The LTAR Common Experiment at Gulf Atlantic Coastal Plain

Authors: Coffin, Alisa; Pisani, Oliva; Pisarello, Kathryn; Porter, Kayla; BOSCH, DAVID - Retired ARS Employee; STRICKLAND, TIMOTHY - Retired ARS Employee

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/3/2024
Publication Date: 10/27/2024
Citation: Coffin, A.W., Pisani, O., Pisarello, K., Porter, K.M., Bosch, D.D., Strickland, T.C. 2024. The LTAR Common Experiment at Gulf Atlantic Coastal Plain. Journal of Environmental Quality. 1:11. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20645.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20645

Interpretive Summary: The Gulf Atlantic Coastal Plain (GACP) is a longstanding agricultural research site that supports research endeavors locally, regionally, and nationally. As part of its research efforts, GACP scientists contribute knowledge and understanding of the agricultural system to the national level Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network. The site is representative of the overall region with respect to its topography, soils, climate, and agricultural practices. Work conducted at this site chiefly provides measures of water and soil health and crop production under different management circumstances. Scientists at the GACP collaborate with a diverse group of stakeholders, including other scientists and landowners, to help facilitate healthy agricultural production systems that are able to withstand potential changes in climate and weather patterns, and adjust to changing socioeconomic and policy conditions.

Technical Abstract: The Gulf Atlantic Coastal Plain (GACP) Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network (LTAR) site includes the Little River Experimental Watershed, an historic research watershed administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Tifton, Georgia, USA. The GACP region is characterized by hot, humid summers, gentle topography, low-gradient streams surrounded by wetland pine forests, and croplands in higher regions. Beneath its sandy soils, a confining layer stifles recharge to the deeper aquifer system, so a substantial proportion of streamflow is driven by shallow subsurface baseflow. Agricultural practices in the area consist of forage and livestock production, forestry, and cropping systems that largely include a corn-cotton-peanut rotation among other diverse crops. Certain factors impose challenges to the viability of GACP agricultural systems, like changing economics and demographics, disease and pathogenic infestation, and slow conservation practice adoption. The GACP communicates with stakeholders from various backgrounds, who provide feedback on potential directions as ARS scientists carry out their research plans. The GACP LTAR Common Experiment is carried out via plot- and field-scale studies that specifically investigate the potential environmental and economic benefits of winter cover under reduced tillage conditions. Data collection efforts are multi-decadal and include a suite of metrics quantifying biomass, hydrology, and soils as well as hydroclimatic data from in-situ measurements, sample collections, weather stations, and remote sensing. Unit and collaborative modeling work utilize these multi-disciplinary datasets to quantify complex relationships between climate, land management, ecosystem services, and socioeconomic benefits. Ultimately, the GACP LTAR site works to provide sound science toward the facilitation of agricultural system health and wellbeing at local, regional, and national scales.