Determining the environmental benefits and socio-economical feasibility of a new type of riparian buffer

农业土壤的排水是土壤有机质、杀虫剂和化肥的主要来源，是加拿大可耕种低地特有的大片沟渠和溪流网络的主要来源。保护水生生境的生态完整性和水资源质量是现代农业目前面临的最大挑战。在这个项目中，我们打算确定绿色解决方案技术有效减少邻近水生系统农业负荷的能力，并证明该技术是有利可图的。也就是说，我们选择测试狭窄但密集的河岸缓冲区带(RBS)的生物过滤潜力，这些带种植的是快速生长的柳树无性系，每三年砍伐一次，以产生生物能源原料。在我们社会经济合作伙伴的合作下，我们于2009年春季在圣劳伦斯河北岸建立了两套种植柳树无性系S.miyabeana SX64的试验性RBS，密度为15.000或30.000株/公顷。从2011年到2013年，我们的农民合作伙伴将在试验田轮作种植玉米和大豆，并像往常一样使用农用化学品。为了进行比较，每个实验展示包括没有RBS的耕作土壤和由混合树种组成的传统RBS。为了确定实验中的柳树RBS截留农业负荷到水生系统的效率，我们将在距离河岸一定距离的地方用取样器采样土壤，并用蒸渗仪和地表收集器测量溶解和颗粒通量。我们将使用特定的综合指标来加深我们对农业扩散污染的动态和环境影响的理解，即陆源生物标记物和蓝藻生物论文。在短期内，我们的项目将有助于展示拟议的绿色解决方案技术的可持续性以及其大规模社会接受的条件。从长远来看，与我们的研究伙伴的合作扩展到地区、省和联邦利益攸关方，将有助于宣传和普及谷物种植综合管理的新选择。

The drainage of agricultural soils represents a major source of soil organic matter, pesticides and fertilizers to the extensive networks of ditches and streams characteristic of the Canadian arable lowlands. Protecting the ecological integrity of aquatic habitats and the quality of water resources represents a paramount challenge to which modern agriculture is currently faced. In this project, we intend to determine the ability of a green solution technique to efficiently reduce agricultural loadings to adjacent aquatic systems and to demonstrate that this technique can be profitable. Namely, we chose to test the biofiltration potential of narrow but dense riparian buffer strips (RBS) planted with fast growing willow clones, which are cut down every three years to generate bioenergy feedstock. Along with the collaboration of our socioeconomic partners, we established during the spring of 2009 on the North Shore of the St Lawrence River two sets of experimental RBS planted with the willow clone S. miyabeana SX64 with densities of either 15.000 or 30.000 stems/ha. From 2011 to 2013, our farmers partners will plant maize and soy in rotation in the experimental fields and apply their agro-chemicals as they normally do. For comparison purposes, each experimental display includes cultivated soils without RBS and with traditional RBS composed of trees of mixed species. In order to determine the efficiency of the experimental willow RBS to intercept agricultural loadings to aquatic systems, we will be sampling soils with a corer at a certain distance from the banks as well as dissolved and particulate fluxes with lysimeters and surface collectors. We will use particular integrative proxies to further our understanding of the dynamics and environmental impacts of agricultural diffuse pollution i.e. terrigenous biomarkers and cyanobacterial bioessays. In the short term, our project will contribute to demonstrate the sustainability of the proposed green solution technique as well as the conditions for its large scale social acceptance. In the long term, the collaboration with our research partners extended to regional, provincial and federal stakeholders will contribute to publicize and popularize a new option for an integrated management of cereal farming.