Patty Oikawa Faculty Profile

Photo of Patty Oikawa

Patty  Oikawa

Assistant Professor

Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences

I am a biogeochemist who focuses on nutrient cycling and climate change. I recently joined the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department at CSU East Bay in September 2016. I am from the Bay Area and studied as a postdoctoral scholar at UC Berkeley for 3 years before coming to CSU East Bay. My research focuses on how ecosystems interact with the atmosphere. For example, I am currently studying how wetland restoration in the Bay Area and Sacramento Delta can be used to mitigate climate change.

My teaching philosophy is to engage students with hands-on active learning. I emphasize group work and discussions in the classroom while providing as many opportunities as possible to get outside and collect data. I am always accepting students into my lab so please contact me if you want experience with biogeochemical measurements. 

I am particularly interested in minimizing the negative impact of managed lands on climate, water, and air quality. My expertise is in greenhouse gas and reactive trace gas emissions from diverse ecosystems including restored wetlands and agricultural land. I employ field monitoring and manipulation techniques in addition to process-based biogeochemical modeling with an emphasis on model-data fusion approaches. I collaborate with regional to global-scale modeling projects and am actively incorporating models into carbon policies in California.

  • PhD Department of Biology, University of Virginia
  • B.S. Department of Ecology and Evolution, UC Santa Barbara

Fall Semester 2024
Course #SecCourse TitleDaysFromToLocationCampus
GEOL 34301Atmospheric ScienceW9:30AM12:30PMSC-N346Hayward Campus
GEOL 69002Independent StudyARRARRHayward Campus
GEOL 69103University ThesisARRARRHayward Campus
GEOL 69802InternshipARRARRHayward Campus

  1. Oikawa, P.Y., G.D. Jenerette, S.H. Knox, C. Sturtevant, J. Verfaillie, I. Dronova, C.M. Poindexter, Eichelmann, E., D. Baldocchi. (2017) Evaluation of a hierarchy of models reveals importance of substrate limitation for predicting carbon dioxide and methane exchange in restored wetlands. Journal of Geophysical Research, Biogeosciences, doi: 10.1002/2016JG003438.

  2. Deverel, S.J., P.Y. Oikawa, S. Mack, L. Silva, 2016, Wetland Implementation and Rice Cultivation in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, San Francisco Estuary and the Coast of California – Methodology for Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions, Version 1.0, in review, American Carbon Registry

  3. Oikawa, P.Y., C. Sturtevant, S.H. Knox, J. Verfaillie, Y.W. Huang, D. Baldocchi. (2016) Revisiting the partitioning of net ecosystem exchange of CO2 into photosynthesis and respiration with simultaneous flux measurement of 13CO2 and CO2, soil respiration and a biophysical model, CANVEG. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 234:149-163.
  4. Knox, S.H., I. Dronova, C. Sturtevant, Oikawa, P.Y., Matthes, J., J. Verfaillie, D. Baldocchi. (2016) Using digital camera and Landsat imagery with eddy covariance data to model gross primary production in restored wetlands. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 237: 233-245.
  5. Baldocchi, D., S.H. Knox, I. Dronova, J. Verfaillie, P.Y. Oikawa, C. Sturtevant, J. Hatala-Mathes, M. Detto. (2016) The impact of expanding flooded land area on the annual evaporation of rice. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 223:181-193.
  6. Knox, S.H., J. Hatala-Mathes, C. Sturtevant, P.Y. Oikawa, J. Verfaillie, D. Baldocchi. (2015) Biophysical controls on the interannual variability in ecosystem-scale in CO2 and CH4 exchange in a California rice paddy. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, doi: 10.1002/2015JG003247.
  7. Oikawa, P.Y., C. Ge, J. Wang, J.E. Eberwein, L. Liang, L.A. Allsman, D.A. Grantz, G.D. Jenerette. (2015) Unusually high soil nitrogen oxide emissions influence air quality in high temperature agricultural region. Nature Communications, doi: 10.1038/ncomms9753.
  8. Sturtevant, C., B.L. Ruddell, S.H. Knox, J. Verfaillie, J. Hatala, P.Y. Oikawa, D. Baldocchi. (2015) Identifying the complex processes driving greenhouse gas exchange at multiple time scales in restored wetlands. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, doi: 10.1002/2015JG003054.
  9. Eberwein, J.E., P.Y. Oikawa, L.A. Allsman, G.D. Jenerette. (2014) The effects of C, N and temperature interactions on soil respiration quantified through Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Journal of Soil Biology and Biochemistry.
  10. Oikawa, P.Y., G.D. Jenerette, D.A. Grantz. (2014) Offsetting high water demands with high productivity: Sorghum as a biofuel crop in a high irradiance arid ecosystem. Global Change Biology Bioenergy, doi:10.1111/gcbb.12190.
  11. Oikawa, P.Y., D.A. Grantz, A. Chatterjee, J.E. Eberwein, L.A. Allsman, G.D. Jenerette. (2014) Unifying soil respiration pulses, inhibition, and temperature hysteresis through dynamics of labile carbon and soil O2. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, doi:10.1002/2013JG002434
  12. Oikawa, P.Y., M.T. Lerdau. (2013) Catabolism of phytogenic volatile organic compounds. Trends in Plant Science, 18:695-703.
  13. Oikawa, P.Y., B.M. Giebel, L. da S.L. Sternberg, L. Li, M.P. Timko, P.K. Swart, D.D. Riemer, J.E. Mak, M.T. Lerdau. (2011) Leaf and root pectin methylesterase activity and 13C/12C stable isotopic ratio measurements of methanol emissions give insight into methanol production in Lycopersicon esculentum. New Phytologist, 191:1031-1040.
  14. Oikawa, P.Y., L. Li, M.P. Timko, J.E. Mak, M.T. Lerdau. (2011) Short term changes in methanol emission and pectin methylesterase activity are not directly affected by light in Lycopersicon esculentum. Biogeosciences, 8:1023-1030.

