Example 2

Example 2

Example 1

Three-day Coordinated Distributed Experimental Network (CDEN) Research Design Workshop

Three-day Coordinated Distributed Experimental Network (CDEN) Research Design Workshop

June 12-14, 2018 at the UBC Farm

The Cluster hosted its first CDEN Research Design Workshop at UBC Farm, with local and global researchers. The goal of the workshop was to establish the CDEN experimental design and develop collaborative and transformative action research – moving from applied and fundamental research questions in agroecosystem research to action. The workshop included discussions on replicated experiments on crucial areas such as nutrient management, biodiversity and food security. See workshop discussion notes here.

The research included characterizing the level of diversification across farm systems over time, and space to explore socio-ecological outcomes, and investigating the barriers to diversification across scales. In addition, investigating diversified systems and trade-offs between ecosystem services including biodiversity, soil health, labour, profit, food and nutrition security, cultural values.

The workshop laid the foundation for an experimental network of diversified farming systems research and developed research on thematic areas:

  • Methodological Standards and Protocols
  • Diversification Transitions
  • Experimental Campus Farm Network
  • Observational Agroecology and Big Data

The Cluster is continuing the development of these research areas and collaboration.

April 7: Optimizing Organic Amendments and Cover Crops with Dr. Gabriel Maltais-Landry

April 7: Optimizing Organic Amendments and Cover Crops with Dr. Gabriel Maltais-Landry

April 7, 2017, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00p.m. MacMillan Building, Room 154.

About the talk:

Dr. Gabriel Maltais-Landry’s talk will focus on how optimal nutrient management is a critical aspect of sustainable farming systems, where nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) must be supplied in sufficient quantities to maximize crop yields and maintain soil fertility while preventing over-fertilization that results in environmental degradation. Organic amendments – manures and composts – and cover crops recycle N and P within farming systems, reducing the use of mineral fertilizers while potentially lowering nutrient losses to surrounding ecosystems. The aim of Gabriel’s research is to optimize the use of organic amendments and cover crops to maximize yields and balance N and P budgets in intense agroecosystems. Using several experiments established at the UBC Farm, several trade-offs were identified among crop productivity, balanced N and P budgets, and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), where treatments with the highest yields resulted in N and P over-fertilization and higher GHG emissions. In addition, there was little evidence that cover crops prevented wintertime N leaching from occurring, although cover crops contributed to N cycling nevertheless. Overall, his research highlights the inherent challenges in balancing N and P while maintaining high yields when using organic amendments and cover crops as primary sources of fertility in intensive vegetable farming systems.

About the speaker:

Gabriel Maltais-Landry is a postdoctoral fellow at UBC ‘s Faculty of Land and Food Systems. He works primarily with the Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes Lab and Centre for Sustainable Food Systems.

Free and open to the public. Event queries: ubcfarm.academic@ubc.ca