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NANCY B. GRIMM Professor Ph.D., 1985, Arizona State University Send e-mail to nbgrimm@asu.edu

Biogeochemistry, Stream-Riparian Ecology, Urban Ecosystems

Dr. Grimm's research concerns the structure and function of ecosystems in arid lands. Her current research focus is on the cycling and retention of the element nitrogen, considered in the context of patch dynamics and landscape heterogeneity. Nitrogen is an important element because it limits productivity of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in the Southwest, it is a potential groundwater pollutant, some gaseous forms of nitrogen are potent greenhouse gases, and nitrogen inputs to the earth from the atmosphere have increased dramatically.
Current projects in Dr. Grimm's research group are 1) plant-microbe-soil interactions and nitrogen transformations in a riparian ecosystem (San Pedro River, AZ; SAHRA project); 2) nitrate retention (using stable isotope experiments) in urban, agricultural, and unmodified streams of the American Southwest (LINX-2 project); 3) biogeochemistry and hot spots of N transformation in urban landscapes; and 4) effects of urban atmospheric deposition on biogeochemical cycling in deserts (Urban BGC project).
Dr. Grimm is Co-Director of the Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research Project (CAP LTER), an ecological study of the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Selected Publications

Belnap, J., J. Welter, N.B. Grimm, N. Barger, and J. Ludwig. 2005. Linkages between microbial and hydrologic processes in arid and semi-arid watersheds. Ecology: in press.

Grimm, N.B., R.J. Arrowsmith, C. Eisinger, J. Heffernan, D.B. Lewis, A. MacLeod, L. Prashad, W.J. Roach, T. Rychener, and R.W. Sheibley. 2005. Effects of urbanization on nutrient biogeochemistry of aridland streams. In R. DeFries, G. Asner, and R. Houghton (editors). Ecosystem interactions with land use change. Geophysical Monograph Series. American Geophysical Union : in press.

Grimm, N.B., R.W. Sheibley, C. Crenshaw, C.N. Dahm, W.J. Roach, and L. Zeglin. 2005. Nutrient retention and transformation in urban streams. Journal of the North American Benthological Society: in press.

Hope, D., C. Gries, Zhu, W., C. Martin, C.L. Redman, N.B. Grimm, A. Nelson, and A. Kinzig. 2005. Spatial variation in plant diversity and soil nitrate concentrations across an urban ecosystem. Urban Ecosystems: in press.

Schade, J.D., J.R. Welter, E. Martí, and N.B. Grimm. 2005. Hydrological exchange and N retention in an arid-land riparian ecosystem. Journal of the North American Benthological Society: in press.

Zhu, W., N.D. Dillard, and N.B. Grimm . 2004. Urban nitrogen biogeochemistry: status and processes in green retention basins. Biogeochemistry: in press.

Dodds, W.K., E. Mart R , J.L. Tank, J. Pontius, S.K. Hamilton, N.B. Grimm , W.B. Bowden, W.H. McDowell, B.J. Peterson, H.M. Valett, J.R. Webster, and S. Gregory. 2004. Carbon and nitrogen stoichiometry and nitrogen cycling rates in streams. Oecologia 140:458-467.

Grimm, N.B. , and C.L. Redman. 2004. Approaches to the study of urban ecosystems: the case of central Arizona-Phoenix. Urban Ecosystems 7: 199-213 .

Hope, D., M.W. Naegeli, A. Chan, and N.B. Grimm . 2004. Nutrients on asphalt parking surfaces in an arid urban environment. Water, Air and Soil Pollution: Focus 4:371-390.

Grimm, N.B., S. E. Gergel, W.H. McDowell, E.W. Boyer, C.L. Dent, P.M. Groffman, S.C. Hart, J.W. Harvey, C.A. Johnston, E. Mayorga, M. McClain, and G. Pinay. 2003. Merging aquatic and terrestrial perspectives of nutrient biogeochemistry. Oecologia 442: 485501.

