Institutional and Community Collaboration to Support New Approaches to Digital Archiving: A Case Study of the University of Saskatchewan Library and PAVED Arts Artist-run Centre

Peer ReviewedCollaborations between traditional knowledge institutions and communities can have a significant impact on both partners when we look to the strengths each bring to a project rather than asking community partners to fit into established ways of working. This paper discusses my partnership as a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan Library and PAVED Arts artist-run centre leadership and how this project challenges the authority and utility of library standards. We propose a collaborative model that matches the infrastructure and technical expertise of the library with the contextual and historical knowledge PAVED has of their unique and locally important collection

The carbon life cycle assessment of the production of shelterbelt species in Saskatchewan

Non-Peer ReviewedShelterbelt tree and shrub adoption has been a major landscape management practice on agricultural land in Saskatchewan throughout the 1900s. Shelterbelt trees were distributed to landowners, free of charge, from 1901 to 2002 by the Canadian government's prairie shelterbelt centre, which was located in Indian Head, Saskatchewan. Though the shelterbelt centre at Indian Head closed in 2013, many other shelterbelt centres and forestry nurseries still exist to serve this purpose. Saskpower's Shand Greenhouse, operated out of Estevan, Saskatchewan, provides approximately 500,000 seedlings a year, both free of charge for those eligible and for purchase. Shelterbelt tree and shrubs are important for carbon sequestration and storage efforts within Saskatchewan and Canada, however it is important to note the carbon produced in the production of these seedlings. Using data collected from Shand Greenhouse and an LCA software program (SimaPro), the overall carbon produced by this stage of the shelterbelt life cycle can be determined. With this information, the net carbon balance of shelterbelt production and use will be better understood. This may serve as beneficial information regarding future decision-making for individual landowners and governmental policies regarding the production as well as the removal/retention of shelterbelt trees

Response of soybean and lentil to a seed-row placed nitrogen- phosphorus fertilizer blend in a Brown Chernozem in south-central Saskatchewan

Non-Peer ReviewedPulse crops are able to supply their nitrogen requirement through fixation in symbiosis with rhizobia bacteria, but a small amount of nitrogen may be desirable to carry the crop until the fixation process establishes. Guidelines exist for the maximum safe rates of phosphorus fertilizers alone and in combination with potash for common pulse crops such as peas, however, there is little or no information on the tolerance of pulse crops to a seed-placed fertilizer blend that contains monoammonium phosphate (MAP) plus a high analysis N product like urea. This presentation covers the results of a field trial to investigate the response of soybean and lentil to different rates of a 50:50 blend of MAP and urea on emergence, grain and straw yield, N and P uptake, and nitrogen fixation by the crop

USING 4R NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT TO REDUCE N2O EMISSIONS AND DETERMINE THE AGRI-ENVIRONMENTAL OPTIMUM NITROGEN APPLICATION FOR IRRIGATED CANOLA IN SASKATCHEWAN

Saskatchewan has substantial potential to increase the number of irrigated acres in the province which could increase food production. An environmental consideration is the increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions often seen from irrigated land compared to dryland cropping. The yield-scaled emission factor (YsEF) can be similar to, or lower than that of dryland systems, however, due to increased yields associated with irrigation. The principles of 4R nutrient stewardship—the Right source, Right rate, Right time, and Right placement of fertilizer—were developed to minimize nutrient losses while still reaching yield targets. In a three-year field plot study, the effects of the 4Rs on GHG emissions were observed. It was found that (i) the highest rates of N fertilizer (165 and 220 kg N ha-1) resulted in greater N2O emissions; (ii) splitting the fertilizer over two applications instead of one reduced N2O emissions, but only at high application rates; and (iii) side-banded N fertilizer resulted in greater emissions in two of three years compared to broadcast and incorporated treatments. Soil moisture and N availability were found to be key factors that influenced N2O emissions, with large fluxes occurring after fertilizer applications— especially if closely followed by a precipitation or irrigation event—and small fluxes occurring later in the growing season when the crop would have used the available N. The greatest YsEF was consistently from the side-banded (SB) treatment at a rate of 220 kg N ha-1, however in 2015 the broadcast and incorporated (BCI-O) treatment at the same rate had a similarly high value. This research examined potential mitigation opportunities for irrigated canola in the semi-arid prairies and concluded that reducing N rates, splitting fertilizer applications and avoiding side-banding N at high rates may be effective in reducing N2O emissions in this area

Fall and spring placement of nitrogen fertilizers. Where do enhanced efficiency fertilizers fit?

