MSc student (GGE)
Exploring the Role of Agroecosystem Design and Management in Building Californian Orchard System Resilience
Email: agulachenski@ucdavis.edu
Education
- BS – BS- Environmental Biology, Minor International Development, Tulane University
Research Interests
I apply agroecological principles to the study of agricultural systems to better understand climate resilience. My dissertation work investigates how agricultural diversification practices can increase the capacity of farming systems to withstand climate extremes and variability across scales. Specifically, I am working with orchard systems across California’s Sacramento valley to better understand how on-farm adoption of agroecological principles (i.e. cover cropping and livestock integration) influences soil biodiversity and social and ecological resilience. I employ mixed method approaches to better link biophysical and social indicators of resilience to better understand the relationship between system design, farmer decision-making, and field-scale response to climate change. More broadly, I am interested in integrating social and ecological research approaches that support farmers and build a more socially and ecologically just and resilient food systems.