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Guelph Ecosystem Services Team

In partnership with the University of Guelph’s research initiative Food From Thought, a team of researchers from the University of Guelph and McGill University formed the Ecosystem Services team to better understand how agricultural practices can affect biodiversity and ecosystem services.

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 Funded by a $76.6 Million Grant


The research done by the Food From Thought research team will help us to better feed a growing population without damaging valuable ecosystem services. The research funded by Canada's First Research Excellent Fund aims to improve both the sustainability and productivity of agricultural production at a both a global and local scale.

 

Learn more about Food From Thought

Six Broad Categories of Research


Food From Thought works with world-leading researchers from multiple disciplines to establish Canada as a global leader in agri-food and sustainability.  The integration of diverse topics of research will allow Food From Thought to analyze trends in agricultural practices and their resulting impact on biodiversity.

 

Learn more about research themes

The Ecosystem Services Members

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Terrestrial Ecosystems

Most crop productivity is limited by management. The research done by the Ecosystem Services team and Food From Thought will refine the management style of farmers to help close the global yield gap whilst ensuring natural environments and services are conserved. 

 

Aquatic Ecosystems

Through observing the dynamic relationship between stream, nutrients, and pesticides the Ecosystem Services team can better understand how coastal ecosystems are impacted by these variables. In addition to the associated impact on the aquatic organisms and the intricate food webs these ecosystems contain.

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Experimental Ecosystems

By observing the responses of zooplankton and algae under controlled experimental conditions the Ecosystem Services team will  develop models of food web dynamics that allow us to better manage aquatic ecosystems challenged by rapid environmental change.