Agro-ecosystem resilience

Successful solutions

• Calculated GHG emission estimates to support exports of canola to Europe for biofuels in 2013; compared net GHG emissions associated with canola production in the Prairies for 1986 and 2006. The methodology that was developed has helped to support the claim that Canadian canola exceeds the GHG savings required by the European Union Renewable Energy Directive.
• Developed and used an integrated on-farm / off-farm model to estimate the carbon footprint of eleven Canadian dairy products.
• World leader in using Canada’s RADARSAT-2 satellite to provide information on the extent and severity of soil moisture extremes, supporting risk management.
• Led an inter-departmental team to develop and test new methods of creating high-resolution, high-accuracy land use maps. The 1990, 2000 and 2010 maps provide the most accurate and spatially explicit land use information available for Canada, and are being used to meet international reporting requirements, assess production potentials and improve agri-environmental sustainability.
• Described the effects of crop residue management and climate on soil carbon dynamics and the resulting effects on soil health.
• Described the benefits of a diversified agro-ecosystem on ecological goods and services such as air quality, biodiversity, public health, water quality, soil quality and agricultural production.