Moira Hough

I am currently a PhD candidate in the Saleska lab. I am broadly interested in understanding the role of organisms and biodiversity in driving biogeochemical cycles, particularly with respect to global change. My doctoral research focuses on tracing carbon transformations and fluxes through Arctic systems across a permafrost thaw gradient. As permafrost thaws, previously frozen carbon and nutrient pools are released. Simultaneously, associated hydrologic changes drive shifts in plant community composition with concurrent changes in microbial communities. I seek to understand how plant and microbial communities interact during these transitions and how they drive pathways of carbon flow within the system and export to other systems. I also teach inquiry-based outdoor science programs to K-12 students at the UA Sky School.