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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Davis, California » Crops Pathology and Genetics Research » People » Kerri Steenwerth

Kerri Loraine Steenwerth

Soil Scientist
Phone: (530) 752-7535
Fax: (530) 752-0382
Office:

University of California, Davis

3238 Plant & Environmental Sciences

Davis, CA 95616

 

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Research Program:

Dr. Kerri Steenwerth (Davis, CA) serves as a Research Soil Scientist. The research program focuses on development of sustainable viticulture practices and formation of a comprehensive understanding of the benefits and tradeoffs of vineyard floor management in wine grape production systems. Broad goals are to identify sustainable practices to promote high quality wine grapes, to provide climate mitigation and adaptation, and to improve soil quality across the agricultural landscape. Her work includes study of: the effects of vineyard floor management practices on greenhouse gas emissions, soil nutrient retention, and weed establishment; use of winery wastewater for irrigation; and application of lifecycle analysis to wine grape systems. Interests in soil biology include the role of microbial communities in soil processes in response to vineyard management practices, as well as the impact of soil microorganisms on wine grape nutrient acquisition and fruit ripening. She is part of National Program 305: Crop Production. 

Biography:

Dr. Steenwerth received her Ph.D. in Soil Science from UC Davis in 2003. Her dissertation research investigated the links between soil microbial communities and transformations of soil carbon and nitrogen along a gradient in land-use history and soil disturbance. In 2004, Dr. Steenwerth joined the USDA-ARS in Davis, CA.