U.S. Geological Survey scientist with wetland soil sample showing organic carbon.
Sheel Bansal, PhD
Sheel Bansal is a Research Ecologist at the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in Jamestown, North Dakota.
Dr. Bansal research experience covers a wide range of topics such as tree carbon balance at alpine-treeline (Wyoming), fertility effects on boreal plant ecophysiology (Sweden), drivers of grass invasion in sagebrush-steppe (Oregon), and drought tolerance of temperate forest trees (Washington). He is now studying wetland biogeochemistry in the Prairie Pothole Region. Much of the research in his lab is focused on understanding the underlying suite of abiotic and biotic mechanistic processes that influence greenhouse gas emissions and carbon storage in wetlands. His lab is developing new, high-tech equipment to more efficiently quantify the immense spatial and temporal variability of these natural processes. Dr. Bansal is also working with internal and external partners to develop spatially explicit, landscape-scale models to estimate regional carbon budgets for prairie pothole wetlands. These data and models provide DOI land managers and policy makers with information needed to understand, monitor, and anticipate changes in wetland carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions under future management, land-use and climate scenarios.
Professional Experience
2015-Present: Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Plant Physiological Ecology, Idaho State University, 2008
M.A., Conservation Biology, University of Pennsylvania, 2000
B.A., Biology, University of Pennsylvania, 1999
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Geophysical Union
Global Lake and Ecological Observatory Network
Journal of Environmental Quality (associate editor)
Rangeland Ecology and Management
Society of Wetland Scientists
Science and Products
Building a roadmap to integrate freshwater wetlands into the National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory
Fish and Wildlife seasonal and temporary wetland assessment
Wetland carbon storage and flux in the Prairie Pothole Region
Mechanisms, models, and management of invasive species and soil biogeochemical process in prairie pothole wetlands
Mechanisms, methods, models and management of soil biogeochemical processes in prairie-pothole wetlands
Water quality data from wetlands in North Dakota, USA, 2019 Water quality data from wetlands in North Dakota, USA, 2019
Bibliography of U.S. Geological Survey Contributions to Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Science Bibliography of U.S. Geological Survey Contributions to Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Science
Greenhouse gas concentrations and water-quality parameters from experimental ponds in North Dakota, USA, 2019 Greenhouse gas concentrations and water-quality parameters from experimental ponds in North Dakota, USA, 2019
Greenhouse gas fluxes and dissolved greenhouse gas concentrations from wetland soil microcosms treated with herbicides Greenhouse gas fluxes and dissolved greenhouse gas concentrations from wetland soil microcosms treated with herbicides
Water and ice characteristics from Hobart Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Barnes County, North Dakota, USA, 2021 Water and ice characteristics from Hobart Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Barnes County, North Dakota, USA, 2021
Methane flux model for wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region of North America: Model input data and programming code Methane flux model for wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region of North America: Model input data and programming code
Dissolved oxygen, temperature, and light measured along the water-depth profile of wetlands in North Dakota, USA, 2019 Dissolved oxygen, temperature, and light measured along the water-depth profile of wetlands in North Dakota, USA, 2019
Properties of ice cores from Hobart Lake, North Dakota, USA, 2021 Properties of ice cores from Hobart Lake, North Dakota, USA, 2021
Carbon dioxide flux, vegetation, and soils data from artificial ponds in North Dakota, USA, 2021 Carbon dioxide flux, vegetation, and soils data from artificial ponds in North Dakota, USA, 2021
Dissolved oxygen concentrations, light penetration, and temperature along the water-depth profile of wetlands P1 and P8 of the Cottonwood Lake Study area in North Dakota, USA, 2019 Dissolved oxygen concentrations, light penetration, and temperature along the water-depth profile of wetlands P1 and P8 of the Cottonwood Lake Study area in North Dakota, USA, 2019
Genetic and morphologic characteristics of Typha (cattail) taxa of the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States (2018) Genetic and morphologic characteristics of Typha (cattail) taxa of the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States (2018)
Temperature and light measurements along the water-depth profile of ponds in North Dakota, USA, 2019 Temperature and light measurements along the water-depth profile of ponds in North Dakota, USA, 2019
U.S. Geological Survey scientist with wetland soil sample showing organic carbon.

