Carbon fluxes are an important aspect of many hydrologic and geologic processes.
For example, on a global scale, rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations and the increasing use of fossil fuels have led to concern for the future effects of atmospheric CO2 on global climate. Anticipating the effects of atmospheric CO2 requires an understanding of the role of natural hydrologic and geologic processes in the global carbon budget. On a more local scale, ground water and surface water contamination problems are often associated with locally significant changes in the transport and sedimentation of carbon. This project evaluates carbon fluxes by studying the hydrologic and geologic processes responsible for them. These studies emphasize the need to understand both human impacts and the evidence for natural changes in local to global carbon fluxes before man's influence.