Grant: Discovery Launch Supplement

Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) imports 71% of the food we eat and our access to food is threatened by climate change (CC) mainly due to disruptions in local food supplies through ferry delays caused by extreme weather events such as hurricanes. Climate warming may lead to a longer growing season in NL which may increase the number of farms. Building more farms may change the ability of soils to store carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) which may be lost to the atmosphere as powerful greenhouse gases which will contribute to CC by trapping heat. Small scale agriculture such as small farms or community gardens reduce the pressures on large farms and increases our access to healthy food while also decreasing the C (as fuel) used to transport/process our food which is called a C footprint. An added challenge with growing food in NL is the poor quality of our soils, therefore innovative ways to increase soil health are required. The primary objective of this research program is to develop homegrown solutions focused on adding more C and nutrients to our soils without releasing greenhouse gases. Part of the solution to creating healthy soils, is creating compost, which transforms household waste such as kitchen waste into a nutrient and C rich organic mixture that can be added to soils to grow food. The first goal of this research program is to work with the non-profit, Western Environment Centre to develop methods to improve composting methods using lab analyses and community garden composters. The health of our soils may also be improved by adding easily found organic matter such as seaweed to composters or directly to soils. There is a tradition of using seaweed as fertilizer NL because it is easy to access, contains essential nutrients, and helps protect plants from disease. Research has shown that seaweed contains the chemical bromoform which stops the production of the powerful greenhouse gas methane in the stomachs of cows. The same microbes responsible for producing methane in the stomachs of cows are also found in soils whereby methane release is controlled by their environment. Given the long history of using seaweed in NL and the valuable knowledge passed down through generations, the second goal of my research program is to work with the non-profit, Shorefast (Fogo Island), and use laboratory and greenhouse studies to determine if the traditional practice of using seaweed as fertilizer in NL decreases the amount of methane released from soils to the atmosphere and to test its impact on potato growth. We will also add seaweed to composters to investigate its impacts: 1) on compost quality; 2) greenhouse gas reductions, and 3) potato growth. In doing so, we will determine the carbon footprint of using seaweed in agriculture. This research will advance our ability to make science-based recommendations for climate action in non-commercial (i.e., individual and community gardens) and commercial agriculture in NL and beyond.