Biography

I am a physical geographer and soil scientist, with research projects focusing on the quantification of soil-landscape relationships in natural and anthropogenic environments, examining how they respond to climate and land-use changes. My recent work has been conducted in post-glacial landscapes in Southeast Alaska, the interior of British Columbia, and an experimental forest in the Northeastern United States. These studies integrate fieldwork with analyses of soil geochemistry and mineralogy, and utilize both stable and unstable isotopes. Modeling techniques are applied to assess chemical weathering rates, soil development, soil carbon dynamics, as well as erosion and sedimentation rates.

The key elements of my research include:

1. Evaluating the effects of deforestation on soil erosion rates using 239+240Pu isotopes as tracers;
2. Examining the consequences of land-use change on soil erosion across different timescales; and
3. Analyzing the relationship between soil formation, soil carbon storage, and landscape stability in recently deglaciated landscapes.

In addition to my research, I am serving as an editor for Catena Journal, where I contribute to advancing knowledge in the fields of soil formation, soil erosion, and landscape evolution.

I am co-teaching BIOL 302 Limnology in the winter semester of 2024. Additionally, I will teach FSTY 205 - Introduction to Soil Science and FSTY 425 - Soil Formation and Classification in the fall semester of 2024.

Selected Publications

Curriculum Vitae

C.V. for Dr. Raquel Portes