ACES Impact Stories | 2019

Environmental Stewardship

Spatially Explicit Soil Information

Spatially explicit soil information (i.e., soil maps) are critical to understand and forecast hydrological and ecological dynamics necessary for land use planning and management in NM. However, large areas of arid lands lack adequate soil information for effective land management. A research team at NMSU is using a novel algorithm to predict soil series and key soil hydrologic properties at 30 m spatial resolution at six depths across the continental USA. Soil property predictions will support improved forecasts of water dynamics.

Colby Brungard - PES

Modeling Rangeland Wind Erosion In An Uncertain Future

Modeling wind erosion is difficult because key processes are highly variable in space and time. Model uncertainties are often on the same order of magnitude as predictions. Researchers at NMSU have taken a new approach to wind erosion modeling that shows replication of the range of variability in wind erosion for given landscapes. They predict a distribution of probabilities for erosion and dust emission rather than a single value. This work will better inform decisions and increase our ability to consider the impacts of management and climate changes on rangelands in the future.

Brandon Edwards - PES

Cover Crops For Resilience In Semiarid Cropping Systems

Soil degradation has been a significant challenge for sustainable crop production in semiarid regions. Croplands in the region have lost >50% of soil organic matter and nutrients in the past century leading to degradation in soil health and resilience. Cover cropping and cropping system diversification research at the Agricultural Science Center-Clovis revealed an increase in soil organic matter by 18- 20% and microbial community size by 41% with cover crop integration than without a cover crop. In the long-term, cover cropping has the potential to improve soil health, restore degraded lands, and support the rural economy in the semiarid western US.

Rajan Ghimire - PES

Turfgrass Plant Water Status Influence On Herbicide Phytotoxicity And Efficacy

Due to the need to reduce turfgrass water use, a research study at NMSU was designed to provide turfgrass managers a tool to select the correct herbicide or opt-out of herbicide applications during reduced water use conditions. The results indicate the reduction of herbicide use in New Mexico and other semi-arid regions of the world, and they determine the effective control options if herbicides are used.

Ryan Goss - PES

Guar In New Mexico

Identifying alternate crops that can grow with minimum irrigation water, reduce inputs, improve soil quality, and also provide economically sustainable returns to the growers of the region is important. Research at NMSU has shown that guar can be successfully grown in New Mexico conditions and can help reduce reliance on imports (estimated US guar imports in 2012 are $1 billion) to meet the needs of the US gas and oil industry. Cover crop research has provided cover crop options that can be integrated into organic or conventional cropping systems by local growers to meet their sustainability goals.

Kulbhushan Grover - PES

Guar In New Mexico

An NMSU Extension scientist is generating awareness and building interest among farmers in cover crops, rotations, and alternative crops, specifically Guar. Domestic guar production has the potential to reduce the reliance on international guar imports. Currently, the US Oil and Gas industry spends one billion dollars annually on guar imports. Farmers in Dona Ana county showed an increase of interest in producing guar after field demonstrations.

Kulbhushan Grover - PES

New Understanding Of How Grazing Impacts Grassland Biodiversity

New Mexico State University researchers working with the NSF-funded Jornada Basin Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site, located near Las Cruces, have analyzed global data on the impacts of grazing on grassland biodiversity.  The group concluded that grazing can increase biodiversity in some situations, particularly when the dominant plant species are palatable to the grazing animals, freeing up space and resources for rare species to establish and survive. By contrast, biodiversity is suppressed by grazers in locations where the dominant plant species are not palatable.

Niall Hanan - PES

Producing Better Alternative Fuels By Utilizing Advanced Characterization Techniques

Using ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry, a researcher at NMSU is assessing the effect of feedstocks and reaction conditions on final product composition, which will help develop higher-quality alternative fuels and bio-products that require lower energy and water inputs.

Jacqueline Jarvis - PES

Gold King Mine Long-Term Monitoring Project

Agriculture in San Juan County, NM, relies on irrigation water from three rivers. Fruitland, Hogback, and Shiprock Chapters of the Navajo Nation, alone, irrigate over 500 farms and ranches. After the Gold King Mine Spill of 2015, crop production ceased entirely for all Shiprock farms. NMSU's Gold King Mine long-term monitoring research and outreach are reassuring farmers that the water is safe for irrigation, giving farmers the confidence to renew farming activities.

