Joanne Childs
Joanne Childs working in Alaska as part of the NGEE Arctic project, July 2012. [Courtesy Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy]
Joanne was hired by Gerry O’Neill and worked with Rich Norby for many years on the Free-Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment (FACE) experiment at ORNL. Her plant root work for FACE led to similar analysis for the Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments, Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE) in the Arctic and Tropics, and countless other projects. Joanne was known for her expertise in analyzing data from minirhizotrons—underground imaging systems used to study root growth and development. She was honored for her outstanding technical support at the 2014 ORNL UT-Battelle Awards Night and received ESD’s Outstanding Research Support Award twice—in 2004 and 2012. She co-authored 26 journal articles and 32 datasets.
“Joanne’s dedication to our science, her fierce determination to get a task done right no matter the difficulty, and her love for the people she supported put her in high demand to support projects throughout our directorate,” said Colleen Iversen, lead for the Plant-Soil Interactions group and director of NGEE Arctic. “She was a mentor and counselor to all—including me—over more than two decades.
She was the heart of our group and the division,” said Paul Langan, associate laboratory director for ORNL’s Biological and Environmental Systems Science Directorate (BESSD). “Joanne supported and nurtured the growth and development of many young researchers and was an exemplar of the pivotal role that technicians play at ORNL.”
Dan Stover, program manager in the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, Biological And Environmental Research Program’s Earth and Environmental Systems Science Division, said Joanne “had a major impact at ORNL and BER over the past 20 years.”
Stan Wullschleger, former director of BESSD and NGEE Arctic, said, “Joanne’s dedication, humor, laughter, and smile will long be remembered by those who worked with her in the laboratory and field.”
Joanne and her husband Steve, who works in the ORNL Environment, Safety, Health and Quality Directorate, often had lunch together on the lab’s West Campus, with colleagues pulling up chairs and joining in wide-ranging conversations at a crowded table. Years ago, the two were student interns together at ORNL, when Joanne began her work in fine-root dynamics. “We are a tight-knit community in the Environmental Sciences Division,” said ESD Director Eric Pierce. “Joanne was one of the reasons for that culture, with her enthusiasm for her research and for her work family. She is dearly missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. We send continued thoughts and prayers to her husband Steve, sons Nathan, Blake, and Sam, extended family, and many friends.”
A Celebration of Life for Joanne will be held July 1, 5:30–7:30 p.m. at Erin’s Meadow Herb Farm, 132 England Drive, Clinton, TN, 37716.
Tribute courtesy ORNL Communications, Biological and Environmental Systems Science Directorate, and Main Research Library
Publications
Brenner, J., Porter, W., Phillips, J. R., Childs, J., Yang, X., Mayes, M. A. 2019. Phosphorus sorption on tropical soils with relevance to Earth system model needs. Soil Research, 57(1), 17–27. https://doi.org/10.1071/SR18197
Cabugao, K. G., Timm, C. M., Carrell, A. A., Childs, J., Lu, T. Y. S., Pelletier, D. A., … Norby, R. J. 2017. Root and rhizosphere bacterial phosphatase activity varies with tree species and soil phosphorus availability in Puerto Rico tropical forest. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.01834
