WE SEEK TO UNDERSTAND THE ECOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS THAT UNDERPIN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS...
FORAGE SYSTEMS
We are interested in the ecological dynamics of mixed grass-legume dairy cow forage systems. How do management decisions such as cutting height and frequency affect forage quality and ecosystem services?
Harvesting forage mixes at different intensities to see how species respond.
Red clover in flower. Different species come with different tradeoffs - in biomass, persistence, and nutrition, to name a few.
Friendly Jersey calves at UNH’s Organic Dairy Research Farm, walking us to and from our research fields.
SEED BANKS
What determines weed communities on farms? We explore seedbank composition and seedling emergence in a variety of locations and under different management conditions.
Soil samples from a field experiment are grown out in the greenhouse to tally all germinable seeds within the soil.
Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) emerging from a soil sample.
We pair greenhouse seedbank studies with weed emergence and weed biomass data from the field.
SMALL-SCALE NO-TILL WITH COVER CROPS
We are investigating the use of tarps as a cover crop termination method that allows for no-till planting without the use of herbicides.
Field day participants look at cover crop mulch created using plastic tarps as a termination method.
Tarps were applied to terminate a cover crop on 3 different dates and left in place for 3 different durations.
The corner of a plot of winter rye and hairy vetch showing the resulting mulch layer following tarp removal.
COVER CROPS
Our research on cover crop mixtures and management contributes to farmers’ and scientists’ understanding of the mechanisms and tradeoffs behind the ecosystem functions of cover crops.
Measuring the heights of winter rye cultivars planted at different population densities.
An interesting brassica – legume cover crop combination that is part of a field experiment examining seeding rates of mixtures.
SEED COATINGS
How do pesticide coatings on crop seeds affect soil microbes, weeds, and ground-dwelling insects? We are curious about the target and non-target effects of commonly used seed coatings in soy-corn rotations.
Preparing plots with different tillage systems to look at the interaction of management and pesticide seed coats.
Young corn plants with velvetleaf and pigweed.
This study measured soybean and corn crops, soil fungal communities, weed emergence, seed predation, and arthropod presence.
POLLINATORS AND ARTHROPODS
We are interested in pollinator provisioning and arthropod communities both in dedicated wildflower plots and within other cropping systems.
A mix with a variety of flowering phenologies ensures pollinators have necessary floral resources throughout the season.
A partner in the field showing off their reinforced stitching.
Brown-belted bumblebee (Bombus griseocollis) on Monarda.