PNNL

Zeli Tan conducts studies to investigate the impacts of land-river/lake-ocean interactions on global biogeochemical cycles using models, remote sensing, and machine learning. Dr. Tan has developed a lake biogeochemistry model to estimate lake methane emissions, as well as an ecogeomorphology model to estimate the vulnerability of coastal wetlands to sea level rise. Dr. Tan also works on enhancing the capability of the DOE’s Energy Exascale Earth System model (E3SM) in simulating sediment, carbon, and nutrient dynamics in the land-river-ocean continuum. These studies will pave the way for closed biogeochemical cycles in Earth System Models.

• Lake methane emissions
• Land-river/lake-ocean interactions
• River sediment, carbon, and nutrients
• Inland and coastal wetlands 

• PhD in Atmospheric Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA
• MS in Space Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
• BE in Electronic Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

• American Geophysical Union
• Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network
• Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography
• Associate Editor of Frontiers in Water (2023 to current)
• Associate Editor of Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems (2024 to present)

Click to jump to  2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017

Google Scholar profile

2025

• Xu, D., G. Bisht, D. Enwigda, D. Feng, Z. Tan, and V. Ivanov (2025), Uncertainties in simulating flooding during Hurricane Harvey using 2D shallow water equations, Water Resources Research, 61, e2024WR038032.

2024

• Feng D., Z. Tan, D. Engwirda, J. Wolfe, D. Xu, C. Liao, and G. Bisht, et al. 2024. "Simulation of Compound Flooding using River-Ocean Two-way Coupled E3SM Ensemble on Variable-resolution Meshes." Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems 16, no. 6:Art. No, e2023MS004054. PNNL-SA-191225. doi:10.1029/2023MS004054
• La Fuente S., E. Jennings, J.D. Lenters, P. Verburg, Z. Tan, M. Perroud, and A. Janssen, et al. 2024. "Ensemble modeling of global lake evaporation under climate change." Journal of Hydrology 631. PNNL-SA-183325. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.130647
• Tan Z., H. Yao, J.M. Melack, H. Grossart, J. Jansen, S. Balathandayuthabani, and K. Sargsyan, et al. 2024. "A Lake Biogeochemistry Model for Global Methane Emissions: Model Development, Site-Level Validation, and Global Applicability." Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems 16, no. 10:e2024MS004275. PNNL-SA-194688. doi:10.1029/2024MS004275
• Tan Z., L. Leung, C. Liao, L. Carniello, J.F. Rodriguez, P.M. Saco, and S.G. Sandi. 2024. "A multi-algorithm approach for modeling coastal wetland eco-geomorphology." Frontiers in Earth Science 12, no. 2024:Art. No. 1421265. PNNL-SA-190230. doi:10.3389/feart.2024.1421265
• Xu D., G. Bisht, D. Feng, Z. Tan, L. Li, H. Qiu, and L. Leung. 2024. "Impacts of Sea-level Rise on Coastal Groundwater Table simulated by an Earth System Model with a Land-Ocean Coupling Scheme." Earth's Future 12, no. 8:e2024EF004479. PNNL-SA-194173. doi:10.1029/2024EF004479
• Xu D., G. Bisht, Z. Tan, C. Liao, T. Zhou, H. Li, and L. Leung. 2024. "Disentangling the hydrological and hydraulic controls on streamflow variability in Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) V2-a case study in the Pantanal region." Geoscientific Model Development 17, no. 3:1197 - 1215. PNNL-SA-189594. doi:10.5194/gmd-17-1197-2024
• Xu D., G. Bisht, Z. Tan, E. Sinha, A. Di Vittorio, T. Zhou, and V. Ivanov, et al. 2024. "Climate change will reduce North American inland wetland areas and disrupt their seasonal regimes." Nature Communications 15, no. _:Art. No. 2438. PNNL-SA-184173. doi:10.1038/s41467-024-45286-z
• Tran H., Y. Fang, Z. Tan, T. Zhou, and L. R. Leung (2024). “Quantifying the impacts of land cover change on the hydrologic response to Hurricane Ida in the Lower Mississippi River Basin.” Journal of Hydrometeorology 25, no. 6:899-914. PNNL-SA-185879. doi:10.1175/JHM-D-23-0094.1