Cabugao, K. G., Yaffar, D., Stenson, N., Childs, J., Phillips, J., Mayes, M. A., … Norby, R. J. 2021. Bringing function to structure: Root–soil interactions shaping phosphatase activity throughout a soil profile in Puerto Rico. Ecology and Evolution, 11(3), 1150–1164. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7036
Defrenne, C. E., Childs, J., Fernandez, C. W., Taggart, M., Nettles, W. R., Allen, M. F., … Iversen, C. M. 2021. High-resolution minirhizotrons advance our understanding of root-fungal dynamics in an experimentally warmed peatland. Plants People Planet, 3(5), 640–652. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10172
Duchesneau, K., Defrenne, C. E., Petro, C., Malhotra, A., Moore, J. A. M., Childs, J., … Kostka, J. E. 2024. Responses of vascular plant fine roots and associated microbial communities to whole-ecosystem warming and elevated CO2 in northern peatlands. New Phytologist, 242(3), 1333–1347. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19690
Finzi, A. C., Norby, R. J., Calfapietra, C., Gallet-Budynek, A., Gielen, B., Holmes, W. E., … Ceulemans, R. 2007. Increases in nitrogen uptake rather than nitrogen-use efficiency support higher rates of temperate forest productivity under elevated CO2. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 104(35), 14014–14019. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0706518104
Iversen, C. M., Childs, J., Norby, R. J., Ontl, T. A., Kolka, R. K., Brice, D. J., … Hanson, P. J. 2018. Fine-root growth in a forested bog is seasonally dynamic, but shallowly distributed in nutrient-poor peat. Plant and Soil, 424(1–2), 123–143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3231-z
Iversen, C. M., Latimer, J., Brice, D. J., Childs, J., Vander Stel, H. M., Defrenne, C. E., … Hanson, P. J. 2023. Whole-Ecosystem Warming Increases Plant-Available Nitrogen and Phosphorus in an Ombrotrophic Bog. Ecosystems, 26(1), 86–113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-022-00744-x
Iversen, C. M., Ledford, J., & Norby, R. J. 2008. CO2 enrichment increases carbon and nitrogen input from fine roots in a deciduous forest. New Phytologist, 179(3), 837–847. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02516.x
Iversen, C. M., Murphy, M. T., Allen, M. F., Childs, J., Eissenstat, D. M., Lilleskov, E. A., … Sullivan, P. F. 2012. Advancing the use of minirhizotrons in wetlands. Plant and Soil, 352(1–2), 23–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-011-0953-1
Jensen, A. M., Warren, J. M., Hanson, P. J., Childs, J., Wullschleger, S. D. 2015. Needle age and season influence photosynthetic temperature response and total annual carbon uptake in mature Picea mariana trees. Annals of Botany, 116(5), 821–832. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcv115
Liu, Q., Edwards, N. T., Post, W. M., Gu, L., Ledford, J., Lenhart, S. 2006. Temperature-independent diel variation in soil respiration observed from a temperate deciduous forest. Global Change Biology, 12(11), 2136–2145. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2006.01245.x
Malhotra, A., Brice, D. J., Childs, J., Graham, J. D., Hobbie, E. A., Vander Stel, H., … Iversen, C. M. 2020. Peatland warming strongly increases fine-root growth. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117(30), 17627–17634. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2003361117
Norby, R. J., Childs, J., Hanson, P. J., Warren, J. M. (2019). Rapid loss of an ecosystem engineer: Sphagnum decline in an experimentally warmed bog. Ecology and Evolution, 9(22), 12571–12585. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5722
