Students Improving Life: Using soil research to understand the impacts and future of climate change

Gordon Bell, a graduate student in the School of Environmental Science (SES), is researching soil health and the effects of climate change.

Bell began working with Dr. Wagner-Riddle, a professor in SES, as a field technician while completing his undergraduate degree. This collaborative work in the Wagner-Riddle lab inspired him to pursue his master’s degree.

“I’m a huge soil nerd, I have four jars of mud sitting on my windowsills from different places across Canada,” says Gordon. “The samples were collected from a mountain top, a river valley and stream bank.”
His research focuses on summarizing the results and impact of diverse crop rotation and water dynamics in agricultural systems.

“We know cover crops are good for the soil,” says Gordon. “When cover crops grow, they feed your microbiome, increase your organic matter, and help stabilize the soil. They do however potentially compete for resources with your other main crops. The resource that I’m looking at specifically is water.”

In 2019, Gordon was selected to be a part of the CREATE (Collaborative Research and Training Experience) Climate-Smart Soils Program, the first multi-national soil-centered program to address the need for highly qualified personnel (HQP) training. 

“We are given training and discuss different social, economic and environmental considerations when it comes to agricultural and climate change,” says Gordon. “How do we prepare for it, how to we adapt to it, how do we mitigate specific environmental harms as well as try to get a holistic view of agricultural and rural communities and how climate change will affect it.”

Gordon was searching for a way to get involved with the sector beyond the lab. He applied to participate in the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council  and was selected to help shape the future of agriculture and food.

The Canadian Agricultural Youth Council is a committee of dedicated young Canadians that supports the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) by contributing to the future of the agriculture and agri-food sectors.

“Participating in the Youth Council is a way I can make my voice heard,” explains Gordon. “Based on my experiences as a field technician, a researcher in the lab, my environmental sciences degree, and being a part of the Climate-Smart Soils Program, I was well situated to contribute to the Council.”

Gordon values the eye-opening perspective and opportunities that the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council has provided. One of his responsibilities for the council is to sit on their Climate Change Working Group.
 
“Climate change is not an issue that is only going to affect one group of people, different people will be affected in different ways by climate change,” Gordon shares. “If we are going to address it in a meaningful and timely manner, we need to have as much brain power and as many different hands working on this issue as possible. Good ideas, come from everyone.”

Reflecting on his experience, he encourages other students to seek ways to get involved with the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council and other organizations to expand their perspectives and learn about other stakeholders in the sector.

“I have appreciated the opportunity to share knowledge,” says Gordon. “We always must try to keep pushing for change. We need to keep pushing to do better, and to have agricultural systems which are resilient to storms, droughts, fires, and whatever the climate will throw at us. We rely on these systems for our foods, so we need to make them resilient.”