AMES, Iowa — The Iowa Learning Farms (ILF) conservation webinar taking place Nov. 6, at noon CST will feature François Birgand, professor and university faculty scholar, Biological & Agricultural Engineering – North Carolina State University. Birgand works in the area of water quality associated with agricultural pollution with a research focus on the hydrological and biogeochemical processes at play in streams, wetlands and edge-of-field treatment systems. His main approach has been to develop methods to measure and unveil ephemeral, yet disproportionately important, processes that follow rainfall events, and particularly in shallow water table systems.
In the webinar, “Are We Losing a Lot of Nitrogen During Denitrification Hot Moments in Agricultural Soils?,” Birgand will share recent observations showing that in wet soils, up to 90 kg/ha of nitrogen were unaccounted for during the growing season. He will discuss current denitrification prediction models and how the observed levels differ from typical modeling. Birgand will also highlight disproportionate ‘puffs of denitrification’ that last hours in woodchip bioreactors. Drawing on these observations, he will discuss the need for more study to determine if these same events are also occurring in agricultural soils, and what consequences on fertilization and water management may relate to them.
“Identifying and studying denitrification ‘hot moments’ can provide better understanding of these events and how they may have consequences that affect fertilization and water management activities,” said Birgand. “Digging deeper into these conditions opens a new frontier in research about improving water quality and water management practices.”
Participants are encouraged to ask questions of the presenters. People from all backgrounds and areas of interest are encouraged to join.
Don’t miss this webinar!
DATE: Wednesday, November 6, 2024
TIME: 12:00 p.m. CST
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
Shortly before 12:00 pm CST, click the link below or type this web address into your internet browser: https://iastate.zoom.us/
Or, join via phone:
Dial: 646-876-9923
Webinar ID: 999 3709 5398
Upcoming Webinars in the Series:
Up Next: Wednesday, Nov. 13, Can Diversified Cropping Systems Help Increase Soil Carbon Storage?, with Wenjuan Huang, Iowa State University
Nov. 20: Billy Beck, Iowa State University
Nov. 27: No webinar
The webinar will also be recorded and archived. All archived webinars are available on the ILF website, so that they can be watched at any time.
ILF has applied for a Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit (CEU) for attending this webinar. Those who participate in the live webinar are eligible. Information about how to apply to receive the credit will be provided at the end of the live webinar.
About Iowa Learning Farms:
Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources, EPA Section 319 Grant Program and GROWMARK, Inc.
–Iowa Learning Farms