2023

• Feng D., Z. Tan, and Q. He. 2023. "Physics-informed neural networks of the Saint-Venant equations for downscaling a large-scale river model." Water Resources Research 59, no. 2:Art. No. e2022WR033168. PNNL-SA-174830. doi:10.1029/2022WR033168
• Feng D., Z. Tan, D. Xu, and L. Leung. 2023. "Understanding the Compound Flood Risk along the Coast of the Contiguous United States." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 27, no. 21:3911-3934. PNNL-SA-181995. doi:10.5194/hess-27-3911-2023
• Liao C., T. Zhou, D. Xu, Z. Tan, G. Bisht, M.G. Cooper, and D. Engwirda, et al. 2023. "Topological relationship-based flow direction modeling: stream burning and depression filling." Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems 15, no. 11:Art. No. e2022MS003487. PNNL-SA-183275. doi:10.1029/2022MS003487
• Zhuang Q., M. Guo, J.M. Melack, X. Lan, Z. Tan, Y. Oh, and L. Leung. 2023. "Current and future global lake methane emissions: A process-based modeling analysis." Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 128, no. 3:Art. No. e2022JG007137. PNNL-SA-176712. doi:10.1029/2022JG007137

2022

• Abeshu G.W., H. Li, Z. Zhu, Z. Tan, and L. Leung. 2022. "Median bed-material sediment particle size across rivers in the contiguous US." Earth System Science Data 14, no. 2:929-942. PNNL-SA-163836. doi:10.5194/essd-14-929-2022
• Golub M., W. Thiery, R. Marce, D. Pierson, I. Vanderkelen, D. Mercado-Bettin, and R.L. Woolway, et al. 2022. "A framework for ensemble modelling of climate change impacts on lakes worldwide: the ISIMIP Lake Sector." Geoscientific Model Development 15, no. 11:4597-4623. PNNL-SA-172624. doi:10.5194/gmd-15-4597-2022
• Li H., Z. Tan, H. Ma, Z. Zhu, G.W. Abeshu, S. Zhu, and S. Cohen, et al. 2022. "A new large-scale suspended sediment model and its application over the United States." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 26, no. 3:665-688. PNNL-SA-147911. doi:10.5194/hess-26-665-2022
• Liao C., T. Zhou, D. Xu, R. Barnes, G. Bisht, H. Li, and Z. Tan, et al. 2022. "Advances in hexagon mesh-based flow direction modeling." Advances in Water Resources 160. PNNL-SA-160344. doi:10.1016/j.advwatres.2021.104099
• Tan Z., L. Leung, H. Li, and S. Cohen. 2022. "Representing global soil erosion and sediment flux in Earth System Models." Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems 14, no. 1:e2021MS002756. PNNL-SA-165541. doi:10.1029/2021MS002756
• Woolway R.L., B. Denfeld, Z. Tan, J. Jansen, G.A. Weyhenmeyer, and S. La Fuente. 2022. "Winter inverse lake stratification under historic and future climate change." Limnology and Oceanography Letters 7, no. 4:302-311. PNNL-SA-167310. doi:10.1002/lol2.10231
• Feng D., Z. Tan, D. Engwirda, C. Liao, D. Xu, G. Bisht, and T. Zhou, et al. 2022. "Investigating coastal backwater effects and flooding in the coastal zone using a global river transport model on an unstructured mesh." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 26, no. 21:5473–5491. PNNL-SA-174859. doi:10.5194/hess-26-5473-2022

2021

• Grant L., I. Vanderkelen, L. Gudmundsson, Z. Tan, M. Perroud, V. Stepanenko, and A. Debolskiy, et al. 2021. "Attribution of global lake systems change to anthropogenic forcing." Nature Geoscience 14, no. 11:849-854. PNNL-SA-156423. doi:10.1038/s41561-021-00833-x
• Guo M., Q. Zhuang, H. Yao, M. Golub, L. Leung, and Z. Tan. 2021. "Intercomparison of thermal regime algorithms in 1-D lake models." Water Resources Research 57, no. 6:e2020WR028776. PNNL-SA-156419. doi:10.1029/2020WR028776
• Guo M., Q. Zhuang, H. Yao, M. Golub, L. Leung, and Z. Tan. 2021. "Validation and Sensitivity Analysis of a 1-D Lake Model across Global Lakes." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 126, no. 4:e2020JD033417. PNNL-SA-156424. doi:10.1029/2020JD033417
• McDowell N.G., Z. Tan, M.D. Hurteau, and R. Prasad. 2021. "Trade-offs of forest management scenarios on forest carbon exchange and threatened and endangered species habitat." Ecosphere 12, no. 10:Art. No. e03779. PNNL-SA-167413. doi:10.1002/ecs2.3779
• Tan Z., L. Leung, H. Li, T.K. Tesfa, Q. Zhu, X. Yang, and Y. Liu, et al. 2021. "Increased extreme rains intensify erosional nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes to the northern Gulf of Mexico in recent decades." Environmental Research Letters 16, no. 5:054080. PNNL-SA-160296. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/abf006
• Woolway R.L., S. Sharma, G.A. Weyhenmeyer, A. Debolskiy, M. Golub, D.J. Mercado, and M. Perroud, et al. 2021. "Phenological shifts in lake stratification under climate change." Nature Communications 12, no. 1:2318. PNNL-SA-161779. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-22657-4

