Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas.  Because of this, the main goal of Dr. Lapham's research group is to determine the impact of environmental changes (e.g. increased temperatures, increased organic matter loads, etc.) on the flux of methane into aquatic systems and eventually, the atmosphere.  From the Arctic, Chesapeake Bay, Colorado Rivers, and beyond, the big picture questions are:  What physical, biological, and chemical processes control the transport of methane from the sediments to the atmosphere?  How might environmental processes change the flux of methane over space and time?  

Lab highlights:

Watch the cool video on work in Mexican caves! 

Dr. Lapham was awarded for Outstanding Faculty Mentorship

Read Dr. Hadley McIntosh Marcek (MEES PhD 2020) geobite articles here (science news for all!)

Look for more articles by Lapham lab at Orcid ID