North Central Research Station

Agricultural Studies

Each year, as the population of the Earth continues to rise, the demand on agricultural systems increases. Intensive management practices have resulted in depleted soils and decimated ecosystems. Current research focuses on moving from single crop systems to multi-crop, diversified landscapes to improve water quality and enhance native biodiversity while still providing economic benefits to the farmer.

Perennialization of Agricultural Lands - In the Midwest, historical landscapes of woodland, savanna, prairies and wetlands have been transformed into annual crops. This land conversion from perennial to annual crops has impacted hydrologic, nutrient and carbon cycles along with plant and animal communities. This research project focuses on determining if the impact on these key systems can be reversed through re-integration of perennial vegetation.

Related Study

Perennialization of Agricultural Lands