Dr. Stephen K. Hamilton

Ecosystem Ecologist, Biogeochemist | PhD, University of California at Santa Barbara

Expertise
wetlands, streams, rivers and lakes, agricultural ecology, water quality, tropical rivers, floodplains

845 677-7600 x237

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Stephen Hamilton’s principal research interests involve ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry, with particular emphasis on water. He has studied wetlands, streams, lakes, reservoirs, and watersheds, as well as agricultural cropping systems and their effects on water and climate. His research draws on multiple disciplines to understand and mitigate environmental problems and inform environmental protection and conservation.

Hamilton’s research publications include studies of nutrient cycling, greenhouse gas emissions, invasive species, food webs, remote sensing, conservation planning, and hydrology. He has received awards for his engagement with environmental issues from the Michigan Environmental Council and the Society for Freshwater Science, and is a Fellow of that society.

Hamilton has conducted a variety of studies in tropical floodplain and river ecosystems of South America and Australia, and presently works with several research groups in Brazil on hydropower effects on river systems.

As of 2024, Hamilton is retired from both Cary Institute and from his long-time position as a Professor at Michigan State University’s Kellogg Biological Station, though he will remain academically active. At Michigan State, Hamilton was a principal investigator for the National Science Foundation’s Long Term Ecological Research site and a Project Leader in the Department of Energy’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. He now lives in northern Michigan.

