Massimo Lupascu

Originally from Italy, holds a BS in Biology and MSc in Ecology (Laurea Magistrale) from the Universita’ degli Studi Roma Tre, Italy, and a PhD in Physical Geography from the University of Bristol, UK.

His master’s thesis project in aquatic microbial ecology was carried out at the Water Research Institute-National Research Council (Fazi's lab) in Rome. After a period of traveling in Argentina and South-East Asia, Max started his PhD investigating the controls of methane production and consumption in the permafrost active layer at Stordalen, Sweden, using lipid biomarkers and incubation studies. Max then worked at the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations on climate change issues related to the agricultural sector and financing mechanisms.

His postdoctoral research at the University of California, Irvine (Czimczik's lab) focused on the cycling of C between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere using a variety of biogeochemical tools, including analysis of trace gases (CO2, CH4, N2O), their stable C isotopes and radiocarbon content (14C-AMS). During this time his research activities have been concentrated in high latitudes, including Greenland, Svalbard and Alaska.

Current Research

My research program focuses on the carbon (C) cycling between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere. I am particularly interested in understanding how climate change and land-use affect the allocation, cycling, and residence time of C in soils and plants. In turn, my studies further the science of terrestrial ecosystem feedbacks to the climate system, i.e. by constraining future levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

To monitor and predict changes in the cycling of C in terrestrial ecosystems, I apply field observations from natural soil and experiments. I use a variety of biogeochemical tools, including the analysis of trace gases (CO2, CH4, N2O), their stable C isotopes and radiocarbon content (14C-AMS) and soil incubations.

My research activities spread over different kind of ecosystems from the high latitudes (Lapland, Greenland, Svalbard and Alaska) to the Tropics (SE Asia).

Research Interests

• Soil biogeochemistry
• GHG fluxes
• Tropical peat swamp
• Land-use change
• Permafrost
• Climate Change

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) University of Bristol (2005 — 2009)
• Master of Science (M.Sc.) Università degli Studi di Roma Tre (2002 — 2004)
• Bachelor's degree Università degli Studi di Roma Tre (1998 — 2002)

Publications

Selected Refereed Full Papers

Walker, J.C., Xu, X., Farhni S.M., Lupascu, M., Czimczik, C.I. “Developing a passive trap for diffusive atmospheric 14CO­2 sampling”. In preparation for Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B, 2015.

Treat, C., Natali, S., Ernakovitch, J., Iverseen, C., Lupascu, M., McGuire, A. et al. “A pan-Arctic synthesis of potential CH4 and CO2 production from anoxic soil incubations”. Global Change Biology, doi: 10.1111/gcb.12875, 2015

Pack, M., Xu, X., Lupascu M., Kessler, J.D., Czimczik, C.I., “A rapid method for preparing high concentration CH4 gas samples for 14C analysis by AMS”. Organic Geochemistry, 77, 2014.

Lupascu, M., Wadham, J.L., Hornibrook, E., Pancost, R.D. “Methanogens Biomarkers variations in active permafrost layers during a single melting season”. Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, 25: 1823-1832, 2014.

Lupascu, M., Xu, X., Welker, J., Czimczik, C.I. “Rates and sources (14C) of summer ecosystem respiration in response to long-term deeper snow in the High Arctic of NW Greenland”. Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences, 119: 1180-1194, 2014

Lupascu, M., Welker, J., Seibt, U., Xu, X., Velicogna, I., Lindsey, D.S., Czimczik, C.I. “Water availability regulates magnitude, seasonality and sources of ecosystem respiration in a polar semidesert in NW Greenland”. Biogeosciences, 11: 2457-2496, 2014

Lupascu, M., Welker, J., Seibt U., Maseyk, K., Xu, X., Czimczik, C.I. “High Arctic wetting reduces permafrost carbon feedbacks to climate warming”. Nature Climate Change, 4: 51-55, 2013.

Highlighted Editor's Choice, Science, 343: 6166, 2014.

Lupascu, M., Wadham, J.L., Hornibrook, E., Pancost, R.D. “Temperature sensitivity of methane production in the permafrost active layer at Stordalen, Sweden: A comparison with non-permafrost northern wetlands”. Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research. 44: 469-482, 2012.

Submitted

Welker, J., Lupascu, M., Cooper, E., Czimczik, C.I. “Winter emissions of ancient CO2 from High Arctic tundra in Svalbard: Responses to deeper snow in a permafrost dominated landscape”. PLOSone, submitted 2015.

Schädel C., Bader , M.K.F., Schuur, E.A.G., Bracho, R., Capek, P., De-Baets, S., Diakova, K., Ernakovich, J., Estop-Aragones, C., Hartley, I.P., Iversen, C.M. Kane, E., Knoblauch, C., Lupascu, M., et al. “Changing environmental controls affect the strength of the permafrost carbon feedback “. Nature Climate Change, 2015

In preparation

Lupascu, M., Xu, X., Elder, C., Czimczik, C.I. “Carbon isotopic composition of CO2 and CH4 gases from a fen in northwest Greenland”. In preparation for Soil biology and biogeochemistry.

Maseyk, K., Welker, J., Czimczik, C.I., Lupascu, M., Lett, C., Seibt U. “Diverging plant and ecosystem strategies in response to climate change in the high Arctic”. In preparation for Science.