Earth Sciences Division Staff: Margaret S. Torn

Biographical Summary

Margaret  S. Torn is head of the Climate and Carbon Sciences Program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Adjunct Associate Professor in Energy and Resources at U.C. Berkeley. Dr. Torn is an ecologist and biogeochemist who studies the natural carbon cycle and anthropogenic influence on the carbon cycle through land use (including bio-energy crops and sequestration management) and climate change. This work uses field experiments, isotopic analysis (14C, 13C), laboratory analysis, and mathematical models. Dr. Torn studies climate change impacts on ecosystems and the services they provide to society. She also studies the influence of the land surface on climate, including the potential for ecosystem-climate feedbacks to contribute to abrupt climate change. She has published work on climate change impacts on wildfire, on biodiversity, and on ecosystem sources and sinks of greenhouse gases. At  Berkeley, Torn teaches a class on climate change impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability, and a seminar on food systems.

Research Interests

The focus of my work is carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems and trace-gas flux between soil and atmosphere. I conduct research on soil carbon, global change, and the impacts of human activities on ecosystem processes. The primary approaches I use are field experiments, elemental and isotopic measurements, and analytical modeling.

At this time, most of our projects are centered on four controls of soil carbon cycling and storage: soil minerals, nutrient status, climate, and land use.

Education

• Ph.D.   Energy and Resources, University of California, Berkeley, 1994
• M.S.    Energy and Resources, University of California, Berkeley, 1990
• B.S.     Conservation and Resource Studies, Highest Honors, University of California, Berkeley, 1984

Professional Experience

• Program Head, Climate and Carbon Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 2001-present
• Associate Adjunct Professor, Energy and Resources, U.C. Berkeley, 2005-present
• Staff Scientist, Earth Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2005-present
• Scientist, Earth Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1998-2005
• Post-Doctoral Fellow, U.C. Irvine and Stanford University 1994-1998
• Graduate Research Assistant, Energy and Resources Group, U.C. Berkeley 1986-1994
• Research Principal Investigator, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Colorado 1991-93
• Science Intern, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 1985-1986

Fellowships and Honors

• Program Head, Climate and Carbon Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 2001-present
• Associate Adjunct Professor, Energy and Resources, U.C. Berkeley, 2005-present
• Staff Scientist, Earth Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2005-present
• Scientist, Earth Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1998-2005
• Post-Doctoral Fellow, U.C. Irvine and Stanford University 1994-1998
• Graduate Research Assistant, Energy and Resources Group, U.C. Berkeley 1986-1994
• Research Principal Investigator, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Colorado 1991-93
• Science Intern, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 1985-1986

Professional Affiliations

• American Geophysical Union
• Ecological Society of America