Non-Peer Reviewe

Defining agronomic practices for forage corn production in Saskatchewan

Non-Peer ReviewedForage corn may be an economical and high-quality alternative for winter feeding in Saskatchewan, but the cost of corn production is high compared to other forage crops. To maximize the economic potential of forage corn for feeding, input costs, such as seed and fertilizer, need to be minimized. The existing recommendations for nitrogen application rate and seeding rate for forage corn are based on grain corn production, resulting in relatively high recommended nitrogen application rates. The purpose of this project was to develop and refine seeding and fertility recommendations for corn silage production and to evaluate the cost of production and feed quality of corn silage grown in Saskatchewan. The 3-year study, including the 2016, 2017 and 2018 growing seasons, was located at three short-season sites (Lanigan, Melfort, and Scott) and three long-season sites (Yorkton, Redvers, and Outlook). The hybrids grown at each site were selected based on their corn heat unit rating. At each site, two different seed brands were planted at three target seeding rates with three nitrogen application rates. The total biomass yield was individually measured for each plot and subsamples were collected for forage quality analysis. Based on Year 2 results, there were significant differences in plant populations and biomass yields among the sites and treatments. An economic analysis was conducted to determine if any yield advantage from higher nitrogen and seeding rates are worth the added cost of these inputs

Research that goes bump in the night

Non-Peer ReviewedHave you ever started a research project only to discover it is less intriguing than you thought, or it has become unwieldy and the scope you set was inappropriate? How do you readjust a project once it is already underway? How do you admit that you just do not like the project anymore and want to wrap it up? Using a research study that includes an online survey, large data set, and textual analysis, we will explore some strategies for managing this situation. Participants will be encouraged to share their own strategies and ideas from their experiences

Genetic analysis of carotenoid biosynthesis in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seeds

The abstract of this item is unavailable due to an embargo

Past and Future Hydrology Near the Arctic Treeline

The Arctic has warmed rapidly, increasing shrub cover and density, and thawing permafrost. Understanding, quantifying and predicting the impact of these environmental changes on the hydrological regime of Arctic headwater basins represents a great scientific challenge, particularly due to the sparse monitoring network, limited understanding of governing physical processes and their interaction, and the uncertainty in future climate projections. The purpose of this research is to better understand the impact of climate and vegetation change on the hydrology of Arctic basins near the treeline. This thesis is divided into four sections with the following objectives: (1) to test the coupling of a ground freeze/thaw algorithm with a hydrological model at two research sites in northern Yukon; (2) to diagnose the hydrology of a small Arctic basin near the treeline using a physically based hydrological model; (3) to quantify its historical long-term changes and investigate the individual and combined effect of changing climate and vegetation on its hydrology; and (4) to use high-resolution climate simulations under a high gas concentration scenario along with expected vegetation changes, to investigate changes to hydrological processes and regime. Results revealed the importance of including vegetation dynamics such as changes in shrub extension and density in hydrological models, to capture their impact on blowing snow redistribution and sublimation, and canopy interception and sublimation of snow, something neglected by current studies. This study demonstrated that increasing shrub extension and density near the Arctic treeline slightly compensates the historical decrease in mean annual discharge produced by the decreasing precipitation, providing a small degree of hydrological resiliency. Historical change analysis revealed that hydrological processes are decelerating near the Arctic treeline, such as decreasing evapotranspiration, soil moisture, sublimation and streamflow, mostly driven by climate change. However, under sufficient climate change (38% and 6.1 °C increase in mean annual precipitation and temperature, respectively) significant hydrological changes are expected, reversing the simulated historical changes. Projections show a significant increase in mean annual streamflow discharge, shortening of the snowcover seasons, deepening of the active layer thickness, increasing peak snow accumulation and earlier and larger peak streamflow. Whilst specific to one basin, they indicate the nature of hydrological changes facing Arctic hydrology. These changes will have significant impacts on ecosystems, infrastructure, landscape evolution and atmospheric feedbacks, which are required to be properly understood and quantified to design sustainable and effective mitigation and adaptation plans. The analyses and discussions presented in this study to diagnose the past and predict future Arctic hydrology are relevant for the scientific community of hydrologists, engineers, water managers and policy makers, particularly those interested in cold regions