Norby, R. J., DeLucia, E. H., Gielen, B., Calfapietra, C., Giardina, C. P., Kings, J. S., … Oren, R. 2005. Forest response to elevated CO2 is conserved across a broad range of productivity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 102(50), 18052–18056. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0509478102
Norby, R. J., Ledford, J., Reilly, C. D., Miller, N. E., O’Neill, E. G. 2004. Fine-root production dominates response of a deciduous forest to atmospheric CO2 enrichment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 101(26), 9689–9693. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0403491101
Norby, R. J., Sloan, V. L., Iversen, C. M., Childs, J. 2019. Controls on Fine-Scale Spatial and Temporal Variability of Plant-Available Inorganic Nitrogen in a Polygonal Tundra Landscape. Ecosystems, 22(3), 528–543. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-018-0285-6
Norby, R. J., Warren, J. M., Iversen, C. M., Childs, J., Jawdy, S. S., Walker, A. P. 2022. Forest stand and canopy development unaltered by 12 years of CO2 enrichment. Tree Physiology, 42(3), 428–440. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpab107
O’Neill, E. G., Johnson, D. W., Ledford, J., Todd, D. E. 2003. Acute seasonal drought does not permanently alter mass loss and nitrogen dynamics during decomposition of red maple (Acer rubrum L.) litter. Global Change Biology, 9(1), 117–123. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2486.2003.00538.x
Petro, C., Carrell, A. A., Wilson, R. M., Duchesneau, K., Noble-Kuchera, S., Song, T., … Kostka, J. E. 2023. Climate drivers alter nitrogen availability in surface peat and decouple N2 fixation from CH4 oxidation in the Sphagnum moss microbiome. Global Change Biology, 29(11), 3159–3176. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16651
Salmon, V. G., Brice, D. J., Bridgham, S., Childs, J., Graham, J., Griffiths, N. A., … Hanson, P. J. 2021. Nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in an ombrotrophic peatland: A benchmark for assessing change. Plant and Soil, 466(1–2), 649-674. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-05065-x
Wan, S., Norby, R. J., Ledford, J., Weltzin, J. F. 2007. Responses of soil respiration to elevated CO2, air warming, and changing soil water availability in a model old-field grassland. Global Change Biology, 13(11), 2411–2424. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2007.01433.x
Wan, S., Norby, R. J., Pregitzer, K. S., Ledford, J., O’Neill, E. G. 2004. CO2 enrichment and warming of the atmosphere enhance both productivity and mortality of maple tree fine roots. New Phytologist, 162(2), 437–446. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2004.01034.x
Warren, J. M., Iversen, C. M., Garten, C. T., Norby, R. J., Childs, J., Brice, D., … Weston, D. J. 2012. Timing and magnitude of C partitioning through a young loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stand using 13C labeling and shade treatments. Tree Physiology, 32(6), 799–813. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpr129
Warren, J. M., Jensen, A. M., Ward, E. J., Guha, A., Childs, J., Wullschleger, S. D., Hanson, P. J. 2021. Divergent species-specific impacts of whole ecosystem warming and elevated CO2 on vegetation water relations in an ombrotrophic peatland. Global Change Biology, 27(9), 1820–1835.
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15543
Yaffar, D., Defrenne, C. E., Cabugao, K. G., Kivlin, S. N., Childs, J., Carvajal, N., Norby, R. J. 2021. Trade-Offs in Phosphorus Acquisition Strategies of Five Common Tree Species in a Tropical Forest of Puerto Rico. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2021.698191
