Research Results

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Summaries

Easy-to-read summaries are available for these recently completed projects funded by Leopold Center competitive grants.

• Connecting family, community and health from a food system perspective
• Conversion to perennial vegetation: Quantifying soil water regime, aeration and implications for enhancing soil resilience to climate change
• Credit, crop insurance and sustainable agriculture
• Defining the grazing season of restored natural grasslands
• Developing production, processing and marketing of aronia berries on small family farms in southeast Iowa
• Evaluating denitrifying bioreactors for edge-of-field nitrogen management in Iowa’s tile-drained landscapes
• In good company  
• Meeting on-farm energy needs through conservation, efficiency and renewable energy
• Optimizing buffer strips for improved ecosystem services
• Soil moisture dynamics and plant transpiration under contrasting annual-perennial cover types         

Scientific Journals

Leopold Center-supported projects have produced these papers published in peer-reviewed journals. Check at a research library or the journal’s website for an abstract or full report.

• Bear, Douglas A.; J. Russell and D. Morrical (2012). Physical characteristics, shade distribution and tall fescue effects on cow temporal spatial distribution in midwestern pastures, Rangeland Ecology & Management 65:401-408. http://dx.doi.org/10.2111/REM-D-11-00072.1   

This work was conducted as part of a three-year project that tracked cow movements with GPS collars, showing how size and shape determined the amount of time cattle spent in/near streams and in shade [E2009-08].

• Davis, Adam; J.D. Hill, C.A. Chase, A.M. Johanns and M. Liebman (2012). Increasing cropping system diversity balances productivity, profitability and environmental health, PLoS ONE 7(10): e47149. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0047149

This research compares conventional with extended rotations at the ISU Marsden Farm [E2010-02].

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The Leopold Center was established by the 1987 Iowa Groundwater Protection Act as a research and education center at Iowa State University to develop sustainable agricultural practices that are both profitable and conserve natural resources. Iowa State does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Vietnam Era Veteran. Any persons having inquiries concerning this may contact the Director of Affirmative Action, 3210 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.

This page was found at http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/leopold-letter/2012/winter/research-results on 01/21/2013