Sheng Li, Ph.D.

Image Sheng Li
Research Scientist

Research on soil water conservation

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
850 Lincoln Road, Fredericton, New Brunswick

Current research and/or projects

AAFC funded projects:

  • Evaluation of soil health and nutrient runoff in southern Ontario. 2019 - 2023. AAFC-Research Accelerating Innovation.  Led by Dr. Jiali Shang. Dr. Li participate as collaborator.
  • Landscape Integrated Soil and Water Conservation (LISWC) on sloping fields under potato production in Atlantic Canada. 2018 - 2021. AAFC- -Research Accelerating Innovation.  Dr. Li as Principal Investigator.
  • Sustainability measures to monitor and analyze the environmental impact of Canadian agriculture. 2018 - 2021. AAFC-A-Base.  Dr. Li as indicator lead.
  • Improving crop production resiliency using innovative BMPs. 2018 - 2021. AAFC- Research Accelerating Innovation.  Led by Dr. Yefang Jiang. Dr. Li participate as site lead in New Brunswick.
  • State of Soil and Land of Canada: cost-effective methods of soil and soil landscape data delivery. 2018 - 2021. AAFC-A-Base.  Led by Mr. Xiaoyuan Geng. Dr. Li participate as collaborator.
  • Integrated nutrient management and multi-scale BMP assessment for priority Canadian agricultural landscapes. 2016 - 2020. AAFC-Research Accelerating Innovation.  Led by Dr. Craig Drury. Dr. Li participate as collaborator.
  • Reducing sediment, N and P loading from arable cropping systems to receiving waters in eastern Canada (PEI, NB, NS, QC). 2016 - 2019. AAFC-A-Base. Led by Dr. Bernie Zebarth. Dr. Li participate as component lead on sediment.
  • Mitigating phosphorus loss from agricultural lands in the Lake Erie watershed. 2016 - 2019. AAFC-A-Base. Led by Dr. Tiequan Zhang. Dr. Li participate as collaborator.
  • New digital approaches of soil and agricultural land use data development and integration: Canadian land productivity modelling case. 2016 - 2019. AAFC-A-Base. Led by Mr. Xiaoyuan Geng. Dr. Li participate as collaborator.
  • Integrated nutrient management and multi-scale BMP assessment for priority Canadian agricultural landscapes.. 2016 - 2019. AAFC-A-Base. Led by Dr. Craig Drury. Dr. Li participate as collaborator.
  • Measuring and assessing Canadian rangeland and other agricultural best management practices with the enhanced whole-farm model Holos. 2016 - 2019. AAFC-A-Base. Led by Dr. Roland Kroebel. Dr. Li participate as collaborator.
  • Characterizing and modeling the interactions between water and tillage erosion under potato and cereal production systems. 2015 - 2018. AAFC-A-Base. Dr. Li as Principal Investigator.
  • Development of new generations of soil erosion indicators. 2014 - 2018. AAFC Sustainability Metrics Program. Dr. Li as indicator lead.
  • Securing Export Markets for Potato Processors by Mitigating Limitations to On-Farm Yield. 2015-2018. AAFC collaborative framework & industry partners. Led by Dr. Bernie Zebarth. Dr. Li participate as collaborator.
  • Development and transfer of a forage plowing BMP for improving water quality and economic resiliency of potato production. 2014 - 2017. A2-DT. Dr. Li participate as collaborator.

Non-AAFC funded projects:

  • Meng et al., Assess carbon sequestration and nitrogen interception by riparian restoration in agriculture area. 2020-2023. Environment Trust Fund. Environment and Local Government, Government of New Brunswick.
  • Li et al., Modeling the effects of water stress and supplemental irrigation on potato production in New Brunswick under climate change. 2019-2022. Enabling Agricultural Research and Innovation (EARI) program.  Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Government of New Brunswick. Dr. Li as Principal Investigator.
  • Meng et al., Establishing an exceedance monitoring network for in-stream pesticide residue associated with agriculture non-point sources in New Brunswick.  2017-2019. Environment Trust Fund. Environment and Local Government, Government of New Brunswick.
  • Jamieson et al., Climate Change Impacts on Nutrient Loading in Freshwater Ecosystems. 2015 – 2018. Atlantic Ecosystem Initiatives, Environment Canada
  • Designing and managing riparian areas to filter phosphorus and sediment. 2013 - 2017. Lake Winnipeg Basin Stewardship Fund (LWBSF).
  • Ali, G. et al. Development of a Simulation Tool to Identify Priority Areas for Wetland Conservation and Restoration. 2013 - 2017. Lake Winnipeg Basin Stewardship Fund (LWBSF).
  • Lobb et al., Tillage erosion and its interactions with wind and water erosion. 2012 - 2017. NSERC Discovery Grants. 
  • Lobb et al., Development of environmental fingerprinting techniques for sources of sediment and associated phosphorus within agricultural watersheds of Canada. 2011 - 2016. NSERC Strategic Project Grants.

