I am an Associate Professor at McGill University, where I study isotope biogeochemistry with a focus on understanding past and present changes in the Earth’s carbon cycle and climate. Much of my work focuses on analyses of freshwater and coastal sediments, or sedimentary rocks, in order to understand both modern biogeochemical processes and environmental change on timescales ranging from months to millions of years. Specific questions I am interested in include: how methane production by microorganisms in aquatic environments responds to environmental change; how the transport and storage of organic carbon in terrestrial ecosystems is influenced by climate change and human land use; and how precipitation and ecohydrology have been affected by past intervals of global and regional climate change. I also have long-standing interests in how ancient societies both altered biogeochemical cycles and were impacted by past climate change; and in past periods of global warmth in Earth History. If you are interested in graduate student or postdoctoral opportunities send me an e-mail (peter.douglas at mcgill.ca)
Peter M. J. Douglas 