World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Environmental Sciences

D-Index
50
Citations
10252
World Ranking
4947
National Ranking
1822

Sean M. Schaeffer publication distribution in Environmental Sciences in 2026

The chart shows the distribution of publications by all Research.com ranked scientists in the field of Environmental Sciences in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Sean M. Schaeffer sits on this spectrum.

41–50 publications: 21 scientists 51–60 publications: 62 scientists 61–70 publications: 133 scientists 71–80 publications: 257 scientists 81–90 publications: 361 scientists 91–100 publications: 440 scientists 101–110 publications: 492 scientists 111–120 publications: 541 scientists 121–130 publications: 617 scientists 131–140 publications: 544 scientists 141–150 publications: 541 scientists 151–160 publications: 539 scientists 161–170 publications: 444 scientists 171–180 publications: 444 scientists 181–190 publications: 400 scientists 191–200 publications: 377 scientists 201–210 publications: 318 scientists 211–220 publications: 283 scientists 221–230 publications: 263 scientists 231–240 publications: 220 scientists 241–250 publications: 217 scientists 251–260 publications: 180 scientists 261–270 publications: 181 scientists 271–280 publications: 155 scientists 281–290 publications: 130 scientists 291–300 publications: 127 scientists 301–310 publications: 130 scientists 311–320 publications: 85 scientists 321–330 publications: 106 scientists 331–340 publications: 80 scientists 341–350 publications: 83 scientists 351–360 publications: 75 scientists 361–370 publications: 69 scientists 371–380 publications: 52 scientists 381–390 publications: 54 scientists 391–400 publications: 56 scientists 401–410 publications: 44 scientists 411–420 publications: 40 scientists 421–430 publications: 36 scientists 431–440 publications: 25 scientists 441–450 publications: 25 scientists 451–460 publications: 32 scientists 461–470 publications: 29 scientists 471–480 publications: 21 scientists 481–490 publications: 26 scientists 491–500 publications: 25 scientists 501–510 publications: 17 scientists 511–520 publications: 18 scientists 521–530 publications: 15 scientists 531–540 publications: 22 scientists 541–550 publications: 12 scientists 551–560 publications: 15 scientists 561–570 publications: 11 scientists 571–580 publications: 19 scientists 581–590 publications: 9 scientists 591–600 publications: 9 scientists 601–610 publications: 7 scientists 611–620 publications: 11 scientists 621–630 publications: 5 scientists 631–640 publications: 5 scientists 641–650 publications: 6 scientists 651–660 publications: 3 scientists 661–670 publications: 3 scientists 671–680 publications: 4 scientists 681–686 publications: 3 scientists 687+ publications: 100 scientists
41 publications 687+

This scientist: 121 publications — 24th percentile

24% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 687 publications or more.

Sean M. Schaeffer D-index placement in Environmental Sciences in 2026

The chart shows the D-index (discipline H-index) distribution of Environmental Sciences scientists ranked by Research.com in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Sean M. Schaeffer sits on this spectrum.

