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

萨斯喀彻温省拥有大量的农业用地，其中一些是由于过去90年来对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。是否有其他创新方法来管理这一农业生态系统并获取不仅有利于农民，而且还能解决可再生能源问题并通过气候变化创造健康生态系统的价值？能否建立木本物种，也将解决萨斯喀彻温省的愿景，种植400万英亩的耕地树木在20年内，并有1/3的电力来自可再生能源，到2030年？一种解决办法是引进高密度的杨柳种植园;然而，对于使用哪种杨柳克隆和栽培方法、可能的生物量产量或草原的相关疾病和害虫风险，人们一无所知。在大面积上将传统作物转变为杨柳可能会改变地球化学循环和未来的长期生产力，并影响碳储存。该项目的重点是在农业用地上种植短轮伐期杨柳生物质种植园，以及这些种植园将如何影响（1）林分水平的土壤地球化学循环和（2）通过实地和模拟研究在景观尺度上的碳储量。将在几个地点建立高密度种植园，以研究生物量产量、识别杨柳无性系的标记、纯和混合（与锦鸡儿间作）杨柳种植园的养分循环（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的过程将用于模拟不同时间和空间尺度上碳储存和养分循环的气候情景。从该项目获得的知识将有助于加拿大提供另一种战略，通过短期轮作的木本种植园履行其京都承诺，为能源部门提供合适的杨柳无性系，用于大规模生物质种植园，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.