Fink, J., F. Steiner, N.B. Grimm, and C.L. Redman. 2003. Greater Phoenix 2100: Building a national urban environmental research agenda. Pages xx-yy in G. Heiken and R. Fakundiny, editors. Geosciences in the cities. American Geophysical Union Monograph.

Hobbie J.E., S.R. Carpenter, N.B.Grimm, J.R. Gosz, and T.R. Seastedt. 2003. The US Long Term Ecological Research Program. BioScience 53 (1): 21-32.

Hope, D., C. Gries, W. Zhu, W.F. Fagan, C.L. Redman, N.B. Grimm, A. Nelson, C. Martin, and A. Kinzig. Socio-economics drive urban plant diversity. Proceeedings of the National Academy of Science 100:8788-8792.

McClain, M. E., E. W. Boyer, C. L. Dent, S. E. Gergel, N. B. Grimm, P. M. Groffman, S. C. Hart, J. W. Harvey, C. A. Johnston, E. Mayorga, W. H. McDowell, and G. Pinay. 2003. Biogeochemical hot spots and hot moments at the interface of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Ecosystems 6:301-312.

Sanzone, D.M., J.L. Meyer, E. Marti, E.P. Gardiner, J.L. Tank, and N.B. Grimm. 2003. Carbon and nitrogen transfer from a desert stream to riparian predators. Oecologia 134:238-250.

Grimm, N.B., L.J. Baker, and D. Hope. 2002. An ecosystem approach to understanding cities: familiar foundations and uncharted frontiers. Pages 95-114 in A.R. Berkowitz, C.H. Nilon, and K.S. Hollweg, editors. Understanding urban ecosystems: a new frontier for science and education. Springer-Verlag , New York , New York .

Mulholland, P.J., J. L. Tank, J. R. Webster, W. B. Bowden, W. K. Dodds, S. V. Gregory, N. B. Grimm, S. K. Hamilton S. L. Johnson, E. Mart, W. H. McDowell, J. Merriam, J. L. Meyer, B. J. Peterson, H. M. Valett, and W. M. Wollheim. 2002. Can Uptake Length in Streams be Determined by Nutrient Addition Experiments? Results from an inter-biome comparison study. Journal of the North American Benthological Society:21:544-560.

Schade, J.D., E. Martí, J.R. Welter, S.G. Fisher, and N.B. Grimm. 2002. Sources of N to the riparian zone of a desert stream: implications for riparian vegetation and N retention. Ecosystems 5: 68-79.

Vitousek, P.M., K. Cassman, C. Cleveland, T. Crews, C.B. Field, N.B. Grimm, R.W. Howarth, R. Marino, L. Martinelli, E.B. Rastetter, and J.I. Sprent. 2002. Towards an ecological understanding of biological nitrogen fixation. Biogeochemistry 57/58:1-45.

Dent, C.L., N.B. Grimm, and S.G. Fisher. 2001. Multi-scale effects of surface-subsurface exchange on stream water nutrient concentrations. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 20:162-181.

Luck, M.A., G.D. Jenerette, J. Wu, and N.B. Grimm. 2001. The urban funnel model and spatially heterogeneous ecological footprint. Ecosystems 4:782-796.

Mulholland, P. J., C.S. Fellows, J.L. Tank, N.B. Grimm, J. R. Webster, S.K. Hamilton, E. Marti, L. Ashkenas, W. B. Bowden, W. K. Dodds, W. H. McDowell, J. L. Meyer, and B. J. Peterson. 2001. Inter-biome comparison of factors controlling stream metabolism. Freshwater Biology 46:1503-1517.

Schade, J.D., S.G. Fisher, N.B. Grimm, and J.A. Seddon. 2001. The influence of a riparian shrub on nitrogen cycling in a Sonoran Desert stream. Ecology: 82:3363-3376.

Collins, J., A. Kinzig, N.B. Grimm, W. Fagan, J. Wu, and E. Borer. 2000. A new urban ecology. American Scientist 88:416-425.

Grimm, N.B. J.M. Grove, C.L. Redman, and S.T.A. Pickett. 2000. Integrated approaches to long-term studies of urban ecological systems. BioScience 50:571-584