Oikawa, P.Y., C. Fertitia, S. Knox, E. Eichelman, C. Sturtevant, K. Hemes, J. Verfaillie, J. Hatala-Matthes, G.D. Jenerette, D.D. Baldocchi. 2017. Improving ecosystem model PEPRMT and remote sensing photosynthesis (GPP) products in wetlands using stable carbon and oxygen isotopes. Ecological Society of America. Portland, OR (oral presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., C. Fertitia, S. Knox, E. Eichelman, C. Sturtevant, K. Hemes, J. Verfaillie, J. Hatala-Matthes, G.D. Jenerette, D.D. Baldocchi. 2017. Modeling effects of Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) on methane fluxes from rice. FLUXNET conference. Berkeley, CA (poster presentation)

Deverel, S., Dore S., Oikawa P.Y., Knox S., Brock B. 2016. Greenhouse gas emissions reductions on agricultural lands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta using the protocol for wetland implementation and rice cultivation. Bay-Delta Science Conference, Oakland, CA (poster presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y. 2016. Modeling greenhouse gases in restored wetlands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, Affinity Speaker Series and Earth and Environmental Sciences Seminar Series, California State University, East Bay

Deverel, S., P.Y. Oikawa. 2016. Methodology for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions reductions: Wetland implementation and rice cultivation in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, San Francisco Estuary and the California Coast, American Carbon Registry Webinar (webinar)

Oikawa, P.Y., S. Knox, C. Sturtevant, J. Verfaillie, I. Dronova, C. Poindexter, G.D. Jenerette, D.D. Baldocchi. 2015. Using eddy covariance of CO2, 13CO2 and CH4, continuous soil respiration measurements, and digital photography to constrain a process-based biogeochemical model for carbon market-funded wetland restoration. American Geophysical Union. San Francisco, CA (oral presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., G.D. Jenerette, S. Knox, C. Sturtevant, J. Verfaillie, I. Dronova, C. Poindexter, D.D. Baldocchi. 2015. Farming carbon instead of corn: A biogeochemical model for carbon market-funded wetland restoration. Ecological Society of America. Baltimore, Maryland. (oral presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., G.D. Jenerette, S. Knox, C. Sturtevant, J. Verfaillie, I. Dronova, C. Poindexter, D.D. Baldocchi. 2015. Farming carbon instead of corn: A biogeochemical model for carbon market-funded wetland restoration. USDA-NIFA Postdoctoral Fellows Meeting. Washington, D.C. (poster presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., S. Knox, J. Verfaillie, C. Sturtevant, G.D. Jenerette, B. Brock, J.D. Jenerette, D.D. Baldocchi. 2015. Farming carbon instead of corn: A biogeochemical model for carbon market funded wetland restoration. Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, UC Berkeley. (oral presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., G.D. Jenerette, S. Knox, C. Sturtevant, J. Verfaillie, I. Dronova, C. Poindexter, D.D. Baldocchi. 2015. Process-based modeling of CO2 and CH4 from managed peatland systems: introducing the PEPRMT model. Society for Wetland Scientists. Providence, Rhode Island. (oral presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., S. Knox, J. Verfaillie, C. Sturtevant, G.D. Jenerette, B. Brock, D.D. Baldocchi. 2014. Process-based modeling of CO2 and CH4 from managed peatland systems. Data Assimilation in Biogeochemical Cycles. Trieste, Italy. (poster presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., S. Knox, J. Verfaillie, C. Sturtevant, G.D. Jenerette, B. Brock, D.D. Baldocchi. 2014. Improving process-based modeling of CO2 and CH4 from managed peatland systems. Air Pollution and Global Change Symposium. Monterey, CA. (poster presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., G.D. Jenerette, S. Knox, C. Sturtevant, J. Verfaillie, D.D. Baldocchi. 2014. Improving process-based modeling of CO2 and CH4 from managed wetland and rice systems in the Delta. Bay-Delta Science Conference. Oakland, CA. (poster presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., D.A. Grantz, A. Chatterjee, J.R. Eberwein, L.A. Allsman, G.D. Jenerette. 2012. Factors regulating soil surface CO2 and NOx flux in response to high temperature, pulse water events, and nutrient fertilization. American Geophysical Union. San Francisco, CA. (oral presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., D.A. Grantz, G.D. Jenerette. 2011. Variation in the temperature sensitivity of heterotrophic soil respiration in response to pulse water events and substrate limitation. American Geophysical Union. San Francisco, CA. (poster presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., D.A. Grantz, G.D. Jenerette. 2011. Investigating heterotrophic soil respiration in response to pulse water events. Department of Botany and Plant Sciences Seminar, University of California Riverside, CA. (invited oral presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., L. Li, M.P. Timko, J.E. Mak, M.T. Lerdau. 2010. Short term changes in methanol emission and pectin methylesterase activity are not directly affected by light in Lycopersicon esculentum. American Geophysical Union. San Francisco, CA. (poster presentation)

Oikawa, P.Y., B.M. Giebel, L. da S.L. Sternberg, L. Li, M.P. Timko, P.K. Swart, D.D. Riemer, J.E. Mak, M.T. Lerdau. 2010. Investigating the source of mature leaf methanol emissions in tomato Lycopersicon esculentum. Gordon Research Conference on Biogenic Hydrocarbons and the Atmosphere. Les Diablerets, Switzerland. (invited oral presentation)