SEBIL: Soil Ecology & Biological Indicators Lab

Transcription

1 SEBIL: Soil Ecology & Biological Indicators Lab Deb Neher, Professor Michael LeDuc Tom Weicht, Technician Taylor Readyhough Tucker Andrews, Technician Emma Wright

2 Teaching PSS 301 Professional Skills Colloquium Presentation and peer review of oral and written communication. Skills including technical writing, literature review, mentorship, scientific integrity, grant proposals, and job market PSS 281 Prof Dev:Eco Ag/Sust Lndsc Hrt Develop and articulate a professional philosophy and improve skills in career development including writing, resume preparation, effective interviewing and negotiation.

3 PSS/NR 268 Soil Ecology Basic biology and ecology of plant microbe, microbe microbe, and microbeinvertebrate interactions in soil Hands on experience with techniques to extract and quantify soil biological activity and determine quantity soil biodiversity. Link soil biology with ecosystem functions of nutrient cycling and decomposition Compare the effect of management practices on soil food web structure and function, e.g., cultivation, crop rotation, fertilization, cover crops, fallow, compost amendments Apply concepts of ecological succession of soil communities to environmental monitoring, bioremediation, and biological control of disease. Participate in original research, completing the scientific method from hypothesis generation to data collection, data analysis, and technical reporting. Conduct case study experiments to compare biological indicator scores of soils representing contrasting soil quality from three farms in Vermont. Parameterize a systems model to estimate contribution of soil nematodes and protozoa to availability of nitrogen to plants.

4 Local Service Food Systems Graduate Curriculum Committee, chair CALS DUR Committee National Grant panels for USDA, NSF International Organization of Nematologists of Tropical America Editorial boards Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems Ecological Applications, Subject Editor Ad hoc review articles in ~25 peer reviewed journals per year

5 Research: Designing compost for disease suppression on specialty crops Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station Competitive Hatch Program VT H02110MS 1. Cutler, A.J., Weicht, T.R., Sharma, M., Buyer, J., Millner, P., and Neher, D.A. Escherichia coli survival and microbial community dynamics in compostamended soils. Microbial Ecology (in revision). 2. Neher, D. A., Weicht, T. R A Plate Competition assay as a quick preliminary assessment of disease suppression. J. Vis. Exp. (Pending Publication), e58767, In press. 3. Neher, D. A., Fang, L., and Weicht, T. R Ecoenzymes as indicators of compost to suppress Rhizoctonia solani. Compost Science and Utilization 25(4): Neher, D.A., Weicht, T.R., and Dunseith, P Compost for management of weed seeds, pathogen, and early blight on brassicas in organic farmer fields. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 39:3 18. Early blight caused by Alternaria brassicinae Damping off caused by Rhizoctonia solani Neher, D.A., Bishop von Wettberg, E. J. and Fierer, N. Identifying how and why compost amendments can be used to suppress disease caused by Rhizoctonia. USDA NIFA Pests and Beneficial Organisms (Pending)

6 Barlow, J., Neher, D.A. Bedding strategies that promote udder health and milk quality by fostering a beneficial microbiome on organic dairy farms. USDA NIFA Organic Research Education Initiative 1. Identify economically sustainable bedding management strategies that reduce mastitis risk and promote udder health and milk quality on organic dairy farms, and 2. Develop best management practice recommendations addressing udder health microbiological risks and benefits of common winter housing strategies. Research combines molecular genetic tools with in depth producer interviews and industry accepted culture based methods to test the possibility that organic farmers can use bedding strategy to prevent mastitis and develop healthy microbiomes in their animals and barns. Extension and industry team members integral to construction of a best management practice recommendations document Preliminary data from projects funded by the USDA Conservation Innovation Grant, Dairy Center of Excellence, and MS theses of Josh Bakelaar, Tucker Andrews

7 Recycling Organics and Resources Research Group Conrad, Z., Niles, M., Neher, D. A., Roy, E. D., Tichenor, N. E., and Jahns, L Relationship between diet quality, food waste, and environmental sustainability. PloS ONE 13(4): e Cited 5 times, 12,362 views, Media coverage in Washington Post, LATimes, et al. Neher, D.A., Roy, E. D., Niles, M. T., Heller, M. Closing the loop to comanage food waste and animal manure: Tradeoffs among food system benefits, energy use efficiency, and water protection. NSF Innovations on the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water (Pending) 1. Influence of food waste sources on the composting and anaerobic digestion processes and the quality of resulting products. 2. Identify social and economic drivers of and barriers to successful food wastemanure co management systems. 3. Systems analysis of food waste collection, processing, and use of resulting soil amendments at the landscape scale. 4. Outreach: Train the trainers (community gardens, K 12 teachers), sustainable business models workshop, policy outreach Niles, M. T., Roy, E. D., Neher, D. A. Heller, M., Keoleian, G. Impact of small community perceptions of food waste on resource efficiency and economic opportunity. NSF Coupled Natural Human Program (to be submitted) Meredith Niles Eric Roy Deb Neher roar.com/