Datasets
Cabugao, K., Timm, C., Carrell, A., Childs, J., Lu, T.-Y., Pelletier, D., … Norby, R. 2018. El Verde Ridge, El Verde Valley, and Rio Icacos root phosphatase and bacterial community composition (December 2015). https://doi.org/10.15486/ngt/1419494
Childs, J., Defrenne, C. E., Brice, D. J., Woodward, J., Holbrook, K. N., Nettles, W. R., . . . Iversen, C. M. 2020. SPRUCE High-Resolution Minirhizotrons in an Experimentally-Warmed Peatland Provide an Unprecedented Glimpse at Fine Roots and their Fungal Partners: Supporting Data. https://doi.org/10.25581/spruce.081/1637336
Childs, J., Iversen, C. M., Latimer, J., Burnham, A., Norby, R. J. 2019. SPRUCE Manual Minirhizotron Images from Experimental Plots Beginning in 2013. https://doi.org/10.25581/spruce.060/1490356
Dusenge, M. E., Ward, E. J., Warren, J. M., McLennan, D. A., Stinziano, J. R., Murphy, B. K., … Way, D. A. 2020. SPRUCE Photosynthesis and Respiration of Picea mariana and Larix laricina in SPRUCE Experimental Plots, 2016-2017. https://doi.org/10.25581/spruce.056/1455138
Iversen, C., VanderStel, H., Norby, R., Sloan, V., Childs, J., Brice, D., … Wullschleger, S. 2015. Active Layer Soil Carbon and Nutrient Mineralization, Barrow, Alaska, 2012. https://doi.org/10.5440/1185213
Iversen, C. M., Brice, D. J., Childs, J., Vander Stel, H. M., Salmon, V. G. 2021. SPRUCE S1 Bog Production of Newly-Grown Fine Roots Assessed Using Root Ingrowth Cores in 2013. https://doi.org/10.25581/spruce.091/1782483
Iversen, C. M., Childs, J., Norby, R. J., Garrett, A., Martin, A., Spence, J., Ontl, T. A. 2017. SPRUCE S1 Bog Fine-root Production and Standing Crop Assessed With Minirhizotrons in the Southern and Northern Ends of the S1 Bog. https://doi.org/10.3334/cdiac/spruce.019
Iversen, C. M., Garrett, A., Martin, A., Turetsky, M. R., Norby, R. J., Childs, J., Ontl, T. A. 2017. SPRUCE S1 Bog Tree Basal Area and Understory Community Composition Assessed in the Southern and Northern Ends of the S1 Bog. https://doi.org/10.3334/cdiac/spruce.024
Iversen, C. M., Latimer, J., Burnham, A., Brice, D. J., Childs, J., Vander Stel, H. M. 2017. SPRUCE Plant-Available Nutrients Assessed with Ion-Exchange Resins in Experimental Plots, Beginning in 2013. https://doi.org/10.3334/cdiac/spruce.036
Iversen, C. M., Ontl, T. A., Brice, D. J., Childs, J. 2017. SPRUCE S1 Bog Plant-Available Nutrients Assessed with Ion-Exchange Resins from 2011-2012 in the Southern End of the S1 Bog. https://doi.org/10.3334/cdiac/spruce.022
Jensen, A. M., Warren, J. M., Hanson, P. J., Childs, J., Wullschleger, S. D. 2015. SPRUCE S1 Bog Pretreatment Photosynthesis and Respiration for Black Spruce: 2010-2013. https://doi.org/10.3334/CDIAC/spruce.007
Jensen, A. M., Warren, J. M., Hook, L. A., Wullschleger, S. D., Brice, D. J., Childs, J., Vander Stel, H. M. 2018. SPRUCE S1 Bog Pretreatment Seasonal Photosynthesis and Respiration of Trees, Shrubs, and Herbaceous Plants, 2010-2015. https://doi.org/10.3334/cdiac/spruce.008
Malhotra, A., Brice, D. J., Childs, J., Vander Stel, H. M., Bellaire, S. E., Kraeske, E., … Iversen, C. M. (2020). SPRUCE Production and Chemistry of Newly-Grown Fine Roots Assessed Using Root Ingrowth Cores in SPRUCE Experimental Plots beginning in 2014. https://doi.org/10.25581/spruce.077/1607860
Norby, R., Cabugao, K., Yaffar, D., Childs, J., Stenson, N., Phillips, J. 2019. Root-soil depth profile in Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, February, 2019. https://doi.org/10.15486/ngt/1574087
Norby, R., Iversen, C., Childs, J., Tharp, M. 2010. ORNL net primary productivity data.
