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Doctoral Research
Cover Crop Mixtures
Cover crop mixtures have the potential to benefit both farmers and the environment compared to the current single-species system. My primary focus is the use of a stable nitrogen isotope to analyze differences in soil nitrogen cycling under rye or triticale and forage radish bi-cultures (mixtures composed of two species). Each of these crop species have variable rates of nitrogen uptake, storage, and release, and we hope to discover various benefits associated with each grain-radish mixture. In addition to the nitrogen study, I will look at mixture impacts on forage quality, soil health indicators, and corn yield.
In addition to our work on several UMD research farms, we will be working closely with local farmers to implement these cover crop mixtures and further study how management, soils, and climate impact mixture success. For more details and updates please see 'Teaching and Outreach.'
NOTE: We are currently looking for Maryland farmers to participate in our 2016 cover crop mixture study. If you or someone you know are interested, please contact me through the contact form or Dr. Bob Kratochvil at [email protected] or (301) 405-6241.
In addition to our work on several UMD research farms, we will be working closely with local farmers to implement these cover crop mixtures and further study how management, soils, and climate impact mixture success. For more details and updates please see 'Teaching and Outreach.'
NOTE: We are currently looking for Maryland farmers to participate in our 2016 cover crop mixture study. If you or someone you know are interested, please contact me through the contact form or Dr. Bob Kratochvil at [email protected] or (301) 405-6241.
Cover Crops and Precision Ag Technology
Our goal is to understand how precision agriculture technologies, including UAS, can be used by farmers to better understand nitrogen dynamics and other soil characteristics within their fields, particularly under different cover crop species.
Climate Change and Mid-Atlantic Farms
In a partnership with other research faculty at the University of Maryland, we are exploring the impacts of rising sea level on farmland in close proximity to the Chesapeake Bay. We are looking at the soil nutrient dynamics, wildlife impacts, and changes in plant community due to marsh expansion into farm fields and forests.
For more information about the Tully Agroecology lab, please visit http://www.agroecologylab.com/
Masters Research
The focus of my masters research was the use of simulations to improve distance student learning. We used APSIM (agricultural production systems simulator, https://www.apsim.info/) to create interactive graphs for our students to explore soil physical properties.
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Research at Michigan Technological University
At Michigan Technological University I spent five years as a research associate in both the Burton Forest Ecology lab and the US Forest Service/MTU PEATcosm lab, researching how predicted future climate conditions are going to impact the ecological functions of Northern Hardwood forests and peatlands. Details of current research in both labs can be found in the links below.
http://forest.mtu.edu/burtonlab/
http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/clean_air_water/local-resources/downloads/peatcosm_information.pdf
http://forest.mtu.edu/burtonlab/
http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/clean_air_water/local-resources/downloads/peatcosm_information.pdf