Tile drainage pipe being installed in wetland catchment to reduce water inflow into a wetland basin in North Dakota.
Tile drainage pipe being installed in wetland catchment to reduce water inflow into a wetland basin in North Dakota.
Metabolic interactions underpinning high methane fluxes across terrestrial freshwater wetlands Metabolic interactions underpinning high methane fluxes across terrestrial freshwater wetlands
Factors regulating the potential for freshwater mineral soil wetlands to function as natural climate solutions Factors regulating the potential for freshwater mineral soil wetlands to function as natural climate solutions
Controls on lake pelagic primary productivity: Formalizing the nutrient-color paradigm Controls on lake pelagic primary productivity: Formalizing the nutrient-color paradigm
Inventorying ponds through novel size-adaptive object mapping using Sentinel-1/2 time series Inventorying ponds through novel size-adaptive object mapping using Sentinel-1/2 time series
Freshwater biogeochemical hotspots: High primary production and ecosystem respiration in shallow waterbodies Freshwater biogeochemical hotspots: High primary production and ecosystem respiration in shallow waterbodies
Common use herbicides increase wetland greenhouse gas emissions Common use herbicides increase wetland greenhouse gas emissions
Linking dissolved organic matter composition to landscape properties in wetlands across the United States of America Linking dissolved organic matter composition to landscape properties in wetlands across the United States of America
Recent increases in annual, seasonal, and extreme methane fluxes driven by changes in climate and vegetation in boreal and temperate wetland ecosystems Recent increases in annual, seasonal, and extreme methane fluxes driven by changes in climate and vegetation in boreal and temperate wetland ecosystems
Practical guide to measuring wetland carbon pools and fluxes Practical guide to measuring wetland carbon pools and fluxes
Characterizing performance of freshwater wetland methane models across time scales at FLUXNET-CH4 sites using wavelet analyses Characterizing performance of freshwater wetland methane models across time scales at FLUXNET-CH4 sites using wavelet analyses
Submersed macrophyte density regulates aquatic greenhouse gas emissions Submersed macrophyte density regulates aquatic greenhouse gas emissions
Upscaling wetland methane emissions from the FLUXNET-CH4 Eddy Covariance Network (UpCH4 v1.0): Model development, network assessment, and budget comparison Upscaling wetland methane emissions from the FLUXNET-CH4 Eddy Covariance Network (UpCH4 v1.0): Model development, network assessment, and budget comparison
Science and Products
Building a roadmap to integrate freshwater wetlands into the National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory
Fish and Wildlife seasonal and temporary wetland assessment
Wetland carbon storage and flux in the Prairie Pothole Region
Mechanisms, models, and management of invasive species and soil biogeochemical process in prairie pothole wetlands
Mechanisms, methods, models and management of soil biogeochemical processes in prairie-pothole wetlands
Water quality data from wetlands in North Dakota, USA, 2019 Water quality data from wetlands in North Dakota, USA, 2019
Bibliography of U.S. Geological Survey Contributions to Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Science Bibliography of U.S. Geological Survey Contributions to Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Science
Greenhouse gas concentrations and water-quality parameters from experimental ponds in North Dakota, USA, 2019 Greenhouse gas concentrations and water-quality parameters from experimental ponds in North Dakota, USA, 2019
Greenhouse gas fluxes and dissolved greenhouse gas concentrations from wetland soil microcosms treated with herbicides Greenhouse gas fluxes and dissolved greenhouse gas concentrations from wetland soil microcosms treated with herbicides
Water and ice characteristics from Hobart Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Barnes County, North Dakota, USA, 2021 Water and ice characteristics from Hobart Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Barnes County, North Dakota, USA, 2021
Methane flux model for wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region of North America: Model input data and programming code Methane flux model for wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region of North America: Model input data and programming code
