Ellen Westelaken

Email: 
ewestela@uoguelph.ca
Phone number: 
(519) 824-4120
Office: 
GM Frost Information Centre
Lab: 
Dr. Eric Lyons
 
Ellen is a course-based Master of Environmental Science student who is passionate about the environment and hopes to  pursue a career in the field of sustainable/regenerative agriculture.

Project Outline:

This project compares three products from the Aqua-Aid family of soil surfactants and soil enhancers. These products will be compared with an industry standard wetting agent, Revolution, from Aquatrols as a positive control in the study. There will also be an untreated control included in the study. The projects will be conducted on two newly established putting greens. Project A) was conducted on a putting green constructed from calcareous USGA sand at the new Guelph Turfgrass Institute site. Project B) was completed on a putting green constructed from siliceous sand conforming to the United States Golf Association (USGA) construction method. 2021 results will provide a look at the function/efficacy of soil surfactants, with the goal of examining their long-term effects on rootzone and turfgrass properties as well as their effect on thatch accumulation and soil organic matter over subsequent seasons. Current and future results may also be used by the sponsor for marketing of these products in the Canadian market.

 

Courses Taken:

ENVS*6501 Integrating Science and Policy
ENVS*6040 Plant-Microbe Interactions
ENVS*4090 Soil Management
ENVS*6502 Seminar in Env Science
HORT*4200 Plants, Environment & Society
ENVS*6730 Environmental Earth Science
ENVS*6500 ENVS Research Project