KAREN MCLAUGHLIN - Chemist

EDUCATION:

Ph.D., Geological & Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, 2005

B.S., Geosciences, Penn State University, 1999

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

Dr. McLaughlin is a biogeochemist specializing in nutrient source tracking and the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and organic matter in streams and estuaries. Her dissertation research at Stanford University focused on the development and application of stable isotope tracers to understand the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in watersheds, estuaries, and coastal waters. Her post-doctoral work at the University of California, Irvine focused on identification of fecal indicator bacteria sources and loading into Newport Bay, California. Her current research falls into three areas: 1) understanding factors and processes controlling ecosystem response to nutrient loading in southern California estuaries and streams, 2) development of indicators of eutrophication in estuaries and streams, and 3) determination of “natural background” sources and cycling of nutrients via atmospheric deposition, groundwater inputs, nitrogen fixation, assimilation, and denitrification.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Scientist, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA. 2007-Present

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Irvine. Irvine, CA. 2006-2007

Graduate Research Assistant, Stanford University Department of Geological & Environmental Sciences. Stanford, CA. 1999-2005

Undergraduate Research Assistant, Penn State University Department of Geosciences. State College, PA. 1997-1999

HONORS AND AWARDS:

Stanford University-US Geological Survey Graduate Fellow (2001)

Schlanger Ocean Drilling Program Fellow (2000)

Stanford University McGee Research Grant Recipient (2000)

Honorable Mention, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2000)

Distinction Graduate, Department of Geosciences, Penn State University (1999)

Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society (1998)

Teas Scholarship for Geological Sciences, Penn State University (1998)

Drake Scholarship for Summer Field School, Penn State University (1998)

Trustees Scholarship for Geological Sciences, Penn State University (1997)

Golden Key National Honor Society (1996)

Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Honor Society (1995)

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES:

American Geophysical Union

American Society of Limnology and Oceanography

Estuarine Research Federation

PUBLICATIONS:

McLaughlin, k., M.B. Young, A. Paytan, and C. Kendall. The oxygen isotopic composition of phosphate: A tracer for phosphate sources and cycling. in: M. Ito and B. Newman (eds.), Technical Manual on the Application of Isotope Techniques for Nutrient Cycling and Management in Rivers. IAEA guidebook. Vienna, Austria.In press.

Paytan A., K. McLaughlin. Tracing the sources and biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus in aquatic systems using isotopes of oxygen in phosphate. in: M. Baskaran (ed.), Handbook of Environmental Isotope Geochemistry. Springer-Verlag. New York, NY.In press.

Young, M.B., K. McLaughlin, C. Kendall, W. Stringfellow, M. Rollog, K. Elsbury, E. Donald, and A. Paytan. 2009. Characterizing the oxygen isotopic composition of phosphate sources to aquatic ecosystems. Environmental Science and Technology 43:5190-5196.

Elsbury, K.E., A. Paytan, N.E. Ostrom, C. Kendall, M.B. Young, K. McLaughlin, M.E. Rollog, and S. Watson. 2009. Using oxygen isotopes of phosphate to trace phosphorus sources and cycling in Lake Erie. Environmental Science and Technology 43:3108-3114.

Jeong, Y., B.F. Sanders, K. McLaughlin, and S.B. Grant. 2008. Treatment of dry weather urban runoff in tidal saltwater marshes: A longitudinal study of the Talbert Marsh in southern California. Environmental Science and Technology 42:3609-3614.

McLaughlin, K., J.H. Ahn, R.M. Litton, and S.B. Grant. 2007. Use of salinity mixing models to estimate the contribution of creek water fecal indicator bacteria to an estuarine environment: Newport Bay, California. Water Research 41:3595-3604.

Paytan, A. and K. McLaughlin. 2007. Phosphorus in our waters. Oceanography 20:200-206.

Paytan, A. and K. McLaughlin. 2007. The Oceanic Phosphorus Cycle. Chemical Reviews: Chemical Oceanography 107:563-576.

McLaughlin, K., C. Kendall, S.R. Silva, M.B.Young, and A. Paytan. 2006. Phosphate oxygen isotopes as a tracer for sources and cycling of phosphate in San Francisco Bay. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 111.

