Biophysical interactions in agricultural systems across environmental gradients

农业生产的创新方法将最大限度地减少当前的一系列挑战：滥用化肥;土壤和水污染;土地使用的变化。事实上，人们对这种复杂的环境问题的批判性观点越来越感兴趣。我和我的研究小组通过研究替代农业生产系统来应对这种研究需求，使用新技术来量化农业生态系统动态。我的研究计划解决了我们对植物性状和不同农业生态系统的营养经济的理解的重要差距。从广义上讲，我最重要的研究贡献，通过确定农业生态系统的动态，有利于这种系统，进一步加深了我们对替代生产系统的理解。根据NSERC发现补助金计划进行的新研究将推进战略，以实现安大略和国际农业背景下的重要管理处方。具体来说，我从这个研究计划提案的贡献将i）图表以前未报告的种间相互作用在多物种系统，ii）开发新的研究工具，以克服描述地下过程的局限性，iii）推进我们的理解植物介导的营养供应在农业中，和iv）说明跨学科的环境研究。这项综合研究对加拿大来说是独一无二的，也是非常及时的，因为在粮食安全、保护和可持续发展的交叉点上迫切需要严格的科学信息。* 在接下来的五年里，我将致力于三个目标：*1）通过研究各种非生物胁迫下植物介导的养分获取和转移过程，阐明农业生态系统养分经济的关键维度。2)评估局部环境效应，特别是土壤肥力对植物功能性状和关键性状综合征的影响。3)开发新的研究工具，即探地雷达，以探测农业生态系统的地下过程。** 基本原理，实验技术和应用相结合，使该研究计划非常适合吸引和培养本科生和研究生以及未来的博士后研究员。我努力创造一个合作的研究环境，并将提供有效的指导，我所有的HQP。我以前的出版记录与我的学生，我目前的学生成绩和我的学生在环境领域（从私营部门到大学教授职位）获得就业的高度成功，为我创造一个令人鼓舞的能力提供了激励证据，适应性强，成功的培训环境。

Innovative approaches to agriculture production will minimize a host of current challenges: misuse of fertilizers; soil and water contamination; land-use change. Indeed, there is rising interest in critical perspectives for such complex environmental problems. My research group and I respond to this need for research by examining alternative systems of agricultural production using novel techniques to quantify agroecosystem dynamics. My research program addresses important gaps in our understanding of plant traits and the nutrient economy of diverse agroecological systems. Broadly, my most significant research contributions have furthered our understanding of alternative systems of production by identifying agroecosystem dynamics that are beneficial to such systems. New research under this NSERC Discovery Grant Program will advance strategies to achieve important management prescriptions in both an Ontario and international agricultural context. Specifically, my contributions from this research program proposal will i) chart previously unreported interspecific interactions in multi-species systems, ii) develop new research tools to overcome limitations in describing belowground processes, iii) advance our understanding of plant-mediated nutrient supply in agriculture, and iv) illustrate interdisciplinary environmental research. This proposed integrated research is unique to Canada and extremely opportune, as rigorous scientific information is urgently needed at the intersection of food security, conservation, and sustainable development. ****Over the next five years, I will address three objectives:***1) Elucidate key dimensions of the nutrient economy of agroecosystems by examining plant-mediated nutrient acquisition and transfer processes under various abiotic stressors.***2) Assess local-scale environmental effects, specifically soil fertility, on plant functional traits and key trait syndromes.***3) Develop novel research tools, namely ground-penetrating radar, for detecting belowground processes in agroecosystems. ******The combination of fundamental principles, experimental techniques, and application renders this research program highly suitable for attracting and training of undergraduate and graduate students as well as prospective post-doctoral fellows. I strive to create a collaborative research environment and will delivery effective mentorship to all my HQP. My previous publication record with my students, my current student accomplishments and the high success of my students to secure employment in the environmental field (from private sector to university professorships) provides motivating evidence of my ability to create an encouraging, adaptable and successful training environment.***