Understanding management effects on soil organic matter and ecological function in forage-based agroecosystems.

了解管理对以饲料为基础的农业生态系统中土壤有机质和生态功能的影响。

• 批准号: RGPIN-2021-03456
• 负责人: Schneider, Kimberley
• 金额: $ 1.82万
• 依托单位: University of Guelph
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=763550
• 关键词: Understanding; management; effects; soil; organic

The world's soils, are increasingly being acknowledged for their potential contribution to the fight against climate change, nutrient pollution, and to provide other critical ecosystem services. Cropping systems that include forage and service crops (pasture, hay, cover crops) are known to increase carbon sequestration and provide numerous benefits to soil health and nutrient cycling. In particular, grazed agricultural grasslands show much potential for sequestering carbon by increasing belowground biomass; for example, some studies have indicated that net negative greenhouse gas emissions are possible for a predominantly grass-fed beef operation, when rotational grazing (where livestock are rotated frequently through paddocks, and allowing adequate rest periods) is employed. An improved understanding of how grazing management and pasture fertilization impact soil carbon sequestration is required in order to better contribute to climate change mitigation.   The objectives of this proposal are to determine the agro-ecological benefits provided by forage and service crops and to identify management practices that increase these benefits. In particular, I will focus on grazing management in beef production systems and how rotational grazing strategies and nitrogen fertility management can impact carbon sequestration. My research will examine the quality of the soil organic matter in order to better understand its ecological function (how stable it is, etc.). I will also quantify the soil health benefits provided by including perennial forage in a cropping system rotation in terms of the ability to lower fertility recommendations for a subsequent crop. These research questions will be accomplished through a combination of on-farm, controlled environment, and research station studies. My research program will provide data that will further scientific understanding on the mechanisms enhancing carbon sequestration in grazed ecosystems and make recommendations to enable improved soil carbon management in grazed soils. This research is expected to improve the environmental outcomes of the beef industry by identifying grazing management strategies that improve their productivity and ecological impacts (carbon sequestration) at the same time. This is important because the beef industry is frequently under scrutiny for being a major greenhouse gas contributor, but contributions to soil carbon sequestration during grazing are typically not considered. Finally, improvements in soil quality due to the use of forage-based cropping systems that promote soil organic matter and soil health are expected to have implications for the amount of nutrients that are needed to be applied as fertilizers. Practices that may reduce the amount of nutrients, particularly P, required in agriculture are needed; this is a current cross-sector priority, and critical for the health of the Lake Erie watershed.

世界的土壤越来越多地因其对应对气候变化，营养污染以及提供其他关键生态系统服务的斗争的潜在贡献而受到认可。已知的种植系统包括饲料和服务作物（牧场，干草，覆盖作物），可以增加碳固存，并为土壤健康和养分循环提供许多好处。特别是，颗粒状的农田通过增加地下生物量来表现出很大的隔离碳的潜力。例如，一些研究表明，当旋转放牧时（牲畜经常通过围场旋转，并允许足够的休息时间）进行净负温室气体排放，主要是谷物喂养的牛肉操作。对放牧管理和牧场施肥的影响有了深入的了解，为了更好地促进气候变化的促进，需要如何影响土壤碳的隔离。他们的目标是确定草料和服务作物提供的农业生态益处，并确定增加这些福利的管理实践。特别是，我将专注于牛肉生产系统中的图形管理以及旋转放牧策略和氮肥管理如何影响碳固醇。我的研究将检查土壤有机物的质量，以便更好地了解其生态功能（它的稳定性等等）。我还将根据降低随后作物的肥力建议的能力来量化种植系统旋转中多年生饲料所提供的土壤健康益处。这些研究问题将通过农场，受控环境和研究站研究的结合来完成。我的研究计划将提供数据，以进一步科学了解增强颗粒状生态系统中碳固相的机制，并提出建议，以改善放牧土壤中的土壤碳管理。预计这项研究将通过确定同时提高其生产力和生态影响（碳碳会议）的图形管理策略来改善牛肉行业的环境结果。这很重要，因为牛肉行业经常因成为主要的温室气体贡献者而受到审查，但通常不考虑在磨砂过程中对土壤碳疗程的贡献。最后，由于使用基于觅食的农作物系统，促进土壤有机物和土壤健康的土壤质量的改善有望对需要用作肥料的养分量产生影响。可能需要减少需要减少养分量的实践，尤其是p所需的养分；这是当前的跨部门优先事项，对伊利湖流域的健康至关重要。