Ankur Desai Research Group

University of Wisconsin-Madison

How do land surface heterogeneity and human modification alter exchanges of heat, water, and carbon with the atmosphere? The lab makes long-term ecosystem–atmosphere observations, in particular using eddy covariance flux towers, to quantify carbon, energy, and water exchanges. The group runs intensive field campaigns such as CHEESEHEAD to study atmospheric boundary-layer responses to spatial heterogeneity in surface–atmosphere exchanges. Researchers measure linkages between terrestrial and aquatic carbon cycling in lake-rich regions to connect land and aquatic carbon budgets. The team applies synthesis tools such as the Predictive Ecosystem Analyzer (PEcAn) to improve ecosystem and atmospheric models.