Janice Brahney
College of Natural Resources
Watershed Sciences

Educational Background
Biography
Janice received her doctorate in Geological Sciences from the University of Colorado. She holds an MSc in Earth Science and a BSc in Environmental Science, with a minor in Geology, from Simon Fraser University, B.C.
Teaching Interests
Limnology, Biogeochemistry, Paleoecology
Research Interests
The Environmental Biogeochemistry and Paleolimnology Laboratory sees watersheds as integrated systems linking climatology, hydrology, geology, and ecology. Lakes and their watersheds are sensitive to their environment and respond over both short and long timescales, making them valuable indicators of environmental health and global change. Our research uses multi-disciplinary approaches to investigate environmental processes and change and can be broadly separated into three main research themes: 1. Anthropogenic controls on nutrient cycles 2. Climate impacts on freshwater ecosystems 3. Applications of geochemistry to aquatic ecology
Awards
2020 QCNR Graduate Mentor of the Year, 2021
Quinney College of Natural Resources
2019 QCNR Faculty Researcher of the Year, 2020
Quinney College of Natural Resources
Editor's Award for highly cited research, 2016
Aeolian Research
Editor's Choice Award, 2016
American Chemical Society
Elizabeth Sulzman Award, 2nd Place, 2014
Ecological Society of america
Mercer Patriarch 2010 Publication of the Year Award, 2011
American Fisheries Society
Educational Award, 2010
Association for Women in Science
Outstanding Student Award, 2010
Association of Women Geoscientists
Dr. Marion Elder Grant Award, Runner Up, 2010
Canadian Federation of University Women
Dr. Marion Elder Grant Award, Runner Up, 2009
Canadian Federation of University Women
Award in Earth Science, 2006
Petro-Canada
- Brahney, J., (2021). Dust and Fog effects on Inland Waters: The Encyclopedia of Inland Waters. Academic Press, Elsevier *
Publications | Book Chapters
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Journal Articles
Academic Journal
- Nielson, J.R, Brahney, J., (2025). Quantifying Dust Nutrient Mobility Through an Alpine Watershed. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 130:1, doi: 10.1029/2024jg008175
- Sujon, S.A, Fabiszak, A., Brahney, J., Moor, K.J, (2024). Wavelength Sensitive Plastic Photodissolution: Elucidating Quantum Yield Trends for Solar Activation Spectra. Environmental Science & Technology, 58:52, 23138-23147. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.4c05660
- Sujon, S., Fabiszak, A., Brahney, J., Moor, K., (2024). Wavelength Sensitive Plastic Photodissolution: Elucidating Quantum Yield Trends for Solar Activation Spectra. Environmental Science & Technology, 58:52, 23138-23147.
- Mangum, A.L, Carling, G.T, Bickmore, B.R, Webb, N., Leifi, D.T, Brahney, J., Fernandez, D.P, Rey, K.A, Nelson, S.T, Burgener, L., LeMonte, J.J, Thompson, A.N, Newingham, B.A, Duniway, M.C, Aanderud, Z.T, (2024). Characterizing variability in geochemistry and mineralogy of western US dust sources. Aeolian Research, 70-71, doi: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2024.100941
- Brahney, J., (2024). The concentration of organic nitrogen in mountain lakes is increasing as a result of reduced acid deposition and climate change. Science of The Total Environment, 950, 175363. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175363
- Brahney, J., (2024). Dust in the Critical Zone: North American case studies. Earth-Science Reviews, 258, doi: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2024.104942
- Farruggia, M.J, Brahney, J., Tanentzap, A.J, Brentrup, J.A, Brighenti, L.S, Chandra, S., Cortés, A., Fernandez, R.L, Fischer, J.M, Forrest, A.L, Jin, Y., Larrieu, K., McCullough, I.M, Oleksy, I.A, Pilla, R.M, Rusak, J.A, Scordo, F., Smits, A.P, Symons, C.C, Tang, M., Woodman, S.G, Sadro, S., (2024). Wildfire smoke impacts lake ecosystems. Global Change Biology, 30:6, doi: 10.1111/gcb.17367
- Frei, R.J, Lawson, G.M, Norris, A.J, Cano, G., Vargas, M.C, Kujanpää, E., Hopkins, A., Brown, B., Sabo, R., Brahney, J., Abbott, B.W, Toor, G.S, (2021). Limited progress in nutrient pollution in the U.S. caused by spatially persistent nutrient sources. PLOS ONE, 16:11, e0258952. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258952
- Murray, D., Neilson, B.T, Brahney, J., (2021). Source or Sink? Quantifying beaver pond influence on non-point source pollutant transport in the the Intermountain West. Journal of Environmental Management, 285, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112127
- Clancy, N.G, Draper, J.P, Wolf, J.M, Abdulwahab, U.A, Pendleton, M.C, Brothers, S., Brahney, J., Weathered, J., Hammill, E., Atwood, T., (2020). Protecting endangered species in the USA requires both public and private land conservation. Scientific Reports, 10:1
- Brahney, J., Bothwell, M.L, Capito, L., Gray, C.A, Null, S., Menounos, B., Curtis, P.J, (2020). Glacier recession alters stream water quality characteristics facilitating bloom formation in the benthic diatom Didymosphenia geminata. Science of the Total Environment
- Epperly, J., Witt, A., Haight, J., Washko, S., Atwood, T., Brahney, J., Brothers, S., Hammill, E., (2018). Relationships between borders, management agencies, and the likelihood of watershed impairment. PLoS ONE, 13:9
- Brahney, J., Bos, D.G, Pellatt, M.G, Edwards, T.W, Routledge, R., (2006). The influence of nitrogen limitation on d15N and carbon: nitrogen ratios in sediments from sockeye salmon nursery lakes in British Columbia, Canada. Limnology and Oceanography, 51:5, 2333–2340.
In-House Journal
Public or Trade Journal
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Technical Reports
AES Reports
Research Reports
- Kopp, K., Endter-Wada, J.L, Baker, M.A, Brahney, J., Chikamoto, Y., Kettenring, K., Neilson, B.T, Null, S., Rivers, E., Rosenberg, D.E, Schmidt, J.C, Shilton, R., Tarboton, D.G, Torres-Rua, A., Wang, S., Wheaton, J.M, Wurtsbaugh, W.A, Yost, M., Zhang, W., (2021). Utah State University 2021 Report to the Governor on Utah’s Land, Water, and Air.
Other Reports
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Other
Bulletins
Other
- Brahney, J., (2007). PALEOLIMNOLOGY OF KLUANE LAKE. Simon Fraser University
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.