30 D-Index: 12 scientists 31 D-Index: 26 scientists 32 D-Index: 51 scientists 33 D-Index: 88 scientists 34 D-Index: 123 scientists 35 D-Index: 163 scientists 36 D-Index: 206 scientists 37 D-Index: 267 scientists 38 D-Index: 265 scientists 39 D-Index: 275 scientists 40 D-Index: 321 scientists 41 D-Index: 343 scientists 42 D-Index: 305 scientists 43 D-Index: 336 scientists 44 D-Index: 330 scientists 45 D-Index: 348 scientists 46 D-Index: 291 scientists 47 D-Index: 275 scientists 48 D-Index: 272 scientists 49 D-Index: 273 scientists 50 D-Index: 263 scientists 51 D-Index: 232 scientists 52 D-Index: 266 scientists 53 D-Index: 217 scientists 54 D-Index: 199 scientists 55 D-Index: 177 scientists 56 D-Index: 202 scientists 57 D-Index: 204 scientists 58 D-Index: 166 scientists 59 D-Index: 177 scientists 60 D-Index: 166 scientists 61 D-Index: 152 scientists 62 D-Index: 143 scientists 63 D-Index: 150 scientists 64 D-Index: 124 scientists 65 D-Index: 119 scientists 66 D-Index: 120 scientists 67 D-Index: 118 scientists 68 D-Index: 82 scientists 69 D-Index: 98 scientists 70 D-Index: 94 scientists 71 D-Index: 105 scientists 72 D-Index: 74 scientists 73 D-Index: 84 scientists 74 D-Index: 70 scientists 75 D-Index: 67 scientists 76 D-Index: 78 scientists 77 D-Index: 60 scientists 78 D-Index: 59 scientists 79 D-Index: 52 scientists 80 D-Index: 47 scientists 81 D-Index: 38 scientists 82 D-Index: 48 scientists 83 D-Index: 42 scientists 84 D-Index: 42 scientists 85 D-Index: 43 scientists 86 D-Index: 29 scientists 87 D-Index: 37 scientists 88 D-Index: 29 scientists 89 D-Index: 30 scientists 90 D-Index: 34 scientists 91 D-Index: 20 scientists 92 D-Index: 22 scientists 93 D-Index: 17 scientists 94 D-Index: 19 scientists 95 D-Index: 24 scientists 96 D-Index: 21 scientists 97 D-Index: 20 scientists 98 D-Index: 24 scientists 99 D-Index: 17 scientists 100 D-Index: 17 scientists 101 D-Index: 21 scientists 102 D-Index: 25 scientists 103 D-Index: 18 scientists 104 D-Index: 26 scientists 105 D-Index: 19 scientists 106 D-Index: 15 scientists 107 D-Index: 10 scientists 108 D-Index: 13 scientists 109 D-Index: 15 scientists 110 D-Index: 12 scientists 111 D-Index: 8 scientists 112 D-Index: 7 scientists 113 D-Index: 9 scientists 114 D-Index: 6 scientists 115 D-Index: 12 scientists 116 D-Index: 7 scientists 117 D-Index: 8 scientists 118 D-Index: 3 scientists 119 D-Index: 5 scientists 120 D-Index: 7 scientists 121 D-Index: 2 scientists 122 D-Index: 4 scientists 123 D-Index: 8 scientists 124 D-Index: 7 scientists 125+ D-Index: 99 scientists
30 D-Index 125+

This scientist: 50 D-Index — 50th percentile

50% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 125 D-Index or more.

Overview

Sean M. Schaeffer is affiliated with the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in the United States. Their academic contributions focus primarily on agricultural and biological sciences as well as environmental science. Within these broader fields, their work addresses subfields such as soil science, plant science, ecology, pollution, and environmental chemistry.

The main topics addressed in Schaeffer's research include soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics, soil and water nutrient dynamics, microplastics and plastic pollution, bacteriophages and microbial interactions, plant virus research studies, soil erosion and sediment transport, and polymer-based agricultural enhancements.

Frequent co-authors collaborating with Schaeffer include Mark Radosevich, Jie Zhuang, Aubrey K. Fine, Douglas G. Hayes, and Jennifer M. DeBruyn. This network indicates a multidisciplinary approach involving experts in various aspects of soil and environmental sciences.

The scholar has published multiple articles in a range of academic journals and venues. Notably, the most frequent publication venues are:

  • SSRN Electronic Journal
  • The Science of The Total Environment
  • Geoderma
  • Frontiers in Microbiology
  • Applied Soil Ecology

Among recent research papers, several prominent works include:

  • In situ degradation of biodegradable plastic mulch films in compost and agricultural soils (2020), published in The Science of The Total Environment
  • Activities of Microplastics (MPs) in Agricultural Soil: A Review of MPs Pollution from the Perspective of Agricultural Ecosystems (2022), published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
  • Four years of continuous use of soil-biodegradable plastic mulch: impact on soil and groundwater quality (2020), published in Geoderma
  • Effects of phosphorus modified nZVI-biochar composite on emission of greenhouse gases and changes of microbial community in soil (2021), published in Environmental Pollution
  • Agronomic performance of polyethylene and biodegradable plastic film mulches in a maize cropping system in a humid continental climate (2021), published in The Science of The Total Environment

Best Publications

  • Water Pulses and Biogeochemical Cycles in Arid and Semiarid Ecosystems

    Amy T. Austin;Laura Yahdjian;John M. Stark;Jayne Belnap

  • Microbial control over carbon cycling in soil.

