Drinking water districts are facing challenges with the changing climate. Across Maine, there are more than 40 surface freshwater sources used for drinking water; 10 of these (including Bangor and Portland) are not filtered as part of the treatment process. Increasing lake water temperatures and DOC concentrations will alter biological activity in Maine’s lakes, yet […]
Read more
The underlying biogeochemical processes that support forest ecosystem function and, therefore, the ecosystem services they provide, are not adequately understood. This leads to uncertainties in the sustainability of ecosystem services (e.g., the sustainability of forests with increased use for biomass energy, the continued supply of high-quality freshwater from lakes and streams in a changing climate) […]
Read more
The “quality of place” that defines Maine is represented by a diverse landscape mosaic containing innumerable lakes, rivers, and streams that offer prime outdoor recreational opportunities, provide clean water, and support aquatic biodiversity. Unfortunately, too many of these aquatic resources are either currently degraded or at risk of impairment from human activities. With over 1,000 […]
Read more
Evidence of anthropogenic climate change has become increasingly stronger and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has called for strong, global action to reduce the risk of human-induced climate change. Agricultural practices adopted since the mid-twentieth century have progressively diminished soil quality through the reduction of soil organic matter levels. Sustainable agricultural practices provides a […]
Read more
Weeds remain the foremost production problem on organic farms. Organic farmers rely mostly on cultivation for managing weeds, yet weed density is generally high, and often increasing on these farms. There are two central problems with physical weed control: First, cultivation efficacy is often low and is highly variable. We aim to characterize this variability […]
Read more
Biologically based soil fertility systems provide multiple ecosystem and crop production services. These systems rely on organic sources of nutrients (e.g., manure, compost, green manure, and plant and seed meals) to meet crop needs. They can replace some or all of the need for synthetic fertilizer, improve soil quality and productivity, and recycle nutrients that […]
Read more
Because soil organic matter stores both nutrients and water, it is a key to soil quality in both agricultural and forested ecosystems. The overall goal of this research is to help us to understand the factors that preserve organic matter in soils and also understand how soil organic matter levels may be affected by rising […]
Read more
Maine’s agricultural economy is restricted to some extent by short seasons, extremely cold winters and soils that may be erodible, acidic, low in organic matter, underlain with compacted glacial till or with a sandy subsoil that promotes nutrient leaching. In spite of the challenges, Maine has a thriving agricultural sector that has adapted to soil […]
Read more
Profitable production of potato, which continues to be the most important agricultural commodity in the state of Maine, is impossible without successful control of its insect pests. Insecticides do not provide a long-term solution because of the rapid evolution of resistance in the targeted populations. Furthermore, they are largely ineffective in preventing the spread of […]
Read more
Most potato production systems used in the U.S. require high rates of chemical fertilization to maintain yields and frequent chemical sprays for disease control. This project will develop and evaluate nutrient management practices that will reduce the dependence of potato production systems on purchased P and K fertilizers. It will also improve the nitrogen fertilization […]
Read more