Shannan M. Little

A proposed approach to estimate and reduce the environmental impact from whole farms

Abstract Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remain an important field of agricultural research. Apart from measuring, simulations are frequently used to investigate management impacts on GHG emissions. The HOLOS model has been developed (using country specific emission factors) to explore potential mitigation practices with respect to GHG emission reduction or increased carbon storage. However, avoided GHG emissions can create nutrient surpluses, and thus other environmental hazards (e.g. for human and/or ecosystem health). We propose to expand the “Virtual Farm” concept by connecting the budgets carbon, nitrogen, and energy flows, and thus estimate environmental impacts as a function of management choices, environment, and climate influence. Initial tests to combine HOLOS with the carbon model Introductory Carbon Balance Model (ICBM) in Norway have been promising. The approach will be further developed for Canadian farming systems, based on a minimum of required input data, but with the option of using specific inputs if the data are available.

Estimating farm-scale greenhouse gas emission intensity of pig production in Norway

Abstract To assess greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity and its variation in Norwegian pig production, we conducted an analysis of 15 farrow-to-finish pig farms to calculate farm-scale emissions of GHGs, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2eq) per kg carcass weight (CW) sold. A model, HolosNor, was developed to estimate net GHG emissions, including soil C changes, from pig farms. Based on data from 2008 the estimated GHG intensity was 2.65 kg CO2eq kg−1 CW (range: 1.24–4.03). The production of the feed consumed by the pigs contributed most to total GHG emissions; accounting for 2.14 kg CO2eq kg−1 CW, or more than 80% of the total emissions. Our study estimated a large variation in GHG intensity among pig farms in Norway which indicates opportunity for incorporating mitigation practices. A valuable contribution of the current work is the framework of a farm-scale tool for assessing farm-specific mitigation options.

The Canadian Journal of Soil Science: Glances through the last half-century and into the next

The Canadian Journal of Soil Science (CJSS) is fifty years old! Here we look back and unearth trends and topics in soil science that have enticed us over those 50 years. Some study areas have stayed prominent throughout (e.g., nitrogen); others flourished then waned (e.g., salinity); and still others are now just ascending (e.g., climate change). And the way the papers look too has changed: they have become longer and with more authors, for example. Having looked briefly at the past half-century, we peer ahead into the one coming, mulling some changes, not necessarily to advocate them, but merely as possible seeds for collective pondering. Key words: History, soil science research, scientific writing