World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Award Badge
Ecology and Evolution
USA
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Ecology and Evolution

D-Index
147
Citations
97219
World Ranking
34
National Ranking
16

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Ecology and Evolution in United States Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Ecology and Evolution in United States Leader Award
  • 2019 - Benjamin Franklin Medal, Franklin Institute
  • 2016 - BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award
  • 2012 - Fellow of the Ecological Society of America (ESA)
  • 2001 - US President's National Medal of Science "For his discovery of acid rain in North America and his sustained leadership in developing the fields of ecology and ecosystem science.", Presented by President George W. Bush in a White House East Room ceremony on June 12, 2002.
  • 1981 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences
  • 1979 - Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • 1972 - Fellow of John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
  • 1965 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • Honorary Member of the British Ecological Society
  • Honorary Member of the British Ecological Society

Overview

Gene E. Likens is affiliated with the University of Connecticut in the United States. Their research primarily concentrates on environmental science and earth and planetary sciences, with a notable focus on global and planetary change, atmospheric science, pollution, water science and technology, and environmental engineering. The scientist's work encompasses subjects such as smart materials for construction, atmospheric chemistry and aerosols, hydrology and watershed management studies, atmospheric and environmental gas dynamics, groundwater and isotope geochemistry, ecology and vegetation dynamics studies, and land use and ecosystem services.

The scientist has coauthored works frequently with Richard T. Holmes, Emma J. Rosi, Sujay S. Kaushal, Michael L. Pace, and Jenna E. Reimer. Publication venues for their research include Biogeochemistry, Science, Hydrological Processes, Atmospheric Environment, and Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. Biogeochemistry and Science each contain two of their publications, as does Hydrological Processes.

Some of the recent papers by Gene E. Likens include:

  • Long-term monitoring of precipitation chemistry in the U.S.: Insights into changes and condition, 2020, Atmospheric Environment
  • Freshwater salinization syndrome: from emerging global problem to managing risks, 2021, Biogeochemistry
  • The anthropogenic salt cycle, 2023, Nature Reviews Earth & Environment
  • Five state factors control progressive stages of freshwater salinization syndrome, 2022, Limnology and Oceanography Letters
  • The interactions among fire, logging, and climate change have sprung a landscape trap in Victoria's montane ash forests, 2022, Plant Ecology

Gene E. Likens has published a book titled Hubbard Brook in 2020 under Yale University Press. This adds a scholarly contribution to their extensive research output.

The scientist has been awarded multiple honors, including the Benjamin Franklin Medal from the Franklin Institute in 2019 and the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in 2016. They became a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America in 2012 and received the US President's National Medal of Science in 2001 for their discovery of acid rain in North America and leadership in the development of ecology and ecosystem science fields. Additional recognitions include membership in the National Academy of Sciences since 1981, fellowship with the American Academy of Arts and Sciences since 1979, fellowship of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation since 1972, and fellowship of the American Association for the Advancement of Science since 1965. The scientist also holds honorary membership in the British Ecological Society.

Best Publications

  • HUMAN ALTERATION OF THE GLOBAL NITROGEN CYCLE: SOURCES AND CONSEQUENCES

    Peter M. Vitousek;John D. Aber;Robert W. Howarth;Gene E. Likens

  • Controlling Eutrophication: Nitrogen and Phosphorus

    Daniel J. Conley;Hans W. Paerl;Robert W. Howarth;Donald F. Boesch

  • Pattern and Process in a Forested Ecosystem

    F. H. Bormann;G. E. Likens

  • Biogeochemistry of a Forested Ecosystem

    E Gene Likens

  • Energy Flow in Bear Brook, New Hampshire: An Integrative Approach to Stream Ecosystem Metabolism

    Stuart G. Fisher;Gene E. Likens

  • Effects of Forest Cutting and Herbicide Treatment on Nutrient Budgets in the Hubbard Brook Watershed-Ecosystem

    Gene E. Likens;F. Herbert Bormann;Noye M. Johnson;D. W. Fisher

  • Acidic Deposition in the Northeastern United States: Sources and Inputs, Ecosystem Effects, and Management Strategies

    Charles T. Driscoll;Gregory B. Lawrence;Arthur J. Bulger;Thomas J. Butler

  • Biogeochemistry of a forested ecosystem.

