Soil matters: evaluating soil water dynamics and soil greenhouse gas emissions under climate-smart agriculture
Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm
Location: Beaty Museum Allan Yap Theatre (Basement, 2212 Main Mall). Please check in at front desk on main floor before going downstairs.
No food or drinks allowed in the Theatre.
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Talk summary:
While greenhouse gases (GHGs) naturally exist in terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere, concentrations have risen as a result of industrial development and human activities. This study investigated soil-derived GHG fluxes and soil water dynamics under climate-smart agricultural interventions from April to October 2023 at the UBC farm. Within the purview of the analyses, soil moisture was found to be the most important factor for explaining soil GHG variations, especially for CH4. Treatment effects on soil GHGs, GHG fluxes were the lowest when no nutrient amendments or cover crops were applied. The temporal interaction of soil GHG fluxes with soil moisture during wetting and drying cycles was nuanced, as some lagged responses of soil GHG changes to changing soil moisture conditions were observed. The study’s results offer insights for local farming adaptation to prioritize resources for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Bio:
Ming is a recent MSc graduate supervised by Dr. Mark Johnson at UBC’s Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability. Before coming to UBC, Ming completed her undergraduate degree in forestry at the University of Alberta. Currently, Ming’s research focuses on the transfer of water and energy in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. Ming is using observational data collected at the UBC Farm to investigate the interactions between soil water and soil greenhouse gas emissions, in the context of climate-smart agriculture. In her free time, Ming plays badminton and reads screenplays.