Christopher A. Williams, Ph.D.

Phone: (508) 793-7323
email: 

Curriculum Vitae

Professor Christopher A. Williams earned a B.A. in Biology / Environmental Studies, Bucknell University, M.S. in Watershed Science, Colorado State University, and Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Duke University. He joined the faculty in the Graduate School of Geography in Fall 2008.  Prior to coming to Clark University he was a Research Scientist at Colorado State University's Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, followed by faculty appointment as Assistant Research Scientist with the Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center of the University of Maryland Baltimore County and based in the Biospheric Sciences Branch of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. 

Trained as a land surface hydrologist and ecosystem scientist, Chris investigates how earth's biosphere responds to natural and human perturbations. His approach combines field, lab, and remote sensing data with process-based modeling aimed at understanding how terrestrial biophysical and biogeochemical processes are influenced by hydroclimatic variability and disturbance. Spanning leaf to global scales, his research is staged around the world, primarily in Africa, Europe, and North America.   

Research and Teaching Interests 

Land Surface Hydrology; Ecosystem Ecology; Ecosystem-Climate Interactions; Global Change Science;Energy-Water-Carbon Exchanges; Ecohydrology 

Courses Offered 

Geog 102 Weather and Climate
Geog 115 Introduction to Hydrology
Geog 200/300 Land-Atmosphere Interactions
Geog 392 Remote Sensing of Global Environmental Change 

Current Research 

• Carbon dynamics of North American forests as governed by climate and disturbance over the past three decades 
• Ecosystem water and carbon flux responses to extreme weather and climate anomalies 
• Hydroclimatic variability and Africa's water cycle, carbon cycle, and vegetation dynamics 
• Resource pulses in savannas 

Funding and Awards 

Selected Publications 

Beer C, Ciais P, Reichstein M, Baldocchi D, Law BE, Papale D, Soussana J-F, Ammann C, Buchmann N, Frank D, Gianelle D, Janssens IA, Knohl A, Koestern B, Moors E, Roupsard O, Verbeeck H, Vesala T, Williams CA, Wohlfahrt G (2009) “Temporal and among-site variability of inherent water-use efficiency at the ecosystem scale”, Biogeosciences Discussions 5: 4481-4519.

Williams, C.A., N.P. Hanan (in review) “Teleconnections between global climate indices and photosynthesis across Africa”. 

Williams, C.A., N.P. Hanan, R.J. Scholes, (in review) “How much complexity is needed to model water and carbon dioxide fluxes following rain pulses in an African savanna?”. 

Archibald S, Kirton A, van der Merwe M, Scholes RJ, Williams CA, Hanan N (2008) “Drivers of interannual variability in net ecosystem exchange in a semi-arid savanna ecosystem, South Africa”, Biogeosciences Discussion, 5, 3221-3266. 

Kutsch, W.L., N.P. Hanan, R.J. Scholes, I. McHugh, W. Khubeka, H. Eckhardt, C.A. Williams (2008) “Response of carbon fluxes to water relations in a savanna”, Biogeosciences, 5, 1797-1808. 

Williams, C.A., N.P. Hanan, I. Baker, A.S. Denning, G.J. Collatz, J.A. Berry, R.J. Scholes, (2008) “Interannual variability of photosynthesis across Africa and its attribution” Journal of Geophysical Research – Biogeosciences, 113, G04015, doi:10.1029/2008JG000718. 

Williams, C.A., N.P. Hanan, R.J. Scholes, A.S. Denning, J.A. Berry, J. Neff, 2007, “Africa and the global carbon cycle”, Carbon Balance and Management, 2:3. 

Williams, C.A., T.M. Scanlon, and J.D. Albertson, 2007, “Influence of surface heterogeneity on scalar similarity in the canopy sublayer”, Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 122(1), doi:10.1007.s10546-006-9091-3. 

Teuling, A.J., S.I. Seneviratne, P.A. Troch, C.A. Williams, 2006, “Observed timescales of evapotranspiration response to soil moisture”, Geophysical Research Letters, 33, L23403, doi:10.1029/2006GL028178. 

Williams, C.A., and J.D. Albertson, 2006, “Dynamical effects of the statistical structure of annual rainfall on dryland vegetation”, Global Change Biology, 12, 1-16. 

Emanuel, R.E., J.D. Albertson, H.E. Epstein, C.A. Williams, 2006, “Carbon dioxide exchange in early old-field succession”, Journal of Geophysical Research- Biogeosciences, 111, G01011, doi: 10.1029/2005JG000069. 

Albertson, J.D., C.A. Williams, T.M. Scanlon, and N. Montaldo, “Soil moisture controls on water and carbon fluxes in semi-arid regions”, 2006, In: Dryland Ecohydrology, eds. P. D’Odorico, A. Porporato, Springer, Netherlands, pp. 67-83. 

Williams, C.A., and D.J. Cooper, 2005, “Mechanisms of riparian cottonwood decline along regulated rivers”, Ecosystems, 8: 382-395, doi:10.1007/s10021-003-0072-9. 

Williams, C.A., and J.D. Albertson, 2005, “Contrasting short- and long-timescale effects of vegetation dynamics on water and carbon fluxes in water-limited ecosystems”, Water Resources Research 41, W06005, doi:10.1029/2004WR003750. 

Williams, C.A., J.D. Albertson, 2004, “Soil moisture controls on canopy-scale water and carbon dioxide fluxes in an African savanna”, Water Resources Research, 40:1-14, doi:10.1029/2004WR003208. 

Binkley, D., G.G. Ice, J. Kaye, and C.A. Williams, 2004, “Patterns of Nitrogen and Phosphorous concentrations in forest streams of the United States”, Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 40(5):1277-1291. 

Scanlon, T.M., J.D. Albertson, K.K. Caylor, and C.A. Williams, 2003, “Determining land surface fractional cover from NDVI and rainfall time series for a savanna ecosystem”, Remote Sensing of Environment, 82(2-3): 376-388.