Canada's Organic Science Cluster

Activity E.1: Modeling farm scale energy and nutrient efficiency, and Global Warming Potential, as affected by management

Objectives:

The objectives of this research are:

1. To assess user response to the Holos model, and the value of the model in directing actions to reduce farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. 
2. To address significant knowledge gaps regarding N2O emissions from organic systems:
   • To evaluate the effect of rotations and timing of incorporation of legume forage crop residue on N availability to subsequent crops, above- and below-ground N losses, and GHG emissions.
   • To evaluate N dynamics and GHG emissions from pasture in response to urine and feces deposition.
3. To produce improved estimates of GHG emissions from eastern Canadian organic dairy farms and evaluate performance of Holos against detailed estimates.
4. To provide recommendations to guide improvements to the Holos model.

Learn More:

• Activity Summary
• Background and Supporting Documents
• Activity Researchers

Interesting Results to Date:

• NEW!! Synchronizing N Supply with Crop Uptake in Spring Wheat Crop Rotations by Altering Green Manure Management Strategies
• The Carbon and Global Warming Potential Impacts of Organic Farming: Does It Have a Significant Role in an Energy Constrained World?
• Stay tuned for reports, newspaper articles, and extension bulletins related to this activity.

 

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