Publications

Soil classification of two soil quality benchmark sites (2-615, 802)

Description

This report describes two sites (Site ID #2-615, 802) that were added to the original benchmark sites to form the soil and landform classification project being conducted by Alberta Agriculture, ... More ≫

Description

This report describes two sites (Site ID #2-615, 802) that were added to the original benchmark sites to form the soil and landform classification project being conducted by Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (AAFRD) as part of a province wide soil quality monitoring program of agricultural lands. This resource monitoring is a component of the Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture (AESA) program to identify and monitor the impact of agricultural production on soil and water resources.

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Development of a farm-level greenhouse gas assessment : identification of knowledge gaps and development of a science plan

Description

This report summarizes the state of knowledge of agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) research and identifies preliminary gaps and sets out a science plan to contribute to efficient funding of GHG... More ≫

Description

This report summarizes the state of knowledge of agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) research and identifies preliminary gaps and sets out a science plan to contribute to efficient funding of GHG projects. It also provides the initial groundwork for a farm-level GHG assessment, to allow producers to identify future changes they can make to reduce GHG emissions and provide producers a better idea of their GHG management options.

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The micronutrient and trace element status of crops grown on the Alberta soil quality benchmark sites

Description

Crop micronutrient concentrations of both vegetative tissues and grain, if applicable, were measured from 17 selected AESA soil quality benchmark sites in the fall of 2003. Micronutrients analyzed... More ≫

Description

Crop micronutrient concentrations of both vegetative tissues and grain, if applicable, were measured from 17 selected AESA soil quality benchmark sites in the fall of 2003. Micronutrients analyzed included boron, cadmium, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silicon and zinc. The purpose of this report is to provide an account of these micronutrient concentrations and to correlate them with a number of selected soil properties including soil pH, organic carbon, sand, silt and clay content, cation exchange capacity and calcium carbonate concentrations. In addition, the uptake, translocation and importance of each micronutrient are discussed, as is a summary of the effect of micronutrient partitioning between the grain and straw fraction, the effect of landscape form and the effect of provincial ecoregion on their concentration.

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Agriculture adaptation to climate change in Alberta : focus group results

Description

Reports on the results of a series of focus groups with farmers held by Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development to examine whether global climate patterns and more extreme weather events... More ≫

Description

Reports on the results of a series of focus groups with farmers held by Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development to examine whether global climate patterns and more extreme weather events across the Canadian landscape were concerning producers. Discussions focused on the producers' risks, opportunities, and capabilities due to climate change. Also discussed were their views on what support they need in the management of risks associated with climate change.

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Assessing the carbon content of the AESA benchmark sites from 1998 to 2004

Description

The Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture Program (AESA) Soil Quality Resource Monitoring Program has provided a data set containing soil organic carbon (OC) values and associated... More ≫

Description

The Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture Program (AESA) Soil Quality Resource Monitoring Program has provided a data set containing soil organic carbon (OC) values and associated characteristics. These have been used to assess both the total amount, and changes in soil OC at these sites. The program consists of 42 sites distributed throughout the province and covering the major agricultural regions. Each site is intended to represent the ecodistrict where it is located. At each site, upper, mid and lower slope positions were sampled to evaluate the influence of topography on soil. The sites have been monitored since 1998. This monitoring included yield measurements and annual analysis of surface soil. These soil test results, combined with the total soil profile data from an initial pedological investigation, provide a unique opportunity to examine soil OC under a broad range of soils, climate and management practices.

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Biosecurity for overseas travelers

Description

Biosecurity refers to practices designed to prevent, reduce or eliminate the introduction and incidental spread of disease among livestock and poultry. This fact sheet presents summary of... More ≫

Description

Biosecurity refers to practices designed to prevent, reduce or eliminate the introduction and incidental spread of disease among livestock and poultry. This fact sheet presents summary of information about the importance of biosecurity and measures to take for overseas travellers, how you can protect the agri-food industry here and abroad, and how to protect yourself and your family.

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The micronutrient and trace element status of forty-three soil quality benchmark sites in Alberta

Description

This report describes the micronutrient and trace element status of the AESA (Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture) Soil Quality Benchmark Sites. This study includes forty-three... More ≫

Description

This report describes the micronutrient and trace element status of the AESA (Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture) Soil Quality Benchmark Sites. This study includes forty-three benchmark sites distributed across the agricultural regions of Alberta. The sites are located in seven ecoregions, namely: Peace Lowlands (PL); Mixed Boreal Upland (MB); Boreal Transition (BT); Aspen Parkland (AP); Moist Mixed Grassland (MM); Fescue Grassland (FG) and Mixed Grassland (MG).

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Evaluation of two field methods to estimate soil organic matter in Alberta soils

Description

Soil quality can be briefly defined as how well a soil is able to function within an ecosystem. One way to assess soil quality is to use a quantitative method such as the United States Department... More ≫

Description

Soil quality can be briefly defined as how well a soil is able to function within an ecosystem. One way to assess soil quality is to use a quantitative method such as the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) Soil Quality Test Kit. The kit measures various biological, physical, and chemical indicators but does not include a test for determining soil organic matter. The objectives of this study were to test two field methods for determining soil organic matter using soils from 41 sites across Alberta and to compare to measured soil organic matter and light fraction carbon obtained through conventional laboratory analyses.

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Evaluation of a soil quality test kit for Alberta [report]

Description

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) Soil Quality Test Kit under a variety of Alberta soil... More ≫

Description

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) Soil Quality Test Kit under a variety of Alberta soil conditions. The kit was utilized in three different locations in the province to determine if the soil quality indicators measured by the field test kit are responsive to various soil management practices and to compare the results to those produced by standard analytical procedures. Results indicate that the test kit was able to detect differences between management practices in eight of eleven soil indicators measured. Significantly different results were found between soil analyzed by the test kit and standard methods for three tests that could be compared. Although differences were detected, the interpretation of the results is similar. The test kit was sensitive to changes in soil properties due to management and was able to identify potential problem areas in the fields tested. The kit was...

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Guidelines to beneficial management practices : environmental manual for poultry producers in Alberta

Description

These farm practices guidelines were developed for Alberta poultry producers through the co-operation of industry, government and interested stakeholders to create greater awareness and... More ≫

Description

These farm practices guidelines were developed for Alberta poultry producers through the co-operation of industry, government and interested stakeholders to create greater awareness and understanding of beneficial management practices for the environment for poultry producers in Alberta. The guidelines are intended to provide a range of management options for poultry operations of various sizes. The objective is to use beneficial practices and nutrient management planning to reduce the impact of livestock production on soil, air and water.

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