    G. E. Likens;F. H. Bormann

  • Biogeochemistry of a Forested Ecosystem

    Unknown

  • Increased salinization of fresh water in the northeastern United States

    Sujay S. Kaushal;Peter M. Groffman;Gene E. Likens;Kenneth T. Belt

  • Adaptive monitoring: a new paradigm for long-term research and monitoring.

    David B. Lindenmayer;Gene E. Likens;Gene E. Likens

  • The composition of precipitation in remote areas of the world

    James N. Galloway;Gene E. Likens;William C. Keene;John M. Miller

  • The Biota and the World Carbon Budget

    G. M. Woodwell;R. H. Whittaker;W. A. Reiners;G. E. Likens

  • IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIC DEBRIS DAMS IN THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF STREAM ECOSYSTEMS

    Robert E. Bilby;Gene E. Likens

  • Acid Rain: A Serious Regional Environmental Problem

    Gene E. Likens;F. Herbert Bormann

  • Origin, Composition, and Flux of Dissolved Organic Carbon in the Hubbard Brook Valley

    William H. McDowell;Gene E. Likens

  • The science and application of ecological monitoring

    David B. Lindenmayer;Gene E. Likens;Gene E. Likens

  • Nutrient Release From Decomposing Leaf and Branch Litter in the Hubbard Brook Forest, New Hampshire

    James R. Gosz;Gene E. Likens;F. Herbert Bormann

  • Rising stream and river temperatures in the United States

    Sujay S Kaushal;Gene E Likens;Norbert A Jaworski;Michael L Pace;Michael L Pace

  • Technical Report: Human Alteration of the Global Nitrogen Cycle: Sources and Consequences

    Peter M. Vitousek;John D. Aber;Robert W. Howarth;Gene E. Likens

  • The Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study: Forest Biomass and Production

    R. H. Whittaker;F. H. Bormann;G. E. Likens;T. G. Siccama

  • Encyclopedia of Inland Waters

    G. Likens;M.E. Benbow;T.M. Burton;E. Van Donk

  • Biogeochemistry of a Forested Ecosystem

    Unknown

Frequent Co-Authors

Charles T. Driscoll
Charles T. Driscoll Syracuse University
David B. Lindenmayer
David B. Lindenmayer Australian National University
Robert G. Wetzel
Robert G. Wetzel University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
James N. Galloway
James N. Galloway University of Virginia
Kathleen C. Weathers
Kathleen C. Weathers Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Gary M. Lovett
Gary M. Lovett New York Botanical Garden
Thomas G. Siccama
Thomas G. Siccama Yale University
Scott W. Bailey
Scott W. Bailey US Forest Service
Timothy J. Fahey
Timothy J. Fahey Cornell University
Myron J. Mitchell
Myron J. Mitchell SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

If you're considering a degree in Ecology and Evolution, there are several human services bachelors degree online that can complement your studies, especially if you're interested in working with communities or pursuing environmental advocacy roles.

Many professionals also consider career pivots that leverage their scientific knowledge. For example, teachers with a foundation in environmental sciences may explore how to move from teacher to speech and language therapist, using their communication skills in new, in-demand settings.

If your interest in ecology leans toward sustainable design or urban planning, pursuing an online architecture degree could open doors to designing greener buildings and habitats. Strong quantitative skills are also in high demand, making an online math bachelor's degree a valuable asset for analytical or research-based environmental careers.

Exploring these related degrees and career pathways can help you tailor your education, making you both versatile and competitive in the ever-evolving fields of ecology, sustainability, and allied sciences.

Best Scientists Citing Gene E. Likens

Trending Scientists