معرفی
Dr. Cheryl Mackowiak is an Associate Professor in the Department of Soil and Water Science at the University of Florida’s North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC). Her work focuses on agroecological systems, particularly soil health, nitrogen cycling, and sustainable forage crop management. She leads research initiatives on perennial legumes (e.g., rhizoma peanut and bahiagrass) and their integration into grazing systems to enhance soil fertility and reduce environmental impact.
Research Interests: Dr. Mackowiak’s interdisciplinary research addresses challenges in agricultural sustainability, including nitrogen fixation mechanisms, pasture management optimization, mycotoxin detection in forages, and microbial community dynamics in agroecosystems. She emphasizes practical solutions for small-scale family farms, advocating for soil stewardship and conservation practices.
Key Contributions: Her recent studies explore nitrogen transfer pathways in grass-legume mixtures using isotope tracing, grazing system impacts on soil health, and biochar applications for contaminated soils. She also develops extension materials to guide farmers in best practices for forage production and nutrient management.
Locations: Research is conducted at NFREC-Quincy, NFREC-Marianna, on-farm sites, and public lands in Florida’s Southern Coastal Plain. This region’s unique environmental conditions (gentle Atlantic/Gulf slopes, historic land use patterns) inform her studies on agroecological resilience.
Grants & Outreach: Collaborates with USDA and state agencies on projects related to cover cropping, water footprint reduction, and pasture renovation. Her work bridges academic research with farmer needs through participatory trials and educational publications.