    Joshua Schimel;Sean Michael Schaeffer

  • Long term tillage, cover crop, and fertilization effects on microbial community structure, activity: Implications for soil quality

    Lilian Wanjiru Mbuthia;Veronica Acosta-Martínez;Jennifer DeBruyn;Sean Schaeffer

  • In situ degradation of biodegradable plastic mulch films in compost and agricultural soils

    Henry Y. Sintim;Andy I. Bary;Douglas G. Hayes;Larry C. Wadsworth

  • A theoretical analysis of microbial eco-physiological and diffusion limitations to carbon cycling in drying soils

    Stefano Manzoni;Stefano Manzoni;S. M. Schaeffer;G. Katul;A. Porporato

  • Changes in soil microbial community composition in response to fertilization of paddy soils in subtropical China

    Wen-Yi Dong;Xin-Yu Zhang;Xiao-Qin Dai;Xiao-Li Fu

  • Impacts of biodegradable plastic mulches on soil health

    Henry Y. Sintim;Sreejata Bandopadhyay;Marie E. English;Andy I. Bary

  • Activities of Microplastics (MPs) in Agricultural Soil: A Review of MPs Pollution from the Perspective of Agricultural Ecosystems.

    Unknown

  • Seasonal and episodic moisture controls on plant and microbial contributions to soil respiration

    Mariah S. Carbone;Christopher J. Still;Anthony R. Ambrose;Todd E. Dawson

  • Functional and Structural Succession of Soil Microbial Communities below Decomposing Human Cadavers.

    Kelly L. Cobaugh;Sean M. Schaeffer;Jennifer M. DeBruyn

  • Responses of absolute and specific soil enzyme activities to long term additions of organic and mineral fertilizer.

    Xinyu Zhang;Wenyi Dong;Xiaoqin Dai;Sean Schaeffer

  • Transpiration of cottonwood/willow forest estimated from sap flux

    Sean M. Schaeffer;Sean M. Schaeffer;David G. Williams;David C. Goodrich

  • Seasonal estimates of riparian evapotranspiration using remote and in situ measurements.

    D.C Goodrich;R Scott;J Qi;B Goff

  • Carbon fluxes from plants to soil and dynamics of microbial immobilization under plastic film mulching and fertilizer application using 13C pulse-labeling

    Tingting An;Sean Schaeffer;Shuangyi Li;Shifeng Fu

  • Release of micro- and nanoparticles from biodegradable plastic during in situ composting.

    Henry Y. Sintim;Andy I. Bary;Douglas G. Hayes;Marie E. English

  • Physical, biochemical, and microbial controls on amino sugar accumulation in soils under long-term cover cropping and no-tillage farming

    Lidong Li;Candace B. Wilson;Hongbo He;Xudong Zhang

  • Effect of diverse weathering conditions on the physicochemical properties of biodegradable plastic mulches

    Douglas G. Hayes;Larry C. Wadsworth;Henry Y. Sintim;Markus Flury

  • Soil–plant N processes in a High Arctic ecosystem, NW Greenland are altered by long‐term experimental warming and higher rainfall

    Sean M. Schaeffer;Sean M. Schaeffer;Elizabeth Sharp;Joshua P. Schimel;Jeffery M. Welker

  • Responses of soil nitrogen dynamics in a Mojave Desert ecosystem to manipulations in soil carbon and nitrogen availability.

    S. M. Schaeffer;S. A. Billings;R. D. Evans

  • Separating cellular metabolism from exoenzyme activity in soil organic matter decomposition

    Joseph C. Blankinship;Caryl A. Becerra;Sean M. Schaeffer;Joshua P. Schimel

  • Trace N gas losses and N mineralization in Mojave desert soils exposed to elevated CO2.

    S.A Billings;S.M Schaeffer;R.D Evans

  • Dynamics and distribution of 13C-labeled straw carbon by microorganisms as affected by soil fertility levels in the Black Soil region of Northeast China

    Tingting An;Sean Schaeffer;Jie Zhuang;Jie Zhuang;Mark Radosevich

Frequent Co-Authors

Joshua P. Schimel
Joshua P. Schimel University of California, Santa Barbara
Jennifer M. DeBruyn
Jennifer M. DeBruyn University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Markus Flury
Markus Flury Washington State University
Sharon A. Billings
Sharon A. Billings University of Kansas
Christopher J. Still
Christopher J. Still Oregon State University
Jie Zhuang
Jie Zhuang University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Andy I. Bary
Andy I. Bary Washington State University
David C. Goodrich
David C. Goodrich US Department of Agriculture
David G. Williams
David G. Williams University of Wyoming
Virginia L. Jin
Virginia L. Jin US Department of Agriculture

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