Research Interests: Nutrient management, soil carbon dynamics, forage and field crop production in subarctic area, waste management and composting

Current Research Programs:
1) Soil carbon, N and P dynamics in long-term tillage plots,
2) Forage quality and production with different management practices (i.e., cutting frequency, rate of fertilizer application),
3) Selection of cereals cultivars suitable for sub arctic cultivation,
4) Compost and use of fish waste product for organic farming

Examples of Research Support:
"Selection of suitable cereal cultivars for sub arctic" Natural Resource Fund, $50,000., 2001-2005

Examples of Publications:
Zhang, Mingchu, S.S. Malhi, E. Solberg, J. Thurston, M. Nyborg and J. Harapiak. 2001. Greenhouse gas emission in Alberta crop production sector: opportunities and challenge. World Resource Review 13(4):555-567

Zhang, Mingchu, R.E. Karamanos, L.M. Kryzanowski, K.R. Cannon, T.W. Goddard. 2001. Single measurement to predict potential mineralizable N. Soil and Plant Analysis Council International Conference. July 21 - 27, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Comm. Soil Sci.& Plant Anal. 33:3517-3530.

Zhang, M., S. D. Sparrow, P. Bechtel, and A. Pantoja. 2007. Characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus release from fish meals and fish hydrolysate in subarctic soils. J. Environ. Monitoring and Rest. 3:264-277.

Zhang, M., S. Sparrow, C. Lewis, and C. Knight. 2007. Soil Properties and barley yield under 20-years experiment of tillage, straw management, and nitrogen application rate in the subarctic area of Alaska. Acta Agricuturae Scadinavica- Section B Soil & Plant Science. 57:375-383.

Zhang, M., R. Gavlak, A. Mitchell, and S. Sparrow. 2006. Solid and liquid cattle manure application in a subarctic soil: Bromegrass and oat production and soil properties. Agron. J. 98: 1551-1558.

Liu Yi-Xin, Dai Wei-Wei, Zhang, M., Tao Yong, Wang Ting and Jiang Yu-Ping. 2006. Mineralogical, physical and chemical characteristics of mingguang palygorskite after acid and calcination treatments. Pedosphere (in press)

Sharratt, B., M. Zhang, and S. Sparrow. 2006. Twenty years of tillage research in subarctic Alaska: I. Impact on soil strength, aggregation, roughness and residue cover. Soil and Tillage Research. Soil & Tillage Research 91:75-81.

Sharratt, B., M. Zhang, and S. Sparrow. 2006. Twenty years of tillage research in subarctic Alaska: II. Impact on soil hydraulic properties. Soil and Tillage Research. Soil & Tillage Research 91:82-88.