Research and/or project statements

Dr. Sheng Li has been a Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Fredericton since 2011. Dr. Sheng Li’s research is focusing on soil erosion, soil water conservation, watershed hydrology and extends to sediment transportation, soil and water quality, geomorphometry and landscape segmentation. Dr. Li is the principal investigator for many projects relating to agri-environment and watershed hydrology and has been the site lead since 2011 for the Black Brook Watershed, a long-term monitoring watershed maintained by AAFC for decades to examine the effects of agricultural practices on water quality. Dr. Li has been an Adjunct Professor in the University of Manitoba and an Honorary Research Associate in the University of New Brunswick since 2007. He also has served as an associate editor for Journal of Soil and Water Conservation and Canadian Soil Science Society Journal since 2019. Dr. Li led the agri-environmental aspect of the Canadian delegation for Potato mission to China in 2016. Up until the end of 2019, Dr. Li has published 40 articles in refereed journals and 105 contributions in non-refereed publications and conference proceedings.

Key publications

  1. Ochuodho, T.O., Olale, E., Lantz, V.A., Damboise, J., Daigle, J.L., Meng, F.R., Li, S., Chow, T.L. (2014). How do soil and water conservation practices influence climate change impacts on potato production? Evidence from eastern Canada. Regional Environmental Change, [online] 14(4), 1563-1574. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10113-014-0599-7

    2014 - View publication details

  2. Li, S., Zheng, F.Z., Wackrow, R., Xing, Z.S., Lobb, D.A., and Meng, F. (2013). "From rills to gullies: how do we measure them?", Geomorphometry 2013 conference, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, October 16-19, 2013.

    2013 - View publication details

  3. Li, S., Liu, Y., Zheng, F.Z., Xing, Z.S., Meng, F., and Butler, K. (2013). "Snow distribution pattern and its influencing factors in a small watershed in Atlantic Canada.", Geomorphometry 2013 conference, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, October 16-19, 2013.

    2013 - View publication details

  4. Koiter, A.J., Lobb, D.A., Owens, P.N., Petticrew, E.L., Tiessen, K.H.D., Li, S. (2013). Investigating the role of connectivity and scale in assessing the sources of sediment in an agricultural watershed in the Canadian prairies using sediment source fingerprinting. Journal of Soils and Sediments, [online] 13(10), 1676-1691. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11368-013-0762-7

    2013 - View publication details

  5. Ochuodho, T.O., Olale, E., Lantz, V.A., Damboise, J., Chow, T.L., Meng, F., Daigle, J.L., Li, S. (2013). Impacts of soil and water conservation practices on potato yield in northwestern New Brunswick, Canada, 68(5), 392-400. http://dx.doi.org/10.2489/jswc.68.5.392

    2013 - View publication details

  6. Xing, Z., Chow, L., Rees, H., Meng, F., Li, S., Ernst, B., Benoy, G., Zha, T., Hewitt, L.M. (2013). Influences of sampling methodologies on pesticide-residue detection in stream water. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, [online] 64(2), 208-218. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00244-012-9833-9

    2013 - View publication details

  7. Danielescu, S., Chow, T.L., and Li, S. (2012). "Comparison of digital filtering methods for hydrograph separation in a small stream in Atlantic Canada.", CWRA-CGU National Conference: Earth, Wind and Water – Elements of Life, Banff Centre, Banff, AB, Canada, June 5-8, 2012.

    2012 - View publication details

  8. Li, Q., Qi, J., Hesch, W., Meng, F., Danielescu, S., and Li, S. (2012). "Assessment of Impact of Potato Production on Groundwater Quality.", 39th IAH Congress, Niagara Falls, ON, Canada, September 16-21, 2012.