McLaughlin, K., B.J. Cade-Menun, and A. Paytan. 2006. The oxygen isotopic composition of phosphate in Elkhorn Slough, California: A tracer for phosphate sources. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 70:499-506.

McLaughlin, K., F.P. Chavez, J.T. Pennington, and A. Paytan. 2006. A time series investigation of the oxygen isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic phosphate in Monterey Bay: Evidence for variations in phosphate cycling and utilization. Limnology and Oceanography 51:2370-2379.

McLaughlin, K., C. Kendall, S.R. Silva, and A. Paytan. 2006. Oxygen isotopes of phosphatic compounds: Application for marine particulate matter, sediments, and soils. Marine Chemistry 98:148-155.

McLaughlin, K., S. Silva, C. Kendall, H. Stuart-Williams, and A. Paytan. 2004. A precise method for the analysis of d18O of dissolved inorganic phosphate in seawater. Limnology and Oceanography Methods 2:202-212.

Paytan, A., B. Cade-Menun, and K. McLaughlin. 2003. Selective phosphorus regeneration of sinking marine particles: Evidence from 31P-NMR. Marine Chemistry 82:55-70.

TECHNICAL REPORTS:

McLaughlin, K., M. Sutula, J. Cable, and P. Fong. 2010. Eutrophication and nutrient cycling in Loma Alta Slough: A summary of baseline data for monitoring order R9‐2006‐0076. Technical Report 630. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

McLaughlin, K., M. Sutula, J. Cable, and P. Fong. 2010. Eutrophication and nutrient cycling in Famosa Slough: A summary of baseline data for monitoring order R9‐2006‐0076. Technical Report 629. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA

Grant, S.B., S.C. Jiang, B.F. Sanders, K. McLaughlin, J.H. Ahn, R. Litton, L. Ho, and D. Moore. 2009. Newport Bay fecal indicator bacteria source identification project: A final report submitted to the County of Orange and the California Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board. University of California, Irvine, CA.

Fetscher, A.E., and K. McLaughlin. 2008. Incorporating bioassessment using freshwater algae into California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP). Technical Report 563. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

McLaughlin, K. and M. Sutula. 2008. Developing nutrient numeric endpoints and TMDL tools for California estuaries: An implementation plan. Technical Report 540. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA.

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS AND CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS:

McLaughlin, K., M. Sutula, J. Cable, P. Fong, and L. Green. 2010. Factors controlling eutrophication in an urban estuary: Famosa Slough, California. Presentation at EOS Transactions, the American Geophysical Union Fall Conference. San Francisco, CA.

McLaughlin, K., J.H. Ahn, R.M. Litton, and S.B. Grant. 2006. Narrowing the search for sources of fecal indicator bacteria with a simple salinity mixing model. Presentation at EOS Transactions, the American Geophysical Union Fall 2006 Conference. San Francisco, CA.

McLaughlin, K. and A. Paytan. 2006. Insights into Phosphate Sources and Cycling from Oxygen Isotopes of Phosphate; Three Studies: San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay, Elkhorn Slough. Invited presentation at the BIOGEOMON Symposium. Santa Cruz, CA.

McLaughlin, K. and A. Paytan. 2005. Insights into phosphate turnover in the Sargasso Sea from the oxygen isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic phosphate. Presentation at EOS Transactions, the American Geophysical Union Fall 2005 Conference. San Francisco, CA.

McLaughlin, K., A. Paytan, C. Kendall, and S.R. Silva. 2005. Phosphate oxygen isotope ratios as a tracer for sources and cycling of phosphate in North San Francisco Bay. Presentation at the State of the Estuary Conference. Sacramento, CA.

McLaughlin, K., A. Paytan, C. Kendall, and S.R. Silva. 2004. Phosphate Oxygen Isotopes as a Tracer for Sources and Cycling of Phosphate in San Francisco Bay. Presentation at EOS Transactions, the American Geophysical Union Fall 2004 Conference. San Francisco, CA.

McLaughlin, K., A. Paytan, C. Kendall, S.R. Silva, F.P. Chavez, and J.T. Pennington. 2003. A Time Series Investigation of the Oxygen Isotopic Composition of Dissolved Inorganic Phosphate in Monterey Bay Seawater. Presentation at EOS Transactions, the American Geophysical Union Fall 2003 Conference. San Francisco, CA.