Gideon K. Fynaardt

Research statement: My research assesses the soil health, economic, and agronomic implications of ecological intensification in Midwestern cash-grain agroecosystems. My data comes from a 6-year trial built out of the 35+ year Wisconsin Integrated Cropping Systems Trial in Arlington, WI, where earlier research showed concerning losses of soil organic carbon and other soil health metrics in cash-grain fields. Ecological intensification is a framework for agroecosystem management which promises improved soil health while maintaining profit and production, so working with a great team at the Soil Carbon & Cropping System Ecology laboratory, my research puts those claims to the test and aims to identify the most promising management strategies for cash-grain agriculture that is economically, agronomically, and ecologically sustainable.