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 pagehttp://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