Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Completed Ecology Initiative Grants

Projects supported by this initiative touch a variety of topics, conditions and landscapes. A common theme runs through all projects: discovering and sharing new knowledge and practices that will help farmers transition or move toward a “new generation” vision of ecologically-friendly agriculture.

The most recently completed projects are listed first. Click on the title to see the abstract, key findings and links to printable summaries of the project.

2012
Project Title Project ID Completion Yearsort icon
Increasing carbon sequestration of working prairie by reducing invasive species in a fire and grazing system E2010-16 2012
Assessment of woody biomass as a niche feedstock for biobased products in Iowa E2009-26 2012
2011
Project Title Project ID Completion Yearsort icon
Corn silage test plot to increase profitability for dairy farmers and reduce winter wind & water erosion E2009-02 2011
Optimizing legume establishment in winter cereal grains E2006-10 2011
The impact of biodiversity services in row crop production in annual verses perennial landscapes E2006-13 2011
Feasibility of unheated large gutter-connect greenhouses for winter organic vegetable production in Iowa E2009-24 2011
Distillers Dried Grains (DDG) feeding and impacts on meat quality for grazing steers ESP2006-03 2011
Reducing pesticide use in Iowa vineyards: Alternatives to herbicides for vineyard weed management E2008-18 2011
The Landowners' Decision: Grazing and fire as management tools on Iowa grasslands and oak savannas E2007-05 2011
Energy use and nutrient cycling in pig production systems E2008-03 2011
Agronomic, ecological and economic comparisons of conventional and low-external-input cropping systems E2007-09 2011
Custom grazing contracts: Successful models to grow profit, avoid pitfalls E2007-11 2011
2010
Project Title Project ID Completion Yearsort icon
Iowa recreational property ownership: Identification, contact and social dynamics of multiple-use perennial landcover E2007-19 2010
Integrated soil and weed management production systems for perennial food crops E2006-02 2010
New strategies to enhance sustainability of apple orchards E2006-04 2010
Development and implementation of low-input delivery systems for ethanol co-products in forage-based beef systems E2006-12 2010
Participatory ecology for 'Agriculture of the Middle': Developing tools and partnerships to bridge gaps among science, people and policy in landscape change E2006-20 2010
2009
Project Title Project ID Completion Yearsort icon
Effects of biomass harvest on soil erosion E2003-07 2009
Establishment of a field school for weed ecology and management E2004-06 2009
Quantifying the role of riparian management to control non-point source pollution of pasture and cropland streams E2004-24 2009
The role of herbaceous woodland perennial diversity for improving nutrient uptake of riparian areas E2006-03 2009
Native cover crops and timing of planting: Effects on 15N uptake, weed invasion and prairie establishment E2006-11 2009
Assessing soil quality impacts after conversion of marginal cropland to productive conservation E2006-17 2009
Variations in water and nutrient cycling and soil properties during agricultural landscape restoration 2004-E14 2009
2008
Project Title Project ID Completion Yearsort icon
Bird nesting on rotationally grazed warm- and cool-season grass paddocks in southern Iowa E2006-05 2008
Developing ecologically sound and profitable alternative fertilizer and manure phosphorus management strategies E2004-29 2008
Developing potatoes with horizontal resistance to the Colorado potato beetle E2004-26 2008
Integrating hunting and grazing: Loess Hills and south central Iowa on-farm management experiences E2004-43 2008
Integration of natural seed treatments in organic and open-pollinated corn systems E2004-28 2008
Pawpaw trial maintenance E2004-23 2008
2007
Project Title Project ID Completion Yearsort icon
Assessment of triticale varieties for swine feeding performance, late planting 2004-E27 2007
Devising a framework for implementing cattle-grazing, fire on grassland in southern Iowa 2006-E18 2007
Economically sustainable riparian buffer to promote bank stability and reduce gully erosion and phosphorus runoff in the Loess Hills 2002-E30 2007
Retrospective assessment of landscape, land use change in the Clear Creek Watershed 2004-E08 2007
2006
Project Title Project ID Completion Yearsort icon
Alternative farrowing systems during cold weather 2003-E29 2006
Biological control of the soybean aphid in organic and sustainable soybean production systems 2003-E02 2006
Economically optimal enterprise mix for Iowa farms 2004-E01 2006
The role of herbaceous woodland perennial diversity for improving nutrient uptake capacity of riparian areas 2004-E04 2006
Winter grazing of stockpiled grass-legume forages to reduce costs of developing beef heifers 2004-E35 2006
2005
Project Title Project ID Completion Yearsort icon
Integrating hunting and grazing - a southern Iowa investigation into management issues 2003-E6 2005
2004
Project Title Project ID Completion Yearsort icon
Squaw Creek watershed social assessment: Values, beliefs, and perceptions of water quality and landscape change 2003-E1 2004

See full list of completed Leopold Center competitive grants in all initiative areas.