Reference number : GC-2017-Q3-00430, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Chang, Scott (University of Alberta), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Alberta, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : Across Canada - and much of North America - municipalities legally require all new developments to construct_x000D_
storm water management facilities (SWMF) that accumulate all neighbourhood runoff water prior to drainage_x000D_
into sewer systems and eventually natural water bodies. Residential development SWMFs reduce landscape_x000D_
water flow and contamination into neighbouring communities by up to 80%. However, because SWMF_x000D_
outflow is not treated prior to farther downstream entry, pollutants captured in SWMF water is transferred to_x000D_
natural ecosystems. This has been found to have a variety of negative impacts on downstream environments,_x000D_
municipalities and their citizens. Globally and individually biochar and biodiversity have reduced pollutant_x000D_
levels transferred downstream. This project has three questions about the optimal level of biochar application_x000D_
in rebuilt ecosystems: what level of biochar maximizes native vegetation establishment success; does it also_x000D_
maximize invasive species inhibition; and is this correlated to soil organic carbon, nitrogen and/or phosphorus_x000D_
storage in the plants and soils to a level that can significantly reduce downstream pollutant water flow. The_x000D_
outcomes of this project will provide vital information needed to create protocols and guidelines to maximize_x000D_
the water quality delivered from urban systems to protect natural water bodies and Canadians downstream._x000D_
This research is relevant to the industrial partner as results from the research will guide their design of SWMF_x000D_
to minimize the cost and maximize the ecological function of such facilities. Results from this study will also_x000D_
be applicable across all Canadian boreal biome SWMF and other emerging provincial and territorial_x000D_
regulations., program purpose french : Across Canada - and much of North America - municipalities legally require all new developments to construct_x000D_
storm water management facilities (SWMF) that accumulate all neighbourhood runoff water prior to drainage_x000D_
into sewer systems and eventually natural water bodies. Residential development SWMFs reduce landscape_x000D_
water flow and contamination into neighbouring communities by up to 80%. However, because SWMF_x000D_
outflow is not treated prior to farther downstream entry, pollutants captured in SWMF water is transferred to_x000D_
natural ecosystems. This has been found to have a variety of negative impacts on downstream environments,_x000D_
municipalities and their citizens. Globally and individually biochar and biodiversity have reduced pollutant_x000D_
levels transferred downstream. This project has three questions about the optimal level of biochar application_x000D_
in rebuilt ecosystems: what level of biochar maximizes native vegetation establishment success; does it also_x000D_
maximize invasive species inhibition; and is this correlated to soil organic carbon, nitrogen and/or phosphorus_x000D_
storage in the plants and soils to a level that can significantly reduce downstream pollutant water flow. The_x000D_
outcomes of this project will provide vital information needed to create protocols and guidelines to maximize_x000D_
the water quality delivered from urban systems to protect natural water bodies and Canadians downstream._x000D_
This research is relevant to the industrial partner as results from the research will guide their design of SWMF_x000D_
to minimize the cost and maximize the ecological function of such facilities. Results from this study will also_x000D_
be applicable across all Canadian boreal biome SWMF and other emerging provincial and territorial_x000D_
regulations., agreement title english : Integrating biochar and native vegetation to maximize ecosystem services and their return-on-investment in a storm water management facility, agreement title french : Integrating biochar and native vegetation to maximize ecosystem services and their return-on-investment in a storm water management facility, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2017-11-08, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019)., additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)., owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada