Shane Andrews – Undergraduate – Wildlife Ecology
Extended Drought in Australia: The Impacts on Agricultural Resources

​The dramatic changes in Earth’s climate have begun to reflect across the entirety of the Australian continent, leading to a very uncertain future for both the natural ecosystems and human communities. Research carried out since the early 1900’s has concluded that Australia has been experiencing a sustained drought for over a century. In recent years, Australia has been subject record high temperatures, which have been related to water scarcity via increased evapotranspiration. Australian ecosystems and vegetation depend on rainfall to maintain survival in the arid climate. This rainfall helps replenish both above ground water catches such as streams, and accessible water stored in the soil. As drought conditions continue with increased intensity, the threats to vegetation will affect economic and food stability as large-scale agricultural crops that rely on rainfall have reduced production or failures. In the 2002-2003 drought, the Australian GDP decreased from agricultural losses by 1.6%. Economic losses from reduced crop yields and fluctuating global markets for crop exports are currently being subsidized by the Australian government. Proposals to move away from subsidies to self-reliance within local farming communities could encourage quicker transitions to drought sensitive practices. Here, I present the history of the hydrological conditions related to drought in Australia, the economic importance of rainfed agriculture, and potential improvements. Without changes in farming practices in Australia, the droughts will continue to worsen trade and unemployment related to rainfed agriculture.

Austin Lunderstadt – Undergraduate – Natural Resources, Forest Management
Issues Caused by Agricultural Runoff in the Waterways of New Zealand

​Fertilizer is used to increase agricultural production, though its use is causing eutrophication across the globe. Fertilizer in runoff can quickly end up in the freshwater waterways adjacent to agricultural lands. New Zealand is no exception and waterways in New Zealand are becoming increasingly degraded as the population continues to increase.  In this poster, I will present the consequences of agricultural fertilizer and pesticide runoff on human health, freshwater environments, and present some possible solutions that New Zealand can use to improve these conditions. Over 95% of rivers located adjacent to farmland exceed the default guideline value for excessive nutrients. High concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus can be directly poisonous, as these nutrients are meant for plants and not animals. Indirectly, nutrient runoff can lead to eutrophication by creating an algae bloom that depletes oxygen that aquatic life need to survive. Another issue is pesticides in the waterways that are taken in by fish. Consuming large amounts of fish that have ingested pesticides can have serious human health effects such as cancer. Overall, there is increasing affects from pollutants on the environment and on human populations. Possible solutions to these issues are designating important waterways and bodies of water to protected, waterway enhancement treatments, and assisting the government in developing water plans. Reducing the amount of fertilizer used on land adjacent to waterways would help cut down on the amount of nutrients entering the water and the negative effects that it has on the environment.

Travis Miller – Undergraduate – Forest Ecology and Management
Reducing Water Runoff of Rain-fed Crops Utilizing Conservation Agriculture in Semi-Arid Regions

​With water scarcity steadily increasing around the world, so is the need to incorporate best management practices to limit water loss in agriculture. In semi-arid regions that rely upon rain-fed precipitation agriculture, the practice of conservation agriculture (CA) has taken center stage. Conservation agriculture, which includes no-till, ridge farming tillage and stubble mulch farming tillage, can lead to lower levels of soil erosion and water runoff. The reduced runoff and soil erosion leads to cleaner waters by lowering the number of contaminants that are released into a watershed. Along with lower contaminant levels, conservation agriculture uses less water for the same output. Here I present examples from China, Ethiopia and India, where conservation agriculture is being utilized to address water runoff. All three semi-arid regions have issues related to excessive agricultural water runoff and low water use efficiency. The three regions are unique watersheds as are the solutions. In China and the Ethiopian Highlands, producers used a combination of tools (no-tillage variations) which effectively decreased the amount of water runoff. In India, producers decrease runoff by utilizing CA practices that created minimal soil disturbances, trying to encourage water infiltration, which then lowers the amount of water runoff. Conservation agriculture practices can lead to higher N efficiency, lower water pollution and increased yields. Rainfall farming accounts for 82% of the world crops. Adopting CT techniques leads to positive reductions in water usage, a high value to the thousands of acres of rain-fed croplands around the world. 

Ashley Strang – Undergraduate Environmental Science
Protecting China's Heartland: Reducing Groundwater Depletion in the North China Plain

​Around the world, increasing populations and sustainable development goals are putting pressure on governments to better manage dwindling fresh water resources. However, the agricultural industry requires increasingly large amounts of water to produce enough food to keep up with rising demand. In areas with variable precipitation, irrigation often relies on groundwater stores that can be depleted more quickly than they recharge. China’s most important agricultural region, the North China Plain, has been experiencing overexploitation of its groundwater stores due to inefficient and unsustainable agricultural practices. Farmers in the North China Plain have long been using water-intensive irrigation on crops that utilize less than half the water supplied to them. This imbalance between exploitation and recharge has resulted in the North China Plain having the fourth highest degree of overexploitation among the world’s major aquifers. To alleviate the issue of continually decreasing groundwater levels in the North China Plain, I propose (1) diversifying crop rotation systems, (2) employing deficit irrigation with brackish groundwater, and (3) implementing soil management practices. The current winter wheat-summer maize double cropping system demands much higher inputs of water compared to diversified crop systems. Brackish aquifers are largely untapped reservoirs that can reduce fresh groundwater exploitation for irrigation if managed properly. Soil management practices like mulching and subsoiling can increase water use efficiency and decrease soil evaporation. Challenges for each proposal are also discussed. Tackling groundwater depletion in agricultural areas is essential to ensure food and water security for generations to come.