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Kelly, Charlene

Teaching Assistant Professor of Forest Resources Management
Program Coordinator for Environmental Soil and Water Sciences

Soil physical, chemical, and biological properties are strong indicators of ecosystem function and health.  Dr. Kelly’s research program seeks to understand the effects of land management practices on soil properties, processes, and function in order to promote sustained soil fertility, water quality, and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.  Specific management activities of interest include forest management, ecological restoration, tree species shifts/selections, soil amendments, and riparian management zones.  Specific indicators of interest include carbon and nutrient cycling, soil microbial activity, watershed biogeochemistry and ion transport in water, ecosystem water use, and soil physical properties such as stable aggregate formation. Most recent research projects include: 1) the interactive effect of climate change and forest management on water yield; 2) ecosystem changes in carbon, nitrogen, and water availability following American chestnut restoration in the eastern deciduous forest; and 3) mitigating nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils using prescribed grazing. Courses I teach at WVU include Forest Management. Forest Soils, and Natural Resources of West Virginia.


Select Publications

  1. Kelly CN, Benjamin J, Calderon FC, and MM Mikha. The incorporation of biochar carbon into stable soil aggregates: the role of clay mineralogy and other soil characteristics. Pedosphere. accepted May 2106. 
  2. Kelly CN, McGuire KJ, Ford-Miniat C, and JM Vose. 2016.  Streamflow response to increasing precipitation extremes altered by forest management.  Geophysical Research Letters. 43(8): 3727-3736.
  3. Kelly CN, Calderon FC, Acosta-Martinez V, Mikha MM, Benjamin J, Rutherford DW, and CE Rostad. 2015. Switchgrass biochar effects on soil microbial dynamics and wheat yield in      two soils from different regions. Pedosphere. 25(3): 329-342.
  4. Kelly CN, Rutherford DW, and CE Rostad. 2014. Biochar application to hardrock mine       tailings: Soil quality, microbial activity, and toxic element sorption. Applied Geochemistry.  43(35-48).
  5. Kelly CN, Schoenholtz SH, and MB Adams. 2011. Soil properties associated with net nitrification following watershed conversion to Norway spruce from Appalachian hardwoods.  Plant and Soil.  344(1-2): 361-376.
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