Welcome to the Wagner-Riddle Lab
Greenhouse gases (GHG) are emitted (methane, CH4; nitrous oxide, N2O; carbon dioxide, CO2) but can also be taken up (CO2) by agricultural systems. The net emission of GHG is needed to calculate the carbon footprint of food, feed, and fuel produced by agriculture. Our group uses sophisticated techniques to measure and study GHG emissions year-round under field conditions. We take a holistic approach that considers other environmental issues related to agriculture such as nitrogen losses through leaching, bioenergy and soil health. We are interested in answering questions such as: a) can farmers manage their nitrogen fertilizer so as to minimize nitrogen losses? b) is bioenergy production really ‘green’ if unintended GHG losses are considered? c) do diversified crop rotations provide improved soil ecosystem services such as reduced GHG emissions? Our research results are relevant to stakeholders such as farming organizations, provincial and federal governments and consumers.