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Rebecca L. Phillips, Ph.D., Research Background
Phillips1.jpg

Dr. Rebecca Lee Phillips

Executive Director

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Nature-based carbon solutions on grazing lands

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Scopus ID  7404241722

orcid.org/0000-0003-3881-9065

EcoInsights@Protonmail.com

Dr. Rebecca Lee Phillips, Specialist in Biogeochemistry
Advancing the science of ecosystem health and regeneration on working lands through application of peer-reviewed science.

Professional Experience:

  • Research Leader, Manaaki Whenua, New Zealand

  • Research Plant Physiologist, USDA Agricultural Research Service

  • Executive Director, Ecological Insights 501(c)3

  • Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Michigan

  • Faculty, University of North Dakota

Collaborations:

  • University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND

  • University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN

  • Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, Gloucester Point, VA

  • Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians

  • North Dakota Natural Resources Trust

  • North Dakota Game and Fish

  • Heaton Ranches

  • Prairie Pothole Great Plains Joint Venture

  • Natural Resources Conservation Service

  • Manaaki Whenua, New Zealand

  • North Dakota Grazing Lands Coalition

  • Turtle Mountain College

1.   Phillips, R.L., Zhou, X., Bo, H. 2026. Short-duration, managed grazing system increases net ecosystem carbon uptake and water-use efficiency on a working ranch.  Scientific Reports 16: 30774. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-72714-5 .

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2.   Wilson, S., Song, B., Phillips, R.L. 2021. Determining chemical factors controlling abiotic codenitrification.  American Chemical Society-- Earth and Space Chemistry https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.0c00225 .

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3.   Yoon, S., Song, B., Phillips, R.L., Chang, J., Joon, M. 2018. Ecophysiological implications of nitrogen oxide reduction pathways on greenhouse gas emissions in agroecosystems.  FEMS Microbiology Ecology 95, doi: 10.1093/femsec/fiz066.

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​4.   Semedo M, Song, B., Sparrer T.,Phillips R.L.  2018. Antibiotic effects on microbial communities responsible for denitrification and nitrous oxide production in grassland soils. Frontiers in Microbiology 9:2121. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02121.

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5.   Phillips, R.L., Song, B., McMillan, A., Grelet, G., Weir, B., Palmada, T., Tobias, C. 2016. Chemical formation of hybrid di-nitrogen call fungal codenitrification into question. Nature Scientific Reports 6:39077. doi: 10.1038/srep39077.

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6.  Beringer, J., Hutley, L.B., McHugh, I., Arndt, S.K., Campbell, D., Cleugh, H.A., Cleverly, J., Resco de Dios, V., Eamus, D., Evans, B., Ewenz, C., Grace, P., Griebel, A., Haverd, V., Hinko-Najera, N., Huete, A., Isaac, P., Kanniah, K., Leuning, R., Liddell, M.J., Macfarlane, C., Meyer, W., Moore, C., Pendall, E., Phillips, A., Phillips, R.L., Prober, S., Restrepo-Coupe, N., Rutledge, S., Schroder, I., Silberstein, R., Southall, P., Sun, M., Tapper, N.J., van Gorsel, E., Vote, C., Walker, J., Wardlaw, T., 2016. An introduction to the Australian and New Zealand flux tower network - OzFlux. Biogeosciences 13, 5895-5916, http://www.biogeosciences.net/13/5895/2016/, doi:10.5194/bg-13-5895-2016.

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7.   Hunt, J., Laubach, J., Barthel, M., Fraser, A., Phillips, R.L., 2016. Carbon budgets for an irrigated intensively-grazed dairy pasture and an unirrigated winter-grazed pasture. Biogeosciences 13: 2927-2944, http://www.biogeosciences.net/13/2927/2016/, doi:10.5194/bg-13-2927-2016.

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8.   Owens, J., Clough, T.J., Laubach, J., Hunt, J.E., Venterea, R.T., Phillips, R.L., 2016. Nitrous oxide fluxes, soil oxygen, and denitrification potential from urine and non-urine treated soil under different irrigation frequencies. Journal of Environmental Quality doi:10.2134/jeq2015.10.0516.

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9.   Phillips, R.L., Eken, M.R., Rundquist, B.C. 2016. A framework for estimating spatial variation in grassland structure for hill country landscapes. Hill Country Symposium Grassland Research Series No. 16, 119-126.

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10.   Phillips, R.L., Grelet, G., McMillan, A., Song, B., Weir, B., Palmada, T., Tobias, C., 2016. Fungal denitrification: Bipolaris sorokiniana exclusively denitrifies inorganic nitrogen in the presence and absence of oxygen. FEMS Microbiology Letters 363(4):fnw007. doi:10.1093/femsle/fnw007

 

11.   Phillips, R.L., C. Ficken, M. Eken, J. Hendrickson, and O. Beeri. 2016. Wetland soil carbon in a watershed context for the prairie pothole region. Journal of Environmental Quality 45: 368-375.

