Merrin Macrae

Room EV1-237, ext. 33064
mmacrae@uwaterloo.ca
 

Merrin started in the Department in 2006 and has research interests in the linkages between hydroclimatology, biogeochemical cycling and surface-water chemistry in both natural and impacted systems under variable climatic regimes and following disturbance or land use change. Her work is largely in agricultural watersheds and wetland ecosystems

For more information please visit Merrin Macrae's research group.

Key Areas of Graduate Supervision
biogeochemistry, hydrology, wetland science, agricultural water quality, agricultural tile drainage, nutrients

Recent Courses Taught

GEOG 407: Environmental Hydrology
GEOG 640: Seminar in Physical Geography
GEOG 675: Applied Biogeochemistry

Research Interests

Dr. Macrae’s research interests center around the effects of changing hydrologic conditions on biogeochemical processes (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) in both natural and disturbed environments. Types of hydrologic change include those that result from land-use modification (e.g. agriculture, drainage) or climate variability. Her work largely involves both field and laboratory research, and her study areas have included sites in Ontario, eastern Quebec, northern Alberta, and northern Manitoba.

She is interested in how nutrient supply and transport processes interact to control nutrient fluxes, and, how such interactions change with climate variability or anthropogenic disturbance. In agricultural systems, she is currently investigating year-round phosphorus losses in tile drain effluent and how these losses are affected by tillage practices. She is also investigating both hydrological and biogeochemical processes in northern peatlands, and how these processes may change under a warmer climate.

Selected Publications (for full list, see research page)

*denotes MM HQP; ** denotes other HQP

• Lozier*, T., M.L. Macrae, R.I. Brunke and L.L. Van Eerd (2017) Release of Phosphorus from Crop Residue and Cover Crops Over the Non-Growing Season in a Cool Temperate Region. Agricultural Water Management 189: 39-51.
• Morison*, M., M.L. Macrae, R.M. Petrone and L.A. Fishback (2016) Seasonal Dynamics in Shallow Freshwater Pond-Peatland Hydrochemical Interactions in a Subarctic Permafrost Environment. Hydrological Processes 31(2): 462–475.
• Van Esbroeck*, C., M.L. Macrae, R.I. Brunke, K. McKague (2016) Annual and seasonal surface and subsurbace phosphorus export from reduced tillage fields. Journal of Great Lakes Research. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2015.12.014.
• Lam*, W.V., M.L. Macrae, M.C. English, I. O’Halloran, Y. Wang (2016) Effects of tillage practices on phosphorus transport in tile drain effluent in sandy loam agricultural soils in Ontario, Canada. Journal of Great Lakes Research. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2015.12.015.
• Wood*, M.E., M.L. Macrae, M. Strack, T. Osko, J.S. Price, R.M. Petrone (2015) Spatial Variation in Nutrient Dynamics Among Five Different Peatland Types in the Alberta Oil Sands region. Ecohydrology. doi: 10.1002/eco.1667.
• King, K., M.R. Williams, M.L. Macrae, N.R. Fausey, D. Smith, J. Frankenberger, P.J.A. Kleinman, L.C. Brown (2015) Phosphorus Transport in Agricultural Subsurface Drainage: A Review. Journal of Environmental Quality. 44 (2), 467-485.

• Macrae, M.L., K.J. Devito, M. Strack and J.M. Waddington (2012) Effect of water table drawdown on nutrient dynamics in temperate peatlands. Biogeochemistry. 112(1-3): 661-676. DOI 10.1007/s10533-012-9730-3.

• Macrae, M.L., M.C. English, S.L. Schiff and M. Stone (2010) Influence of antecedent hydrologic conditions on patterns of hydrochemical export from a first-order agricultural watershed in Southern Ontario. J. Hydrol. 389(1-2): 101-110.

• Macrae, M.L., M.C. English, S.L. Schiff and M. Stone (2007) Annual contribution of drainage tiles to phosphate export from a 1^st order agricultural catchment in Southern Ontario. Agricultural Water Management. 92 (3): 171-182.

• Macrae, M.L., M.C. English, S.L. Schiff and M. Stone (2007) Capturing temporal variability for estimates of annual hydrochemical export from a first-order agricultural basin in Southern Ontario. Hydrological Processes. 21(13): 1651-1663.

• Macrae, M.L., Z. Zhang, M. Stone, J.S. Price, R.A. Bourbonniere and M. Leach (2011) Subsurface Mobilization of Phosphorus in an Agricultural Riparian Zone in Response to Flooding from an Upstream Reservoir. Can. Wat. Res. J. 36(4): 293-311.

• Macrae, M.L., M.C. English, S.L. Schiff and M. Stone (2010) Influence of antecedent hydrologic conditions on patterns of hydrochemical export from a first-order agricultural watershed in Southern Ontario. J. Hydrol. 389(1-2): 101-110.