"Ecological conditions in Agricultural Streams: Impacts of ripariam vegetation and BMPs."

Abstract

Intensive agriculture is a critical component of the modern, industrialized world that provides many benefits to human society.  However, agricultural practices can also have significant undesirable effects on aquatic ecosystems and the valuable ecosystem services they provide.  Riparian buffers and targeted best management practices are two approaches that are frequently touted and applied to minimize and mitigate the effects of agriculture on receiving stream ecosystems.  This presentation will describe research that assessed the ecological effects of maintaining a naturally vegetated riparian corridor as well as the cumulative benefits of agricultural best management practices on instream water quality and ecological conditions. 

Bio

Dr. Adam G. Yates is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Western University. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph in Environmental Science and his graduate degrees at Western University in Biology prior to holding a post-doctoral fellowship at Environment Canada.  Adam’s research program studies the linkages between landscape patterns and processes and the ecology and biogeochemistry of stream ecosystems with a focus on streams in agroecosystems.