Kevin Lombard - PES

Invasive Plant Species

Invasive plants cause costly problems for agriculture and natural resource management. The perennial Lehmann lovegrass was introduced to the Southwest in the 1930s to restore overgrazed rangeland soils. It spread across Arizona and recently began displacing native grasses in New Mexico. Much research exists on aboveground traits enabling competitive dominance over native plants. Little is known though, about belowground properties, or how rhizosphere microbes may promote or inhibit lovegrass proliferation. Using next-generation sequencing we identified indicator taxa in lovegrass root microbiomes that potentially benefit or harm these plants. Such taxa may lead to soil microbial amendments transforming invasive plant management.

Nicole Pietrasiak - PES

Indicators And Benchmarks To Support Wind Erosion Monitoring, Assessment And Management

Wind erosion and dust impact agricultural production, air quality, human health, water cycle, biogeochemical cycles, and climate. Land use and climate change potentially increase erosion rates and fine dust emissions. NMSU researchers have developed approaches to use data from national ecological monitoring programs with models to establish benchmark erosion rates for soils that can be used to assess the effectiveness of conservation practices. The research enables soil erosion and air quality to be evaluated in land use plans alongside other indicators of land health.

Nicholas Webb - PES

Ecological Restoration In Rangeland Systems

The importance of effective ecological restoration is well recognized in rangeland systems. When plant cover decreases, soil erosion increases and less native range forage is available, leading to economic losses. An emerging field examines using biological soil crust (biocrust) in addition to traditional rangeland plants in restoration actions. Through international collaboration, NMSU published a synthesis paper looking at biocrust-plant interactions, propelling this knowledge forward. In addition, to distribute to land managers, they have developed a biocrust restoration manual using current research outcomes. These efforts, as well as ongoing research on biocrust-plant interactions, enhance the ability to effectively restore dry-rangeland systems.

Akasha Faist - ANRS

Replacing Winter Fallow With Cover Crops

NMSU research shows replacing winter fallow with cover crops in a traditional fallow-crop system can have significant advantages for weed control, soil quality, and subsequent cash crop yield. Data show that cover crops can be grown with single fall irrigation, alleviating one concern about cover crop sustainability. Numerous weed seeds germinate but do not survive in cover crops, reducing the weed seed-bank and weed management costs. Soil aggregate stability increases with grass and legume cover crops, limiting erosion, and legumes reduce nitrogen input requirements. Legumes increase sweet corn yield by up to 55% compared to fallow plots.

Erik Lehnhoff - EPPWS

Burrowing Owl Relocation

Often considered an indicator of wider ecosystem health, the burrowing owl faces conservation concerns with growing urban areas. NMSU researchers are working collaboratively with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Global Owl Project to evaluate and improve translocation efforts for this bird. Their research will improve abilities to successfully move the owls away from development and provide a standard protocol nationwide.

Martha Desmond - FWCE

Bat Pollinators

Although insects are the dominant plant pollinators, bats are important pollinators in the desert and tropical regions. Including agricultural products, such as agave used for tequila, as well as maintaining natural ecosystems. Some land-use practices can result in a loss of food plants for these bats. NMSU researchers are using geographic information systems to develop species distribution models for both the bats and their food plants across the southwestern United States and Mexico. Results highlight key geographic regions that host a high diversity of bat-pollinated plants and important regions and migratory routes necessary to support these bats. The results can be used to devise effective conservation that benefits agriculture and natural ecosystems.

Jennifer Frey - FWCE

Effect Of Cover Crop On Farm Profitability And Risk In The Southern High Plains

Farming practices that involve leaving soil unsown for extended periods (9-13 months) can raise aridity, reduce soil fertility and with heavy winds can increase soil erosion (23.64 tons/acre). This practice costs the state more than $31.00 per acre annually. Cover cropping enhances soil health by reducing erosion, weed density, soil compaction, and increasing soil organic matter, water retention, and nitrogen. However, because of the high cost of cover cropping, growers are reluctant to adopt the technology. An NMSU study shows that a $50.00/acre subsidy through the ‘Healthy Soil Program’ would make cover cropping profitable and enhance sustainability.

Ram Acharya - AEAB

Integrated Pest Management

Integrated Pest Management can reduce unnecessary insecticide use through increased knowledge, understanding, and use of alternatives to chemical controls, including biological, cultural and physical control tactics. The ASC- Los Lunas works to increase the adoption of IMP strategies and develop new technologies to improve IMP in urban gardens and landscapes, small farms, and urban natural areas.

ASC Los Lunas