Home / Grassland genomics for green house gas mitigation (GG4GHG)
Grassland genomics for green house gas mitigation (GG4GHG)
Generating solutions
Status
Competition
Genome Centre(s)
GE3LS
Project Leader(s)
- Jonathan Bennett (University of Saskatchewan), Sean Asselin (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/Swift Current Research and Development Centre),
Fiscal Year Project Launched
Project Description
There is huge potential for greenhouse gas absorption and soil carbon sequestration across the Canadian Prairies, with more than 16 million hectares of native grasslands and managed forage. The Grassland Genomics for Greenhouse Gas (GG4GHG) mitigation project will use genomics to understand how genetic diversity in these forage ecosystems impacts their ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, store it in the soil and resist climate change. GG4GHG will investigate native forage plants, native pollinators and soil microbes across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. By understanding the role genetic diversity plays in ecosystem services, such as carbon dioxide absorption and the deposition of carbon in the soil, the GG4GHG team hopes to demonstrate the potential native species could have in mitigating the effects of climate change. The team will work with stakeholders, such as forage seed producers, cattle farmers, conservation groups, and rural and Indigenous communities to identify important plant species, understand the ecosystem services they provide, develop predictive analytics and develop native plant seed mixes with the greatest potential for mitigating climate change.