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 fate of assimilated nitrogen in streams: an <i>in situ</i> benthic chamber study
O’Brien, Jonathan M., Stephen K. Hamilton, Laura Podzikowski, and Nathaniel Ostrom. 2012. “The Fate of Assimilated Nitrogen in Streams: an <i>in situ< i> Benthic Chamber Study”. Freshwater Biology 57 (6): 1113-25. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2427.2012.02770.x.
Fish mediate high food web connectivity in the lower reaches of a tropical floodplain river
Jardine, Timothy D., Bradley J. Pusey, Stephen K. Hamilton, Neil E. Pettit, Peter M. Davies, Michael M. Douglas, Vivian Sinnamon, Ian A. Halliday, and Stuart E. Bunn. 2012. “Fish Mediate High Food Web Connectivity in the Lower Reaches of a Tropical Floodplain River”. Oecologia 168 (3): 829-38. doi:10.1007/s00442-011-2148-0.
Impacts of glacial/interglacial cycles on continental rock weathering inferred using Sr/Ca and <sup>87</sup>Sr/<sup>86</sup>Sr ratios in Michigan watersheds
Jin, Lixin, Samuel B. Mukasa, Stephen K. Hamilton, and Lynn M. Walter. 2012. “Impacts of Glacial Interglacial Cycles on Continental Rock Weathering Inferred Using Sr Ca and <sup>87< sup>Sr <sup>86< Sup>Sr Ratios in Michigan Watersheds”. Chemical Geology 300-301: 97-108. doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2012.01.017.
Incorporating spatial variation of nitrification and denitrification rates into whole-lake nitrogen dynamics
Bruesewitz, Denise A., Jennifer L. Tank, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2012. “Incorporating Spatial Variation of Nitrification and Denitrification Rates into Whole-Lake Nitrogen Dynamics”. Journal of Geophysical Research – Biogeosciences 117 (G3). doi:10.1029/2012JG002006.
Long-term ecological research in a human-dominated world
Robertson, Philip, Scott L. Collins, David R. Foster, Nicholas Brokaw, Hugh W. Ducklow, Ted L. Gragson, Corinna Gries, et al. 2012. “Long-Term Ecological Research in a Human-Dominated World”. BioScience 62 (4): 342-53. doi:10.1525/bio.2012.62.4.6.
Long-term nitrate loss along an agricultural intensity gradient in the Upper Midwest USA
Syswerda, S. P., B. Basso, Stephen K. Hamilton, J. B. Tausig, and G. P. Robertson. 2012. “Long-Term Nitrate Loss Along an Agricultural Intensity Gradient in the Upper Midwest USA”. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 149: 10-19. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2011.12.007.
Beyond carbon and nitrogen: how the microbial energy economy couples elemental cycles in diverse ecosystems
Burgin, Amy J., Wendy H. Yang, Stephen K. Hamilton, and Whendee L. Silver. 2011. “Beyond Carbon and Nitrogen: How the Microbial Energy Economy Couples Elemental Cycles in Diverse Ecosystems”. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 9 (1): 44-52. doi:10.1890/090227.
Water and energy footprints of bioenergy crop production on marginal lands
Bhardwaj, A. K., T. Zenone, P. Jasrotia, G. P. Robertson, J. Chen, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2011. “Water and Energy Footprints of Bioenergy Crop Production on Marginal Lands”. Global Change Biology - Bioenergy 3 (3): 208-22. doi:10.1111/j.1757-1707.2010.01074.x.
The biogeochemistry of bioenergy landscapes: carbon, nitrogen, and water considerations
Robertson, Philip, Stephen K. Hamilton, Stephen J. Del Grosso, and William J. Parton. 2011. “The Biogeochemistry of Bioenergy Landscapes: Carbon, Nitrogen, and Water Considerations”. Ecological Applications 21 (4): 1055-67. doi:10.1890/09-0456.1.
The 'wet-dry' in the wet-dry tropics drives river ecosystem structure and processes in northern Australia
Warfe, D. M., N. E. Pettit, P. M. Davies, B. J. Pusey, Stephen K. Hamilton, M. J. Kennard, S. A. Townsend, et al. 2011. “The ’wet-dry’ in the Wet-Dry Tropics Drives River Ecosystem Structure and Processes in Northern Australia”. Freshwater Biology 56 (11): 2169-95. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2427.2011.02660.x.
