- The professor discussed the mission and core areas of research of the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network, including studying patterns of primary production, populations, organic matter, and disturbances over the long term. - The Kellogg Biological Station LTER site experiments with different cropping systems including conventional, no-till, low-input, and organic management to study how to manage crops with biology rather than chemicals while maintaining high yields. - The professor proposes strengthening linkages between LTER sites and long-term experiments in Africa through collaborations around methods, cross-site synthesis, student exchange, and studying sustainable intensification.

1. LTER experiences and relationship to long-term trials in Africa Professor Sieg Snapp Dept Crop and Soil Sciences KBS, Michigan State University The mission of the LTER Network: Knowledge and predictive understanding necessary to conserve, protect, and manage the nation's ecosystems, their biodiversity, and the services they provide.

2. LTER sites share a common commitment to long-term research in core areas: Pattern and control of primary production Spatial and temporal distribution of populations Pattern and control of organic matter accumulation Patterns and movements of inorganic inputs through soils ground- and surface waters Patterns and frequency of disturbance

3. Kellogg Biological Station KBS LTER Site @ MSU Central Question To what extent can we manage field crops with biology rather than chemistry? – without sacrificing high yields…

4. KBS Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Site Annual Crops (Corn - Soybean - Wheat) Conventional tillage High No-till Low-input with legume cover Organic with legume cover Perennial Crops Alfalfa Poplar trees Successional Communities Early successional old field Mid successional old field Late successional forest Low Ecosystem Type Management Intensity

5. KBS LTER Site Layout Cropping Systems in RCBD (n=6 blocks with 7 1-ha plots) Successional Systems in landscape, same soil series, n=3 Block 5

6. Main Cropping System Experiment KBS-LTER

7. Cropping Systems Treatments T1 Conv. & T2 No-till: C-S-W T3 Low input & T4 Organic C r -S-W rc r=rye winter cover rc=red clover cover

8. Major Research Areas at the KBS LTER Site Microbe-soil-plant interactions that control soil nutrient availability Insect predator-prey relationships that control pest populations Competition among weeds and crops for limiting resources Drivers of soil carbon status and greenhouse gas mitigation Agronomic yield and valuation of other ecosystem services provided by agriculture

9. Methodology Management: LTER executive committee (Robertson chair + 6 co-PI scientists) Agronomic committee (Snapp chair + scientists, extension and farmers) manage cropping systems by protocols updated each season Measurements: - Developed LTER-cross site synthesis on measurements in the late 1980s LTER book publication (Robertson et al., 1998) LTER-KBS website under review process, 2011 - Document consistent approaches to monitor soil and plant primary productivity (aboveground), soil nutrient cycling (nitrogen), moisture dynamics, soil C, GWP New management approach 2011: Manage by objective, prevailing farming norms for T1 conventional and no-till, and biology to replace chemical inputs for T3 & T4.

10. Drains on Broadbalk Learning from The Broadbalk Experiment

11. Unmanured, continuous wheat Continuous wheat: FYM PK+144 kg N 1st wheat in rotation: FYM+96 kg N Best NPK Red Rostock Broadbalk management and wheat yield: Updates based on prevailing norms Red Club Squ. Master Red Standard Squ. Master Cappelle Desp. Flanders Brimstone Apollo Hereward Introduction of: liming fungicides fallowing herbicides

13. LTER Energy Balance (GJ ha -1 y -1 ) LTER Row Crop 17 years Gelfand et al. EST 2010 System Energy Required Energy Yield Ratio Conven-tional 7.1 72.7 10 No-Till 4.9 78.5 16 Low Input 5.1 66.9 13 Organic 4.8 53.1 11

14. Source: Syswerda, et al. in review. Nitrate Loss from KBS Cropping Systems 1996-2007 Annual Crops Perennial Unmanaged

15. LTER C Sequestration Annual Crops Conventional Tillage 1.00 1.01 No-Till 1.24 1.20 Organic with cover 1.09 1.19 Cropping System Soil Carbon in Topsoil %C 8y Perennial Crops Alfalfa 1.30 1.38 Poplar 1.40 1.46 %C 17y LTER Row Crop 17 years Snapp et al. 2010

16. Permag. Oxid Carbon (POXC) Meta-analysis of relationship to MB, physical C fractions Culman et al., 2012 SSSAJ

17. Cross-Site LTER Syntheses Long-term Intersite Decomposition Experiment (LIDET) Parton et al. 2006 Science 315: 361 Lotic Intersite Nitrogen Experiment (LINX) Mulholland et al. 2008 Nature 452:202 Suding et al. 2005 PNAS 102: 4387 Productivity Diversity Traits Network (PDTNet)

18. Systems evaluation – Malawi case study Snapp et al., 2010 PNAS

19. Maize vs Maize-Glir Intercrop N fert. Southern Malawi ICRAF Beedy et al., 2009 AEE

20. Next steps? Single (electronic) database and uniform methods protocols International registries: http://ltse.nicholas.duke.edu/ www.i lternet .edu/ ‘ Visioning ’ to develop multidisciplinary projects and cross-site synthesis Link to environmental monitoring and modelling Link to international LTERs Promote wider use; methods review; and continuity planning (support long-term trial management) Student exchange and capacity building

21. Linkages to Long-term experiments in Africa 1. Methods 2. Cross-site synthesis - Student exchange and capacity building 3. Core ‘common’ research questions: e.g., drivers and processes involved in sustainable intensification