The greenhouse gas cost of agricultural intensification with groundwater irrigation in a Midwest U.S. row cropping system
McGill, Bonnie, Stephen K. Hamilton, N. Millar, and G. P. Robertson. 2018. “The Greenhouse Gas Cost of Agricultural Intensification With Groundwater Irrigation in a Midwest U.S. Row Cropping System”. Global Change Biology 24 (12): 5948-60. doi:10.1111/gcb.14472.
Legacy effects of land use on soil nitrous oxide emissions in annual crop and perennial grassland ecosystems
Abraha, Michael, Ilya Gelfand, Stephen K. Hamilton, Jiquan Chen, and Philip Robertson. 2018. “Legacy Effects of Land Use on Soil Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Annual Crop and Perennial Grassland Ecosystems”. Ecological Applications 28 (5): 1362-69. doi:10.1002/eap.1745.
Cellulosic biofuel contributions to a sustainable energy future: Choices and outcomes
Robertson, Philip, Stephen K. Hamilton, Bradford L. Barham, Bruce E. Dale, Cesar Izaurralde, Randall D. Jackson, Douglas A. Landis, Scott M. Swinton, Kurt D. Thelen, and James M. Tiedje. 2017. “Cellulosic Biofuel Contributions to a Sustainable Energy Future: Choices and Outcomes”. Science 356 (6345). doi:10.1126/science.aal2324.
Drivers of nitrogen transfer in stream food webs across continents
Norman, B. M., M.R. Whiles, S. M. Collins, A.S. Flecker, Stephen K. Hamilton, S.L. Johnson, Emma J. Rosi, et al. 2017. “Drivers of Nitrogen Transfer in Stream Food Webs across Continents”. Ecology 98 (12): 3044-55. doi:10.1002/ecy.2009.
A Global Assessment of Inland Wetland Conservation Status
Reis, Vanessa, Virgilio Hermoso, Stephen K. Hamilton, Douglas Ward, Etienne Fluet-Chouinard, Bernhard Lehner, and Simon Linke. 2017. “A Global Assessment of Inland Wetland Conservation Status”. BioScience 67 (6): 523-33. doi:10.1093/biosci/bix045.
LAGOS-NE: a multi-scaled geospatial and temporal database of lake ecological context and water quality for thousands of US lakes
Soranno, Patricia A, Linda C. Bacon, Michael Beauchene, Karen E. Bednar, Edward G. Bissell, Claire K Boudreau, Marvin G Boyer, et al. 2017. “LAGOS-NE: A Multi-Scaled Geospatial and Temporal Database of Lake Ecological Context and Water Quality for Thousands of US Lakes”. GigaScience 6 (12): 1-22. doi:10.1093/gigascience/gix101.
Partitioning assimilatory nitrogen uptake in streams: an analysis of stable isotope tracer additions across continents
Tank, Jennifer L., E. Marti, T. Riis, D. von Schiller, Alexander J. Reisinger, Walter K. Dodds, M.R. Whiles, et al. 2017. “Partitioning Assimilatory Nitrogen Uptake in Streams: An Analysis of Stable Isotope Tracer Additions across Continents”. Ecological Monographs 88 (1): 120-38. doi:10.1002/ecm.1280.
Unexpected population response to increasing temperature in the context of a strong species interaction
White, Jeffrey D, Orlando Sarnelle, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2017. “Unexpected Population Response to Increasing Temperature in the Context of a Strong Species Interaction”. Ecological Applications 27 (5): 1657-65. doi:10.1002/eap.1558.
Changes in river water quality caused by a diversion hydropower dam bordering the Pantanal floodplain
Fantin-Cruz, Ibraim, Olavo Pedrollo, Pierre Girard, Peter Zeilhofer, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2016. “Changes in River Water Quality Caused by a Diversion Hydropower Dam Bordering the Pantanal Floodplain”. Hydrobiologia 768 (1): 223-38. doi:10.1007/s10750-015-2550-4.
Ecosystem water-use efficiency of annual corn and perennial grasslands: Contributions from land-use history and species composition
Abraha, Michael, Ilya Gelfand, Stephen K. Hamilton, Changliang Shao, Yahn-Jauh Su, Philip Robertson, and Jiquan Chen. 2016. “Ecosystem Water-Use Efficiency of Annual Corn and Perennial Grasslands: Contributions from Land-Use History and Species Composition”. Ecosystems 19 (6): 1001-12. doi:10.1007/s10021-016-9981-2.
Nitrogen fertilization challenges the climate benefit of cellulosic biofuels
Ruan, Leilei, Ajay K. Bhardwaj, Stephen K. Hamilton, and Philip Robertson. 2016. “Nitrogen Fertilization Challenges the Climate Benefit of Cellulosic Biofuels”. Environmental Research Letters 11. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/11/6/064007.
Phosphorus release from the drying and reflooding of diverse shallow sediments
Kinsman-Costello, Lauren E., Stephen K. Hamilton, Jonathan M. O’Brien, and Jay T. Lennon. 2016. “Phosphorus Release from the Drying and Reflooding of Diverse Shallow Sediments”. Biogeochemistry 130 (1-2): 159-76. doi:10.1007/s10533-016-0250-4.
Development of a global inundation map at high spatial resolution from topographic downscaling of coarse-scale remote sensing data
Fluet-Chouinard, Etienne, Bernhard Lehner, Lisa-Maria Rebelo, Fabrice Papa, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2015. “Development of a Global Inundation Map at High Spatial Resolution from Topographic Downscaling of Coarse-Scale Remote Sensing Data”. Remote Sensing of Environment 158: 348-61. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2014.10.015.
Does flood rhythm drive ecosystem responses in tropical riverscapes?
Jardine, Timothy D., Nicholas R. Bond, Michele A. Burford, Mark J. Kennard, Douglas P. Ward, Peter Bayliss, Peter M. Davies, et al. 2015. “Does Flood Rhythm Drive Ecosystem Responses in Tropical Riverscapes?”. Ecology 96 (3): 684-92. doi:10.1890/14-0991.1.
Effects of a diversion hydropower facility on the hydrological regime of the Correntes River, a tributary to the Pantanal floodplain, Brazil
Fantin-Cruz, Ibraim, Olavo Pedrollo, Pierre Girard, Peter Zeilhofer, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2015. “Effects of a Diversion Hydropower Facility on the Hydrological Regime of the Correntes River, a Tributary to the Pantanal Floodplain, Brazil”. Journal of Hydrology 531: 810-20. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2015.10.045.
Evapotranspiration of annual and perennial biofuel crops in a variable climate
Abraha, Michael, Jiquan Chen, Housen Chu, Terenzio Zenone, Ranjeet John, Yahn-Jauh Su, Stephen K. Hamilton, and Philip Robertson. 2015. “Evapotranspiration of Annual and Perennial Biofuel Crops in a Variable Climate”. Global Change Biology - Bioenergy 7 (6): 1344-56. doi:10.1111/gcbb.12239.
Heat-induced mass mortality of invasive zebra mussels (<i>Dreissena polymorpha</i>) at sublethal water temperatures
White, Jeffrey D, Stephen K. Hamilton, and Orlando Sarnelle. 2015. “Heat-Induced Mass Mortality of Invasive Zebra Mussels (<i>Dreissena polymorpha< I>) at Sublethal Water Temperatures”. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 72 (8): 1221-29. doi:10.1139/cjfas-2015-0064.
Natural stressors in uncontaminated sediments of shallow freshwaters: The prevalence of sulfide, ammonia, and reduced iron
Kinsman-Costello, Lauren E., Jonathan M. O’Brien, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2015. “Natural Stressors in Uncontaminated Sediments of Shallow Freshwaters: The Prevalence of Sulfide, Ammonia, and Reduced Iron”. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 34 (3): 467-79. doi:10.1002/etc.2801.
Colonization and Spread of <i>Limnoperna fortunei</i> in South America
Oliveira, Marcia D., Monica C. S. Campos, Esteban M. Paolucci, Maria C. D. Mansur, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2015. “Colonization and Spread of <i>Limnoperna fortunei< i> In South America”. In <i>Limnoperna Fortunei< I>: The Ecology, Distribution and Control of a Swiftly Spreading Invasive Fouling Mussel, 333-55. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-13494-9_19.
Comparative water use by maize, perennial crops, restored prairie, and poplar trees in the US Midwest
Hamilton, Stephen K., M. Z. Hussain, A. K. Bhardwaj, B. Basso, and G. P. Robertson. 2015. “Comparative Water Use by Maize, Perennial Crops, Restored Prairie, and Poplar Trees in the US Midwest”. Environmental Research Letters 10. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/10/6/064015.