Kimberley Schneider

Kimberley Schneider serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph's Ontario Agricultural College. Her work centers on evaluating agro-ecological benefits of forage and service crops, with emphasis on soil and water quality, nutrient cycling, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity enhancement in Ontario agricultural systems.

She earned her B.Sc(Env.) in Environmental Protection, M.Sc. in Land Resource Science, and Ph.D. in School of Environmental Sciences, all from the University of Guelph.

Dr. Schneider's research program adopts a systems-based, multidisciplinary approach to address critical agri-environmental challenges. She investigates how targeted agroecosystem management can enhance ecosystem services and optimize cropping systems for sustainable Ontario agriculture. Her work spans scales from rhizosphere to landscape, focusing on nutrient dynamics, soil microbial processes, and the environmental impacts of different farming practices.

Analysis of her publication record (2005-2019) reveals consistent focus on phosphorus and nitrogen dynamics in agricultural soils, with significant contributions to understanding nutrient loss pathways, soil microbial communities (particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi), and comparative analyses of organic versus conventional farming systems. Her research demonstrates strong methodological diversity across field, laboratory, and modeling approaches.

Dr. Schneider actively recruits graduate students (M.Sc. and Ph.D.) for research opportunities in ecosystem services of forage and service crops, nutrient and carbon dynamics, and managed grazing systems, emphasizing practical applications for Ontario agriculture.