Developing a Saskatchewan model for short rotation willow biomass production and GHG benefits

萨斯喀彻温省有一个很大的农业用地基础，其中一些是由于过去90年来原始森林的砍伐而存在的。此外，由于投入和运输成本增加以及商品价格低迷，农民正在失去传统作物的收入。有没有其他创新的方法来管理这一农业生态系统并获取价值，不仅使农民受益，而且还能解决可再生能源问题，并通过气候变化创造健康的生态系统？在萨斯喀彻温省20年内种植400万英亩耕地种树，到2030年可再生能源发电占全国电力的1/3，这样的愿景能否实现？一种解决方案是引入高密度的柳树种植园；然而，对于使用哪种柳树无性繁殖和栽培方法、可能的生物量产量或草原的相关病虫害风险，人们一无所知。将传统作物大面积转化为柳树可能会改变生物地球化学循环和未来的长期生产力，并影响碳储量。本项目通过实地研究和模型研究，重点研究在农业用地上种植短轮制柳树生物量人工林，以及这些人工林将如何影响(1)林分水平上的生物地球化学循环和(2)景观尺度上的碳储量。将在几个地点建立高密度人工林，以研究生物量产量、鉴定柳无性系的标记、纯柳和混合柳人工林（与锦鸡儿间作）的养分循环（大气、植物和土壤）、水利用效率、疾病风险和碳积累。环境和土壤数据库以及实地测量过程将用于模拟不同时空尺度下碳储存和养分循环的气候情景。该项目的知识将帮助加拿大提供另一种战略，通过短期轮作木本种植来履行其在《京都议定书》中的承诺，为能源部门提供适合大规模生物质种植的柳树无性系，作为可再生能源，使农民收入多样化，并通过萨斯喀彻温省发展生物经济创造就业机会，使农村经济受益。

Saskatchewan has a large agricultural land base, some of which exists due to the previous deforestation of the native forest during the last 90 years. In addition, farmers are losing income from traditional crops due to increasing input and transportation costs and poor commodity prices. Are there other innovative ways to manage this agrarian ecosystem and capture value that would benefit not only farmers but also address renewable energy concerns and create healthy ecosystems through a changing climate? Could woody species be established that would also address Saskatchewan's vision to plant 4 M acres of arable land to trees in 20 years and have 1/3 of our electricity from renewable energy by 2030? One solution would be the introduction of high density willow plantations; however, nothing is known about which willow clones and cultural practices to use, the biomass yields possible or the associated risks of diseases and pests for the prairies. Converting traditional crops to willow over a large area could alter biogeochemical cycling and future long-term productivity as well as impact carbon stocks. This project focuses on growing short rotation willow biomass plantations on agricultural land and how these plantations will impact (1) biogeochemical cycling at a stand level and (2) carbon stocks at a landscape scale through both field and modeling studies. High density plantations will be established at several locations to research biomass yields, markers for identifying willow clones, nutrient cycling (atmosphere, plant and soil) for pure and mixed (intercropped with caragana) willow plantations, water use efficiencies, disease risks and carbon accumulation. Environmental and soil databases as well as field measured processes will be used to model climate scenarios on carbon storage and nutrient cycling at different temporal and spatial scales. Knowledge from this project will assist Canada in providing another strategy to meet its Kyoto commitments through short rotation woody plantations, provide the energy sector with suitable willow clones for large scale biomass plantations as a renewable energy source, diversify farmer income and benefit rural economies by creating jobs through a developing bioeconomy in Saskatchewan.