Hamilton, Wayne S. Gardner, and Mark J. McCarthy. 2014. “Nitrate Reduction, Denitrification, and Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium in Wetland Sediments”. In Methods in Biogeochemistry of Wetlands, 519-37. doi:10.2136/sssabookser10.c28.
Farming for ecosystem services: An ecological approach to production agriculture
Robertson, Philip, Katherine L. Gross, Stephen K. Hamilton, Douglas A. Landis, Thomas M. Schmidt, Sieglinde S. Snapp, and Scott M. Swinton. 2014. “Farming for Ecosystem Services: An Ecological Approach to Production Agriculture”. BioScience 64 (5): 404-15. doi:10.1093/biosci/biu037.