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Dr. Thomas W. Boutton
| Title | Regents Professor & TAES Faculty Fellow |
|---|---|
| Specialization | Biogeochemistry, Soil Ecology |
| Education | Ph.D Brigham Young University - Botany M.S. University of Houston - Biology B.A. St. Louis University - Biology |
| Office Phone | (979) 845-8027 |
| Office Fax | (979) 845-6430 |
| boutton@neo.tamu.edu | |
| Address | Texas A&M University Rm 419 Animal Industries Bldg. 2138 TAMU College Station, Texas 77843-2138 USA |
| Web Site | Visit Web Site |
Dr. Boutton is interested in the ecology of grassland and savanna ecosystems, particularly the impacts of land cover/land use changes on ecosystem processes (productivity, decomposition, biogeochemistry, hydrology). At present, most of his work is oriented towards understanding the influence of woody plant invasion into grasslands and savannas on biogeochemistry and soil biology. He is also interested in understanding ecosystem responses to global changes predicted for the future. The effects of climate, land use, and atmospheric composition on ecosystem structure and function are being investigated at time scales ranging from a few years (contemporary ecosystems) to thousands of years (paleo ecosystems), and spatial scales ranging from the soil aggregate to the landscape. Dr. Boutton also serves as Director of the Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry Laboratory, and teaches two graduate level courses (RLEM 602 - Ecology and Land Uses, and RLEM 622 - Biogeochemistry of Terrestrial Ecosystems).
Selected Recent Publications
- Boutton TW, Liao JD, Filley TR, Archer SR. 2008. Belowground carbon storage and dynamics accompanying woody plant encroachment in a subtropical savanna. IN: Soil Carbon Sequestration and the Greenhouse Effect, R. Lal and R. Follett, Eds. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI. (in press).
- Filley TR, Boutton TW, Liao JD, Jastrow JD. 2008. Chemical changes to nonaggregated particulate soil organic matter following grassland-to-woodland transition in a subtropical savanna. Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences (in press).
- Millard P, Midwood AJ, Hunt JE, Whitehead D, Boutton TW. 2008. Partitioning soil surface C02 efflux into autotrophic and heterotrophic components using natural gradients in soil d13C in an undisturbed savanna soil. Soil Biology and Biochemistry (in press).
- Bai E, Boutton TW, Liu F, Wu XB, Archer SR. 2008. Variation in woody plant d13C along a topoedaphic gradient in a subtropical savanna parkland. Oecologia 156: 479-489.
- Liao JD, Boutton TW. 2008. Soil microbial biomass response to woody plant invasion of grassland. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 40: 1207-1216.