Grant: Alliance Grants

In search of food security in the boreal regions of Canada land use conversion (LUC) is used to expand agriculture into boreal forests or natural lands. LUC is strongly supported through regional policies. This disturbs and removes the topsoil rich in organic matter. The resulting farmland is of very low fertility and requires intensive management to increase and maintain its carbon stores and enhance soil health to facilitate sustainable productivity. Organic amendments commonly employed or of interest to the local farmers are of sources that are geographically and seasonally variable in type, quality and quantity. Their stability or mineralization rates, including any priming effects, vary as a function of the soil properties, pre-processing protocols and crop types. Associated greenhouse gasses (GHG) emission profiles are unknown. Preliminary evidence suggests both enhanced sequestration and priming effects. Newfoundland and Labrador is a prime example of dispersed communities with distinct access to organic wastes that are employed to improve soil fertility. We propose to develop an evidence base decision support system that informs on best on-land organic waste utilization practices to facilitate productivity while mitigating GHG emissions. We will compare the utility of locally relevant wastes, the utility of distinct composting options (including classic windrow-type and vermicomposting) for reducing GHG emissions and increasing C sequestration. A whole system analysis approach will be used to identify (a) options for optimization of locally relevant waste streams applied to field or used in greenhouse conditions, (b) GHGs emissions for the differently managed agricultural fields (soil management and cropping system) in selected boreal ecoregions, (c) the relationship between productivity and soil carbon pools in the context of GHG emission potential. The work will be done on working farms in the boreal regions and involves controlled conditions and field experiments including seasonal considerations. Students and postdoctoral fellows will be trained in agriculture, carbon and GHG sciences, and work with farmers in the local communities, government agricultural agents and international advisers.