Carbon debt of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands converted to bioenergy production
Gelfand, Ilya, Terenzio Zenone, Poonam Jasrotia, Jiquan Chen, Stephen K. Hamilton, and Philip Robertson. 2011. “Carbon Debt of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands Converted to Bioenergy Production”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108 (33): 13864-69. doi:10.1073/pnas.1017277108.
CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes of transitional bioenergy crops: effect of land conversion during the first year of cultivation
Zenone, Terenzio, Jiquan Chen, Michael W. Deal, Burkhard Wilske, Poonam Jasrotia, Jianye Xu, Ajay K. Bhardwaj, Stephen K. Hamilton, and Philip Robertson. 2011. “CO<sub>2</sub>/Fluxes/of/Transitional/Bioenergy/Crops:/Effect/of/Land/Conversion/During/the/First/Year/of/Cultivation”. Global Change Biology - Bioenergy 3 (5): 401-12. doi:10.1111/j.1757-1707.2011.01098.x.
Cross-stream comparison of substrate-specific denitrification potential
Findlay, Stuart E. G., P.J. Mulholland, Stephen K. Hamilton, J.L. Tank, M. J. Bernot, Amy J. Burgin, C.L. Crenshaw, et al. 2011. “Cross-Stream Comparison of Substrate-Specific Denitrification Potential”. Biogeochemistry 104 (1-3): 381-92. doi:10.1007/s10533-010-9512-8.
Ecological management of intensively cropped agro-ecosystems improves soil quality with sustained productivity
Bhardwaj, A. K., P. Jasrotia, Stephen K. Hamilton, and G. P. Robertson. 2011. “Ecological Management of Intensively Cropped Agro-Ecosystems Improves Soil Quality With Sustained Productivity”. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 140 (3-4): 419-29. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2011.01.005.
Historical reconstruction of floodplain inundation in the Pantanal (Brazil) using neural networks
Fantin-Cruz, Ibraim, Olavo Pedrollo, Nilza M. R. Castro, Pierre Girard, Peter Zeilhofer, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2011. “Historical Reconstruction of Floodplain Inundation in the Pantanal (Brazil) Using Neural Networks”. Journal of Hydrology 399 (3-4): 376-84. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2011.01.014.
Nitrous oxide emission from denitrification in stream and river networks
Beaulieu, Jake J., Jennifer L. Tank, Stephen K. Hamilton, Wilfred M. Wollheim, Robert O. Hall, Patrick J. Mulholland, Bruce J. Peterson, et al. 2011. “Nitrous Oxide Emission from Denitrification in Stream and River Networks”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108 (1): 214-19. doi:10.1073/pnas.1011464108.
Seasonal contrasts in carbon resources and ecological processes on a tropical floodplain
Pettit, N. E., P. Bayliss, P. M. Davies, Stephen K. Hamilton, D. M. Warfe, S. E. Bunn, and M. M. Douglas. 2011. “Seasonal Contrasts in Carbon Resources and Ecological Processes on a Tropical Floodplain”. Freshwater Biology 56 (6): 1047-64. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2427.2010.02544.x.
Temporal and spatial variation in ecosystem metabolism and food web carbon transfer in a wet-dry tropical river
Hunt, Richard J., Timothy D. Jardine, Stephen K. Hamilton, and Stuart E. Bunn. 2011. “Temporal and Spatial Variation in Ecosystem Metabolism and Food Web Carbon Transfer in a Wet-Dry Tropical River”. Freshwater Biology 57 (3): 435-50. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2427.2011.02708.x.
Abiotic factors controlling the establishment and abundance of the invasive golden mussel <i>Limnoperna fortunei</i>
Oliveira, Marcia D., Debora F. Calheiros, Claudia M. Jacobi, and Stephen K. Hamilton. 2011. “Abiotic Factors Controlling the Establishment and Abundance of the Invasive Golden Mussel <i>Limnoperna fortunei< I&gt”;. Biological Invasions 13 (3): 717-29. doi:10.1007/s10530-010-9862-0.
Thinking outside the channel: modeling nitrogen cycling in networked river ecosystems
Helton, Ashley M., Geoffrey C. Poole, Judy L. Meyer, Wilfred M. Wollheim, Bruce J. Peterson, Patrick J. Mulholland, Emily S. Bernhardt, et al. 2011. “Thinking Outside the Channel: Modeling Nitrogen Cycling in Networked River Ecosystems”. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 9 (4): 229-38. doi:10.1890/080211.