2020

• Cheng Y., M. Huang, M. Chen, K. Guan, C. Bernacchi, B. Peng, and Z. Tan. 2020. "Parameterizing perennial bioenergy crops in Version 5 of the Community Land Model based on site-level observations in the Central Midwestern United States." Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems 12, no. 1:Article No. e2019MS001719. PNNL-SA-143259. doi:10.1029/2019MS001719
• Guo M., Q. Zhuang, Z. Tan, N. Shurpali, S. Juutinene, P. Kortelainen, and P. Martikainen. 2020. "Rising methane emissions from boreal lakes due to increasing ice-free days." Environmental Research Letters 15, no. 6:064008. PNNL-SA-152283. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ab8254
• Guseva S., T. Bleninger, K. Johnk, B. Polli, Z. Tan, W. Thiery, and Q. Zhuang, et al. 2020. "Multimodel simulation of vertical gas transfer in a temperate lake." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 24, no. 2:697-715. PNNL-SA-149683. doi:10.5194/hess-24-697-2020
• Tan Z., C. Liao, L. Leung, and V.L. Bailey. 2020. Future Response of Coastal Wetlands to Environmental Stresses: Algorithm Comparison of Numerical Models. PNNL-30523. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Future Response of Coastal Wetlands to Environmental Stresses: Algorithm Comparison of Numerical Models
• Tan Z., L. Leung, H. Li, T.K. Tesfa, Q. Zhu, and M. Huang. 2020. "A substantial role of soil erosion in the land carbon sink and its future changes." Global Change Biology 26, no. 4:2642-2655. PNNL-SA-150643. doi:10.1111/gcb.14982
• Vanderkelen I., N. van Lipzig, D.M. Lawrence, B. Droppers, M. Golub, S.N. Gosling, and A. Janssen, et al. 2020. "Global heat uptake by inland waters." Geophysical Research Letters 47, no. 12:Article No. e2020GL087867. PNNL-SA-153787. doi:10.1029/2020GL087867

2019

• Mao Y., T. Zhou, L. Leung, T.K. Tesfa, H. Li, K. Wang, and Z. Tan, et al. 2019. "Flood Inundation Generation Mechanisms and Their Changes in 1953-2004 in Global Major River Basins." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 124, no. 22:11672-11692. PNNL-SA-147906. doi:10.1029/2019JD031381

2018

• Tan Z., H. Yao, and Q. Zhuang. 2018. "A small temperate lake in the 21st century: Dynamics of water temperature, ice phenology, dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll a." Water Resources Research 54, no. 7:4681-4699. PNNL-SA-133195. doi:10.1029/2017WR022334
• Tan Z., L. Leung, H. Li, and T.K. Tesfa. 2018. "Modeling sediment yield in land surface and Earth system models: Model comparison, development and evaluation." Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems 10, no. 9:2192-2213. PNNL-SA-133207. doi:10.1029/2017MS001270
• Treat C., M. Marushchak, C. Voigt, Y. Zhang, Z. Tan, Q. Zhuang, and T. Virtanen, et al. 2018. "Tundra landscape heterogeneity, not interannual variability, controls the decadal regional carbon balance in the Western Russian Arctic." Global Change Biology 24, no. 11:5188-5204. PNNL-SA-135490. doi:10.1111/gcb.14421

2017

• Tan Z., L. Leung, H. Li, T.K. Tesfa, M. Vanmaercke, J. Poesen, and X. Zhang, et al. 2017. "A global data analysis for representing sediment and particulate organic carbon yield in Earth System Models." Water Resources Research 53, no. 12:10674-10700. PNNL-SA-130974. doi:10.1002/2017WR020806
• Tan Z., Q. Zhuang, N. Shurpali, M. Marushchak, C. Biasi, W. Eugster, and K. Walter Anthony. 2017. "Modeling CO2 emissions from Arctic lakes: Model development and site-level study." Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems 9, no. 5:2190-2213. PNNL-SA-129018. doi:10.1002/2017MS001028
• Thonat T., M. Saunois, P. Bousquet, I. Pison, Z. Tan, Q. Zhuang, and P.M. Crill, et al. 2017. "Detectability of Arctic methane sources at six sites performing continuous atmospheric measurements." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 17, no. 13:8371-8394. PNNL-SA-128395. doi:10.5194/acp-17-8371-2017