A long-term study conducted at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada focused on Carbon (C) sequestration through bioenergy cropping systems in non-agricultural lands (Figure 1) (Bazrgar et al. 2020). These systems sequester atmospheric CO2 in their fibre, as well as in the soil through residue inputs (litterfall, coarse root and fine-root turnover, soil microbial processes, etc. Figures 2 and 3) (Coleman, et al. 2018). In Canada, the current estimate of non-agricultural (marginal) land area that can be brought under biomass crop production is 9.5 million ha (Ashiq et al. 2017). Meanwhile, a significant increase in bioenergy production has also been predicted based on global future energy scenarios. Understanding the system-level C storage potentials in woody and herbaceous cropping systems (long term soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, belowground biomass C, annual litter input and fine root turnover associated C), and how these system-level C dynamics will change as systems mature will help biomass growers to comprehend long-term C sinks influenced by biomass crops.
-
Details
-
Written by Amir Bazrgar, Sowthini Vijayakumar, Andrew Gordon and Naresh Thevathasan(1) School of Environmental Sciences University of Guelph Guelph, Ontario Canada N1G 2W1 1Correspondence: nthevath@uoguelph.ca
Read more ...
Farmers and agricultural advisors in Wisconsin and surrounding states have shown increased interest in silvopasture in recent years. Given limited resources for silvopasture research and outreach it is helpful to know what information stakeholders want and how they want to receive it. From 2014 to 2019 we gathered evaluation data following silvopasture outreach events in Wisconsin and Minnesota and conducted twelve focus group interviews about silvopasture with more than 60 farmers, agricultural advisors, and foresters. These interviews and evaluation results provide a snapshot of where stakeholders learn about silvopasture, how they prefer to get silvopasture information, and what information they are seeking.
-
Details
-
Written by Keefe Keeley (Savanna Institute and UW-Madison), Diane Mayerfeld, Mark Rickenbach, Adena Rissman (all at UW-Madison)
Read more ...