Cropping systems in the Great Plains are changing because of no-till. Rotations now include a diversity of crops in contrast with rotations in tilled systems that grow only one or two crops. This diversity of crops often leads to yield increases because of the rotation effect. We have observed that crop response to the rotation effect can be categorized as either improving resource-use efficiency or increasing plant size and yield capacity. An example of the efficiency response, which we term synergism, is that some crops improve water-use efficiency (WUE) of following crops.

Impervious surfaces are the result of urbanization that can be explicitly quantified, managed and controlled at each stage of land development. It is a very useful environmental indicator that can be used to measure the impacts of urbanization on surface runoif, water quality, air quality, biodiversity and microclimate. Therefore, accurate estimation of impervious surfaces is critical for urban environmental monitoring, land management, decision-making and urban planning.

This paper evaluates the potential of payments for carbon sequestered through wetland and riparian conservation, to offset the costs of publicly funded wetland conservation programs. In particular, the research focuses on quantifying the value of carbon sequestered in wetland and riparian zones of the Prairie Pothole Region in the province of Saskatchewan.