The Brookshire Lab Group
Bio-energy with Carbon Capture and Storage
Our work aims to better understand the biogeochemical implications and trade-offs of alternative bioenergy crops and fertilizers in western semi-arid agroecosystems. Specifically, we are examining shifts in carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) pools and fluxes associated with experimental c4 and c3 cropping-systems (switchgrass and tall-wheatgrass) under conventional-synthetic (urea) and bio-fertilizer (cyanobacteria) based N amendment treatments. We focus our efforts on understanding the biogeochemical reorganization of the agroecosystem in constraining the biogeochemical cycles (plant-soil-atmosphere) of this system throughout the course of its development to evaluate which practices offer the most efficient route to increased yields, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and increased soil carbon in marginal semi-arid lands. This project was initiated as part of a NSF funded EPSCoR II project in collaboration with the University of Wyoming and University of South Dakota.
Recent Publications:
Gay, J.D.*, H.M. Goemann*, B. Currey*, P.C. Stoy, J.R. Christiansen, P.R. Miller, B. Poulter, B.M. Peyton, E.N.J. Brookshire. 2022. Climate mitigation potential and soil microbial response of cyanobacteria-fertilized bioenergy crops in a cool semi-arid cropland. GCB-Bioenergy. doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.13001
Goemann, H.M.*, J.D. Gay*, B.M. Peyton, R.C. Mueller, E.N.J. Brookshire, B. Peyton, B. Poulter. 2021. Above- and below ground responses to field applications of cyanobacterial biofertilizer in a semi-arid bioenergy cropping system. GCB-Bioenergy. doi: 10.1111/gcbb.12892
Sigler, W.A*, S.A. Ewing, C.A. Jones, R.A. Payn, E.N.J. Brookshire, J.K. Klassen, D. Jackson-Smith, G.S. Weissmann. 2018. Connections among soil, ground, and surface water chemistries characterize nitrogen loss from an agricultural landscape in the upper Missouri River basin. Journal of Hydrology 556: 247-261
Stoy, P.C., S. Ahmed, M. Jarchow, B. Rashford, D. Swanson, S. Albeke, G. Bromley, E.N.J. Brookshire, M. Dixon, J. Haggerty, J. Kerby, P. Miller, B. Peyton, T. Sohl, L. Spangler, C. Straub, A. Royem, B Poulter. 2018. Opportunities and tradeoffs between bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and food, water, energy, biodiversity, and social systems at regional scales. BioScience 68: 100-111