Norby, R. J., Childs, J. 2018. SPRUCE: Sphagnum Productivity and Community Composition in the SPRUCE Experimental Plots. https://doi.org/10.25581/spruce.049/1426474
Norby, R. J., Childs, J., Brice, D. (2020). SPRUCE: Sphagnum Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Concentrations in the SPRUCE Experimental Plots. https://doi.org/10.25581/spruce.084/1647361
Petro, C., Carell, A. A., Wilson, R. M., Duchesneau, K., Noble-Kuchera, S., Song, T., … Kostka, J. E. 2023. SPRUCE Sphagnum Phytobiome Responses to Whole Ecosystem Warming and Elevated Atmospheric CO2 in July, 2017-2021. https://doi.org/10.25581/spruce.105/1924666
Phillips, J. R., Brice, D. J., Hanson, P. J., Childs, J., Iversen, C. M., Norby, R. J., Warren, J. M. 2017. SPRUCE Pretreatment Plant Tissue Analyses, 2009 through 2013. https://doi.org/10.3334/CDIAC/spruce.038
Salmon, V., Childs, J., Iversen, C., Spencer, B., Rogers, A., Ely, K., Serbin, S. 2020. Vegetation Warming Experiment: 15N Uptake Experiment Water-Extractable Soil Nutrients, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2018. https://doi.org/10.5440/1784755
Salmon, V., Childs, J., Iversen, C., Spencer, B., Rogers, A., Ely, K., Serbin, S. 2020. Vegetation Warming Experiment: 15N Uptake Experiment Arctagrostis latifolia Root Traits, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2018. https://doi.org/10.5440/1784749
Salmon, V., Childs, J., Iversen, C., Spencer, B., Rogers, A., Ely, K., Serbin, S. 2020. Vegetation Warming Experiment: 15N Uptake Experiment Inorganic Nitrogen and Phosphorus on Resins, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2018. https://doi.org/10.5440/1784752
Salmon, V., Childs, J., Iversen, C., Spencer, B., Rogers, A., Ely, K., Serbin, S. 2020. Vegetation Warming Experiment: 15N Uptake Experiment Environmental Observations and Thaw Depth, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2018. https://doi.org/10.5440/1784757
Salmon, V., Iversen, C., Breen, A., Childs, J., VanderStel, H., Wullschleger, S. 2019. NGEE Arctic Plant Traits: Soil Nutrient Availability, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, beginning 2016. https://doi.org/10.5440/1346201
Salmon, V., Iversen, C., Breen, A., VanderStel, H., Childs, J. 2019. NGEE Arctic Plant Traits: Plant Aboveground Biomass, NPP and Traits, Kougarok Road Mile Marker 64, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, beginning 2016. https://doi.org/10.5440/1346199
Salmon, V., Iversen, C., Childs, J. 2020. NGEE Arctic Plant Traits: Fine Roots, Kougarok Road Mile Marker 64, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2016. https://doi.org/10.5440/1735941
Salmon, V., Iversen, C., Childs, J., VanderStel, H. 2019. NGEE Arctic Plant Traits: Soil Cores, Kougarok Road Mile Marker 64, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2016 [Report Number: NGA047]. Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725. https://doi.org/10.5440/1346200
Sloan, V., McGuire, A., Euskirchen, E., Slette, I., Carter, K., Wood, S., … Norby, R. 2018. Leaf Area, Vegetation Biomass and Nutrient Content, Barrow, Alaska, 2012–2013. https://doi.org/10.5440/1375316
Sloan, V., McGuire, D., Euskirchen, E., Slette, I., Carter, K., Wood, S., … Norby, R. 2018. Leaf Area, Vegetation Biomass and Nutrient Content, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2012–2013. https://doi.org/10.5440/1375316
Warren, J. M., Iversen, C. M., Garten, J., C. T., Norby, R. J., Childs, J., Brice, D., … Weston, D. J. 2013. PiTS-1: Carbon Partitioning in Loblolly Pine after 13C Labeling and Shade Treatments. https://doi.org/10.3334/cdiac/ornlsfa.001
Warren, J. M., Peters, J. M. R., Childs, J., Jensen, A. M., McLennan, D. A., Ward, E. J. 2021. SPRUCE Diurnal and Seasonal Patterns of Water Potential in S1 Bog and SPRUCE Experimental Plot Vegetation Beginning in 2010. https://doi.org/10.25581/spruce.080/1615776
Yaffar, D., Cabugao, K., Norby, R., Childs, J. 2021. Fine-Root Traits from Common Tree Species in Puerto Rico Before and After Hurricane María (2017–2018). https://doi.org/10.15486/ngt/1778242