Location: Agroecosystems Management Research
Project Number: 5030-13000-011-043-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2015
End Date: Jul 31, 2020
Objective:
1. Design and implement an edge-of-field monitoring system to measure water, sediment, and dissolved nutrients from a conventional and alternative system.
2. Implement programs for meteorological and soil monitoring to complement Objective 1.
3. Monitor and quantify non-atmospheric carbon and nutrients entering and leaving the two systems in Objective 1 (grain, forage, water, and sediment).
4. Create a database that covers Long-term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) background data at cooperator's farm.
Approach:
The Long-term Agroecosystem Research Network (LTAR) is a national network that aims to develop sustainable, resilient, and profitable farming systems. The Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) node in the LTAR includes ARS and the cooperator. Objective 1 (Design and implement an edge-of-field monitoring system to measure water, sediment and dissolved nutrients from a conventional and alternative system) will use an experimental design that is consistent with similar experimental comparisons of conventional and alternative systems in the UMRB. Hydrologic and water quality mesasures include discharge, nitrate and ammonia, total phosphorus, and sediment in runoff waters. Meteorological measurements include rainfall, wind speed and direction, air temperature, solar radiation, and relative humidity. Soil measurements include texture, bulk density, total organic carbon and nitrogen, extractable phosphorus, and mineral nitrogen. Plant measurements (biomass, grain) will be made to determine nutrient fluxes in and out of the two production systems. Data collection and archiving procedures will be jointly developed and consistent with LTAR requirements.
