Dr. Macrae’s research interests center around the effects of changing hydrologic conditions on biogeochemical processes (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) in both natural and disturbed environments. Types of hydrologic change include those that result from land-use modification (e.g. agriculture, drainage) or climate variability. Her work largely involves both field and laboratory research, and her study areas have included sites in Ontario, eastern Quebec, northern Alberta, and northern Manitoba.
She is interested in how nutrient supply and transport processes interact to control nutrient fluxes, and, how such interactions change with climate variability or anthropogenic disturbance. In agricultural systems, she is currently investigating year-round phosphorus losses in tile drain effluent and how these losses are affected by tillage practices. She is also investigating both hydrological and biogeochemical processes in northern peatlands, and how these processes may change under a warmer climate.