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12.   van der Weerden, T.J., Cox, N., Luo, J., Di, H.J., Podolyan, A., Phillips, R.L., Saggar, S., de Klein, C., Ettema, P., Rys, G. 2016. Refining the New Zealand nitrous oxide emission factor for urea fertilizer and farm dairy effluent. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 222: 133-137.

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13.   van der Weerden, T.J., Luo, J., Di, H.J., Podolyan, A., Phillips, R.L., Saggar, S., de Klein, C., Ettema, P., Rys, G., 2016. Nitrous oxide emissions from urea fertiliser and effluent with and without inhibitors applied to pasture. Agriculture,  Ecosystems & Environment 219: 58-70.

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14.   McMillan, A., Pal, P., Phillips, R.L., Palmada, T., Berben, P., Jha, N., Saggar, S., Luo, J. 2016. Can pH amendments in grazed pastures help reduce nitrous oxide emissions? - The effects of liming and urine addition on the completion of denitrification in fluvial and volcanic soils.  Soil Biology & Biochemistry 93: 90-104.

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15.   Phillips, R.L., M. Eken, West, M. 2015. Soil organic carbon beneath croplands and re-established grasslands in the North Dakota Prairie Pothole region. Environmental Management 55:1191-1199.

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16.   Phillips, R.L, A.M.T. McMillan, T. Palmada, Dando, J. 2014.  Temperature effects on nitrous oxide and di-nitrogen production in a New Zealand pasture soil.  New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 58; 89-95. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00288233.2014.969380.

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17.   Gilmanov T., Baker,J., Phillips, R.L. et al. 2014. Productivity and carbon dioxide exchange of the leguminous crops: estimates from flux tower measurements. Agronomy Journal 106:549-559.

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18.   McMillan, A., Phillips, R.L., Berben, P., Palmada, T., Jha, N.,  Saggar, S. 2014.  Measurement of water vapor fluxes with eddy covariace towers--how directly measuring evapotranspiration can help us manage water. In: Nutrient Management for the Farm (Eds L.D. Currie and C L. Christensen). http://flrc.massey.ac.nz/publications.html. Occasional Report No. 27. Fertilizer and Lime Research Centre, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

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19.   Savage, K., Phillips, R.L., Davidson, E.A. 2013. High temporal frequency measurements of greenhouse gas emissions from soils. Biogeosciences 10:18277–18308.

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20.   Phillips, R.L., Griffith, D.W.T., Dijkstra, F., Lugg, G., Lowrie, R., Macdonald, B. 2013. Tracking short-term effects of nitrogen-15 addition on nitrous oxide fluxes using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Journal of Environmental  Quality 42:1347–1350.

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21.   Phillips, R.L., West, M., Saliendra, N., Rundquist, B., Pool, D. 2013. Prediction of senescent rangeland canopy structural attributes with airborne hyperspectral imagery. GIScience & Remote Sensing 50:133–153.

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22.   Long, A., Heitman, J., Tobias, C., Phillips, R.L., Song, B. 2013. Co-occurring anammox, denitrification, and codenitrification in agricultural soils. Applied Environmental Microbiology 79:168–176.

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23.   Phillips, R.L., Ngugi, M., Hendrickson, J., Smith, E., West, M. 2012. Mixed-grass prairie canopy structure and spectral reflectance vary with topographic position. Environmental Management 50:914–928.

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24.   Schmer, M., Liebig, M. Hendrickson, J., Tanaka, D., Phillips, R.L. 2012. Growing season greenhouse gas flux from switchgrass in the Northern Great Plains. Biomass & Bioenergy 45:315–319.

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25.   Wick, A.F., Phillips, R.L., Liebig, M. West, M., Daniels, L. 2012. Linkages between soil micro-site properties and carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions during a simulated thaw for a northern prairie Mollisol. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 50:118–125.

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26.   Phillips, R.L., Wick, A.F., Liebig, West, M., Daniels, L. 2012. Biogenic emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide increase exponentially at multiple depths during a simulated soil thaw for a northern prairie Mollisol. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 45:14–22.

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27.   Phillips, R.L., Saliendra, N. West, M. 2012. "Identifying Spectra Important for Prediction of Senescent Grassland Canopy Structure," Conference on Applied Statistics in Agriculture https://doi.org/10.4148/2475-7772.1036.

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28.   Polley, W., Phillips, R.L., Frank, A.B., Bradford, J.A., Sims, P.L., Morgan, J.A., Kiniry, J.R.. 2011. Variability in light use efficiency for gross primary productivity on Great Plains grasslands. Ecosystems 14:15–2.

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29.   Liebig, M.A., Gross, J.R., Kronberg, S.L., Phillips, R.L., Hanson, J.D.. 2010. Grazing management contributes to net global warming potential: A long term evaluation in the northern Great Plains. Journal of Environmental  Quality 39:799–809.

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