Embedded Files
Research Question
Research Question
How can Enhanced Rock Weathering be a bridge for farms to change their agricultural practices?
Planetary boundaries. Planetary boundaries - Stockholm Resilience Centre. (n.d.). https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html
Introduction
Introduction
The Anthropocene has led to the development of nine planetary boundaries, these boundaries represent the confines humans can exist in without destabilizing the geological and ecological cycles of Earth. One of these boundaries past its maximum capacity is CO2 concentration; agriculture being a key component in its steady rise (Stockholm University, 2023).
This circumstance inspired scientists to create nature-based carbon sequestration technologies; Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) being one. ERW takes the slow and tedious carbon cycle and speeds it up by grinding silicate-based rock into dust. The dust is then spread across open land then when rain falls it comes in contact with the dust in turn the C02 in the rain is captured throughout decades and stored for millions of years (Beerling, D. J. and Kantzas, E. P, 2020).
Historical Context
Historical Context
In the 1960's the world was faced with vast malnutrition due to this, new agricultural technologies were developed to maximize yields. (Cleaver, 1975) This era is formally known as the Green Revolution and we see the technologies produced used today as large machinery alongside fertilizers. The large-scale regime shift in common practice left small farms at an economic disadvantage in comparison to large farms. This cultivated distrust among the small farmers.
Why farmers are resisentence to sustainability
Why farmers are resisentence to sustainability
This distrust affects farmers to this day, being at the mercy of monocultures and government subsidies they stick to what they know in order to survive. Sustainability is not a priority to them due to the lack of accessible materials to understand it. (F. Füsun Tatlıdil et al, 2009). Sustainability can be seen as daunting, complex, and time-consuming producing little motivation to comprehend it. Their fight for profit gives them no time to research or consider implementing sustainable practices.
Benefits to ERW
Benefits to ERW
ERW is heavily reliant on silicate-based rocks, luckily this specific type is the most commonly found in Earth's crust. Littered throughout the United States are quarries and mines, both holding large quantities of unused silicate rock. Transportation and implementation are relatively cheap with a tonne of dust costing 75 to 250 dollars (Beerling, D. J. and Kantzas, E. P, 2020). ERW's most attractive attribute is its simplicity; meaning easy accessibility to the material to understand it.
Why ERW?
Why ERW?
Enhanced Rock Weathering is a dust that is nature-based the combination allows for little competition in finding areas to implement the practice (Beerling, D. J. and Kantzas, E. P, 2020). Along with being cheap, it holds scientific benefits, silicate rocks contain phosphorous and nitrogen two vital nutrients for crops (Khalidy, R. and Chiang, Y. W. & Santos, R. M. 2022). This will require less fertilizer to be sprayed and less machinery to be used. The weak foundation and brittle state of the soil leave crops at the mercy of disease and pests. ERW will reduce the harmful effects on the soil letting it rebuild itself over time this could eliminate the need for fertilizer completely. A domino effect is created producing only benefits for farmers giving them the desire to research, understand, and implement more sustainable practices.
Gap in Research
Gap in Research
Sustainability is relatively new and with this, there are gaps in research. There are no articles specifically linking ERW to farmers involving more sustainable practices after using it. More research and attention to this topic could lead to positive change. Reading articles it became evident that farmers are resistant because of a lack of knowledge and ability to access information. ERW is modifying the carbon cycle and the amount of simple informative material on the carbon cycle is immense. If farmers are introduced to ERW and execute it they are more likely to gain an appreciation for sustainability inspiring a desire to implement more sustainable practices. This gap is important to fill because neither agriculture nor cultivation of C02 will stop soon.
Theoretical Framework
Theoretical Framework
This research would become meaningless if there was no way to apply and use it in the real world. The most effective way to ensure this happens is by creating a formula or set of criteria. The Heuristic Framework is most suitable with its objective being problem-solving, along with it not being feasible to introduce individually each farmer to sustainability. A formula is the most effective way to share this information with people. The framework in this specific instance is at the mercy of farmer's willingness to participate; which is its biggest fault.
Methods & Justification
Methods & Justification
The best approach to the research question is through a longitudinal qualitative study which will utilize interviews as a form of data collection. McGrath (2014) supports the use of longitudinal qualitative studies in sustainability. They suggest interviews over a long period of time force the researcher to understand the ins and outs of a culture. Multiple perspectives are introduced which allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the issue. Qualitative data (farmer's words) in this case will impact the community and the research immensely because the individual experience that was openly expressed will motivate others to partake in sustainability.
To perform the study and fill the gap in research participants will be needed, using random sampling of farmers who have and haven't used ERW will eliminate threats to validity. It is also beneficial to this study because it reduces bias and offers each individual an equal voice (Noor et al., 2022). It is important that they are small-scale farmers because they do not have as much leisure time to research sustainability.
References
References
Beerling, D. J., Kantzas, E. P., Lomas, M. R., Wade, P., Eufrasio, R. M., Renforth, P., Sarkar, B.,
Andrews, M. G., James, R. H., Pearce, C. R., Mercure, J.-F., Pollitt, H., Holden, P. B.,
Edwards, N. R., Khanna, M., Koh, L., Quegan, S., Pidgeon, N. F., Janssens, I. A., …
Banwart, S. A. (2020, July 8). Potential for large-scale CO2 removal via enhanced rock
weathering with croplands. Nature News. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2448-9
Cleaver, McBeath, H., & Jr. (n.d.). The Origins of the Green Revolution. Proquest. https://www.proquest.com/openview/552be025bd4d85e6111272f00e81cb7e/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Guo, F., Wang, Y., Zhu, H., Zhang, C., Sun, H., Fang, Z., Yang, J., Zhang, L., Mu, Y., Man, Y.
B., & Wu, F. (2023). Crop productivity and soil inorganic carbon change mediated by
enhanced rock weathering in farmland: A comparative field analysis of multi-agroclimatic regions in central China. Agricultural Systems, 210. https://doi-org.ezproxy.gvsu.edu/10.1016/j.agsy.2023.103691
Khalidy, R., Chiang, Y. W., & Santos, R. M. (2022). Long-term field studies in Canada on
monitoring pedogenic carbonate formation in agricultural soils via enhanced weathering
of wollastonite; status and latest findings. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 24.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.gvsu.edu/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-13056
Noor, S., Tajik, O., & Golzar, J. (2022). Simple Random Sampling. International Journal of Education & Language Studies, 78-82.
Planetary boundaries. Planetary boundaries - Stockholm Resilience Centre. (n.d.). https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html
Page updated
Report abuse