Stretching more than 5 million acres, the Adirondack Park is one of the largest protected areas in the United States. The region is home to over 3,000 lakes, diverse wildlife and habitats, making it an ideal location for research on different ecosystems. For the past two semesters, environmental engineering graduate student Amos Bungei has been conducting research in this unique environment, focusing on dissolved organic carbon and its effects on the Adirondack Lakes.  

Dissolved organic carbon, also known as DOC, is organic matter, such as plants and soil, that is broken down and can be found in aquatic ecosystems. It plays a crucial role in the movement of carbon throughout the planet and is a main food source for aquatic animals. However, when the amount of DOC in a lake is high, it can impact the effects of solar radiation, increase the differing water temperatures within the lake, and decrease oxygen levels in the lake water. DOC can also increase the cost of the water treatment process since it impacts water quality.

Bungei’s research focuses on identifying the causes behind the increasing concentration of DOC in the lakes that have been observed in the Northeastern regions of the United States and Northern Europe. “We’ve been seeing a rise in concentration of dissolved organic carbon in the Adirondacks since 1982,” says Bungei. “My goal is to determine the drivers of this increase in dissolved organic carbon to support appropriate measures.” 

To explore potential causes, Bungei has been running machine-learning models combining data from 48 lakes in the Adirondack region, watershed data from the U.S. Geological Survey, and other factors such as rain and temperature. He then assesses the results against the results for carbon quality, and he’s found that DOC primarily comes from wetlands.  

“Lakes in watersheds that have huge proportions of wetlands tend to have higher concentrations of DOC,” he says. “Increases in dissolved organic carbon are primarily supported by a rise in pH, which has been observed across the Adirondack since the passing of the Clean Air Act of 1970. The Act led to the reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions, which contributed to acid rain. Over the years, the reduction in system acidity has facilitated easier mobilization of organic matter from land to the lakes, and that is why we are observing increases.” 

Bungei attended the American Geophysical Union 2024 Conference, the largest annual Earth science conference in the world, where he presented his research, catching the attention of several attendees. He also connected with faculty, students, and professionals who share similar research interests, gaining insights into the latest developments in the field. 

“It was a great experience,” he says. “You discuss your results, you gain new insights and get interesting takes on what you’re looking into.” 

Bungei hopes to develop a machine learning model that can predict the patterns of organic carbon concentration in various lakes and regions across the globe. “This research will be crucial to the future of Earth science, and I look forward to contributing to these efforts.”