Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Climate change is destabilizing many of the natural processes that make large-scale agriculture possible, presenting a principal risk to the future of agriculture in Canada. At the same time, agriculture is a major contributor to climate change-a net source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Research is needed to simultaneously adapt to the changing climate and mitigate GHG emissions; carbon footprinting of sustainable agricultural systems is a promising strategy to incentivise progress towards both goals. However, there is an urgent gap when it comes to carbon footprint data for Canada's most intensively cropped region: in Saskatchewan, there is no direct annual data on net carbon footprints of cropping systems (only modelled estimates which are highly uncertain). Direct assessment of the carbon footprint for crops requires measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes year-¬round. However, long-term CO2 and N2O flux measurements on the prairies have been scarce due to lack of proper equipment. We are requesting support to purchase a trace gas analyzer with capabilities for high frequency measurement of N2O and CO2 mixing ratios in air, comprised of optical and electronic systems mounted in a portable enclosure, designed for rugged, field micrometeorological measurements, including harsh winters. The requested equipment also includes a sampling system to allow a flux¬ gradient approach over four 4 ha plots, an approach ideally suited for long-term year-round comparative emission studies from different management systems. With the equipment requested here, we propose to establish a new long-term N2O and CO2 flux measurement program using micrometeorology methods for year-round climate-smart agricultural research in Saskatchewan. This program will be dedicated to study carbon footprints from Canada's most widely grown crops such as wheat and canola, situated in an area that is potentially a hot spot for freeze-thaw induced N2O emissions. Our complementary expertise in soil biogeochemical cycling, agro¬ecosystems, and micrometeorology is ideally suited for the long-term operation of the requested equipment. Delays in acquiring the proposed equipment will severely limit our ability to address the urgent data gap for carbon footprint assessments while also focusing on fundamental research questions (e.g., mechanisms that regulate GHG sequestration) and applied management recommendations (e.g., how to best reduce annual carbon footprints). Our connections with various stakeholders (e.g., governments, industry groups) will ensure emission results will be relevant for sustainability metrics, and provincial and national GHG emission inventories.