Dissolved oxygen, temperature, and light measured along the water-depth profile of wetlands in North Dakota, USA, 2019 Dissolved oxygen, temperature, and light measured along the water-depth profile of wetlands in North Dakota, USA, 2019
Properties of ice cores from Hobart Lake, North Dakota, USA, 2021 Properties of ice cores from Hobart Lake, North Dakota, USA, 2021
Carbon dioxide flux, vegetation, and soils data from artificial ponds in North Dakota, USA, 2021 Carbon dioxide flux, vegetation, and soils data from artificial ponds in North Dakota, USA, 2021
Dissolved oxygen concentrations, light penetration, and temperature along the water-depth profile of wetlands P1 and P8 of the Cottonwood Lake Study area in North Dakota, USA, 2019 Dissolved oxygen concentrations, light penetration, and temperature along the water-depth profile of wetlands P1 and P8 of the Cottonwood Lake Study area in North Dakota, USA, 2019
Genetic and morphologic characteristics of Typha (cattail) taxa of the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States (2018) Genetic and morphologic characteristics of Typha (cattail) taxa of the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States (2018)
Temperature and light measurements along the water-depth profile of ponds in North Dakota, USA, 2019 Temperature and light measurements along the water-depth profile of ponds in North Dakota, USA, 2019
U.S. Geological Survey scientist with wetland soil sample showing organic carbon.
U.S. Geological Survey scientist with wetland soil sample showing organic carbon.

Tile drainage pipe being installed in wetland catchment to reduce water inflow into a wetland basin in North Dakota.
Tile drainage pipe being installed in wetland catchment to reduce water inflow into a wetland basin in North Dakota.
Metabolic interactions underpinning high methane fluxes across terrestrial freshwater wetlands Metabolic interactions underpinning high methane fluxes across terrestrial freshwater wetlands
Factors regulating the potential for freshwater mineral soil wetlands to function as natural climate solutions Factors regulating the potential for freshwater mineral soil wetlands to function as natural climate solutions
Controls on lake pelagic primary productivity: Formalizing the nutrient-color paradigm Controls on lake pelagic primary productivity: Formalizing the nutrient-color paradigm
Inventorying ponds through novel size-adaptive object mapping using Sentinel-1/2 time series Inventorying ponds through novel size-adaptive object mapping using Sentinel-1/2 time series
Freshwater biogeochemical hotspots: High primary production and ecosystem respiration in shallow waterbodies Freshwater biogeochemical hotspots: High primary production and ecosystem respiration in shallow waterbodies
Common use herbicides increase wetland greenhouse gas emissions Common use herbicides increase wetland greenhouse gas emissions
Linking dissolved organic matter composition to landscape properties in wetlands across the United States of America Linking dissolved organic matter composition to landscape properties in wetlands across the United States of America
Recent increases in annual, seasonal, and extreme methane fluxes driven by changes in climate and vegetation in boreal and temperate wetland ecosystems Recent increases in annual, seasonal, and extreme methane fluxes driven by changes in climate and vegetation in boreal and temperate wetland ecosystems
Practical guide to measuring wetland carbon pools and fluxes Practical guide to measuring wetland carbon pools and fluxes
Characterizing performance of freshwater wetland methane models across time scales at FLUXNET-CH4 sites using wavelet analyses Characterizing performance of freshwater wetland methane models across time scales at FLUXNET-CH4 sites using wavelet analyses
Submersed macrophyte density regulates aquatic greenhouse gas emissions Submersed macrophyte density regulates aquatic greenhouse gas emissions
Upscaling wetland methane emissions from the FLUXNET-CH4 Eddy Covariance Network (UpCH4 v1.0): Model development, network assessment, and budget comparison Upscaling wetland methane emissions from the FLUXNET-CH4 Eddy Covariance Network (UpCH4 v1.0): Model development, network assessment, and budget comparison
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government