    2012 - View publication details

  9. Xing, Z., Chow, L., Cook, A., Benoy, G., Rees, H., Ernst, B., Meng, F., Li, S., Zha, T., Murphy, C., Batchelor, S., Hewitt, L.M. (2012). Pesticide application and detection in variable agricultural intensity watersheds and their river systems in the maritime region of Canada. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, [online] 63(4), 471-483. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00244-012-9789-9

    2012 - View publication details

  10. Li, S., Elliott, J.A., Tiessen, K.H.D., Yarotski, J., Lobb, D.A., Flaten, D.N. (2011). The effects of multiple beneficial management practices on hydrology and nutrient losses in a small watershed in the Canadian Prairies. Journal of Environmental Quality, [online] 40(5), 1627-1642. http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/jeq2011.0054

    2011 - View publication details

  11. Li, S., MacMillan, R.A., Lobb, D.A., McConkey, B.G., Moulin, A., Fraser, W.R. (2011). Lidar DEM error analyses and topographic depression identification in a hummocky landscape in the prairie region of Canada. Geomorphology, [online] 129(3-4), 263-275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2011.02.020

    2011 - View publication details

  12. Li, S., Lobb, D.A., Kachanoski, R.G., McConkey, B.G. (2011). Comparing the use of the traditional and repeated-sampling-approach of the 137Cs technique in soil erosion estimation. Geoderma, [online] 160(3-4), 324-335. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2010.09.029

    2011 - View publication details

  13. Li, S., Lobb, D.A., Mcconkey, B.G., MacMillan, R.A., Moulin, A., Fraser, W.R. (2011). Extracting topographic characteristics of landforms typical of canadian agricultural landscapes for agri-environmental modeling. i. methodology. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, [online] 91(2), 251-266. http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/cjss10080

    2011 - View publication details

  14. Li, S., Lobb, D.A., Tiessen, K.H.D., McConkey, B.G. (2010). Selecting and applying cesium-137 conversion models to estimate soil erosion rates in cultivated fields. Journal of Environmental Quality, [online] 39(1), 204-219. http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/jeq2009.0144

    2010 - View publication details

  15. Tiessen, K.H.D., Li, S., Lobb, D.A., Mehuys, G.R., Rees, H.W., Chow, T.L. (2009). Using repeated measurements of 137Cs and modelling to identify spatial patterns of tillage and water erosion within potato production in Atlantic Canada. Geoderma, [online] 153(1-2), 104-118. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2009.07.013

    2009 - View publication details

  16. Farenhorst, A., McQueen, R.D.A., Saiyed, I., Hilderbrand, C., Li, S., Lobb, D.A., Messing, P., Schumacher, T.E., Papiernik, S.K., and Lindstrom, M.J. (2009). "Variations in soil properties and herbicide sorption coefficients with depth in relation to PRZM (Pesticide Root Zone Model) calculations.", Geoderma, 150, pp. 267–277. doi : 10.1016/j.geoderma.2009.02.002

    2009 - View publication details

  17. Li, S., Lobb, D.A., Tiessen, K.H.D. (2009). Modeling tillage-induced morphological features in cultivated landscapes. Soil & Tillage Research, [online] 103(1), 33-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2008.09.005

    2009 - View publication details

  18. Li, S., McConkey, B.G., Black, J.M.W., and Lobb, D.A. (2008). "Developing Water Erosion Risk Indicator for Use on Agricultural Landscapes in Canada.", 63rd Annual International Conference of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS): Hydrology, Climate Change and the Bio-economy, JW Marriott Starr Pass, Tucson, AZ, USA, July 26-30, 2008, pp. 41.

    2008 - View publication details

  19. Li, S., Lobb, D.A., Lindstrom, M.J., and Farenhorst, A. (2008). "Patterns of tillage and water erosion on topographically complex landscapes in the North America Great Plains.", Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 63(1), pp. 37-46. doi : 10.2489/jswc.63.1.37

    2008 - View publication details

  20. Farenhorst, A., Papiernik, S.K., Saiyed, I., Messing, P., Stephens, K.D., Schumacher, J.A., Lobb, D.A., Li, S., Lindstrom, M.J., and Schumacher, T.E. (2008). "Herbicide sorption coefficients in relations to soil properties and terrain attributes on a cultivated prairie.", Journal of Environmental Quality, 37(3), pp. 1201-1208. doi : 10.2134/jeq2007.0109

    2008 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Fredericton Research and Development Centre
95 Innovation Road
PO Box 20280
Fredericton, NB E3B 4Z7
Canada

Expertise

Agriculture›Agriculture-environment interactions
Agriculture›Soil science›Soil and geospatial science
Agriculture›Soil science›Soil conservation
Agriculture›Water›Water quality
Environment›Water›Water Quality›Sediments

Language

English

Other languages

Chinese