Faculty

Patrick Drohan

Professor of Pedology

452 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building
University Park, PA 16802

Email pjd7@psu.edu
Phone 814-863-4246

Overview

Soil formation and biogeochemistry due to land use and ecosystem change; soil and water degradation, and the remediation of soil physical and chemical properties in urban environments.

Areas of Expertise

Pennsylvania Keyphrases
Pennsylvania Earth and Planetary Sciences
United States Of America Earth and Planetary Sciences
Water Quality Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Land Use Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Watersheds Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Water Use Efficiency Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Deer Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Revealing climate dynamics through topsoil magnetic properties on the Chinese Loess Plateau
Pingguo Yang, Patrick J. Drohan, Jingyu Kou, Jinru Lin, Qingxiu Ge, Hong Ao, Sep 2026, In: Quaternary Science Advances
Date: Sep 2026

Fluctuations of Caspian Sea water due to climate change and the relict evidence in coastal soils
Ramin Samieifard, Ahmad Heidari, Patrick Joseph Drohan, Jul 2026, In: Catena
Date: Jul 2026

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle photogrammetry for mapping hydrologically sensitive and phosphorus critical source areas
Jhony Armando Benavides-Bolaños, Daniel Guarín, Patrick Joseph Drohan, Dimitrios Bolkas, Alejandro Pérez Y. Soto-Domínguez, Jun 2026, In: Computers and Electronics in Agriculture
Date: Jun 2026

Improving water use efficiency and root morphology with deficit irrigation in two table grape (Vitis vinifera L.) varieties
Pingguo Yang, Patrick J. Drohan, Miao Yang, Yunzhou Qiao, Zhigang Dong, Caixian Zhang, Apr 1 2026, In: Scientia Horticulturae
Date: Apr 1 2026

Enhancing soil phosphorus availability and microbial phosphorus cycling by stabilizing soil moisture in maize production
Mengze Xu, Huaiyu Long, Dichuan Liu, Yang Hu, Dandan Su, Patrick J. Drohan, 2026, In: Plant and Soil
Date: 2026

Microplastic polymer accumulation, distribution, and toxicity in sediment of a freshwater tidal marsh, USA
Jutamas Bussarakum, Patrick J. Drohan, Raymond G. Najjar, Jill M. Arriola, Lisa A. Emili, Nathaniel R. Warner, Dec 2025, In: Marine pollution bulletin
Date: Dec 2025

Soil smarts
Arghajeet Saha, A. N. Rohith, Patrick J. Drohan, Tamie L. Veith, Raj Cibin, Dec 2025, In: Agrosystems, Geosciences and Environment
Date: Dec 2025

An initial geopedological survey and description of historic raised beds in north-western Ireland
A. Bonhage, T. Raab, P. Drohan, A. Schneider, A. Raab, Jul 15 2025, In: Geomorphology
Date: Jul 15 2025

Stable soil moisture promotes shoot performance and shapes the root-rhizosphere microbiome
Dichuan Liu, Zhuan Wang, Guolong Zhu, Aiguo Xu, Renlian Zhang, Ray Bryant, Patrick J. Drohan, Huaiyu Long, Viola Willemsen, Apr 1 2025, In: Agricultural Water Management
Date: Apr 1 2025

Impacts of Deficit Irrigation on Strawberry Physiology, Water Productivity, Quality, and Yield
Pingguo Yang, Patrick J. Drohan, Xiaojiao Zhang, Huaiyu Long, Konstantinos X. Soulis, Xiaorong Shi, Jan 2025, In: Sustainability (Switzerland)
Date: Jan 2025

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Early trends in landcover change and forest fragmentation due to shale-gas development in Pennsylvania
P. J. Drohan, M. Brittingham, J. Bishop, K. Yoder, May 2012, In: Environmental Management
Citations: 136

Weathering of rock to regolith
Elizabeth A. Hasenmueller, Xin Gu, Julie N. Weitzman, Thomas S. Adams, Gary E. Stinchcomb, David M. Eissenstat, Patrick J. Drohan, Susan L. Brantley, Jason P. Kaye, Aug 15 2017, In: Geoderma
Citations: 128

Refinement of the differential water loss method for gypsum determination in soils
O. Artieda, J. Herrero, P. J. Drohan, Nov 2006, In: Soil Science Society of America Journal
Citations: 85

Residential demolition and its impact on vacant lot hydrology
W. D. Shuster, S. Dadio, P. Drohan, R. Losco, J. Shaffer, May 2014, In: Landscape and Urban Planning
Citations: 81

Watershed-Scale Impacts from Surface Water Disposal of Oil and Gas Wastewater in Western Pennsylvania
William D. Burgos, Luis Castillo-Meza, Travis L. Tasker, Thomas J. Geeza, Patrick J. Drohan, Xiaofeng Liu, Joshua D. Landis, Jens Blotevogel, Molly McLaughlin, Thomas Borch, Nathaniel R. Warner, Aug 1 2017, In: Environmental Science and Technology
Citations: 80

The joy of teaching soil science
Alfred E. Hartemink, Megan R. Balks, Zueng Sang Chen, Patrick Drohan, Damien J. Field, Pavel Krasilnikov, David J. Lowe, Martin Rabenhorst, Ken van Rees, Peter Schad, Louis A. Schipper, Marthijn Sonneveld, Christian Walter, Apr 2014, In: Geoderma
Citations: 73

Biochar amendment of soil improves resilience to climate change
Roger T. Koide, Binh T. Nguyen, R. Howard Skinner, Curtis J. Dell, Matthew S. Peoples, Paul R. Adler, Patrick J. Drohan, Sep 1 2015, In: GCB Bioenergy
Citations: 65

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) decline during 1979-1989 in northern Pennsylvania
P. J. Drohan, S. L. Stout, G. W. Petersen, Oct 15 2002, In: Forest Ecology and Management
Citations: 64

Using Kaya and LMDI models to analyze carbon emissions from the energy consumption in China
Pingguo Yang, Xiao Liang, Patrick J. Drohan, Jul 1 2020, In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Citations: 62

The use of LiDAR terrain data in characterizing surface roughness and microtopography
Kristen M. Brubaker, Wayne L. Myers, Patrick J. Drohan, Douglas A. Miller, Elizabeth W. Boyer, 2013, In: Applied and Environmental Soil Science
Citations: 59

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