Current Projects

PDK Projects, Inc. is pleased to be collaborating with Poplar River First Nation on a project to begin to monitor the rich peatlands on the east side of Lake Winnipeg with NIRS. The First Nation is the proponent for the project funded by the Manitoba Climate Change Action Fund. Dr. Jim McLaughlin, peat expert with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources is also a partner. The purpose is to build capability for on-going monitoring by the community of the moisture status of their peatlands and the associated potential for dangerous fires. Data will be gathered on the quantity of carbon stored in their peatlands. It is planned that later stages of the project will involve other scientists in above-ground studies of biodiversity and terrestrial response to climate change.

NEW: Informal Progress Report on Sampling Peatlands on Poplar River First Nation Traditional Lands, July 2007

New Publications

Proceedings

Malley, D.F., P. Williams, J McLaughlin and T. Atkinson. 2007. Rapid analysis of moisture, organic matter and carbonate in peat cores from Northern Ontario by near-infrared spectroscopy. Proceedings 50th Annual Meeting of the Manitoba Soil Science Society, Winnipeg, 8-9 February, 10 pp.

Williams, P., D. Hopkins, K. Kaffka and D.F. Malley. 2007. Classification of wheat classes using four different near infrared classification analysis (NIRCA) systems. p 275 - 280. In G.R. Burling-Claridge, S.E. Holroyd, and R.M.W. Sumner. Near Infrared Spectroscopy: Proceedings of the 12th International Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 9-15 April 2005, New Zealand Near Infrared Spectroscopy Society Incorporated, Hamilton, New Zealand.

Malley, D.F., F.R. DeVries, and R.D. Ross. 2007. Feasibility of analyzing nutrients and heavy metals in "as is" and dried sewage sludge and biosolids using near-infrared spectroscopy. p 211- 217. In G.R. Burling-Claridge, S.E. Holroyd, and R.M.W. Sumner. Near Infrared Spectroscopy: Proceedings of the 12th International Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 9-15 April 2005, New Zealand Near Infrared Spectroscopy Society Incorporated, Hamilton, New Zealand.

Chapter:

Williams, P. 2007. Chapter 7, Grains and Seeds, p 165-217. In Y. Ozaki, W. F. McClure, and A.A. Christy (eds). Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Food Science and Technology. Wiley-Interscience, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey.

Report:

Malley, D.F., P.D. Martin, and P. Williams. 2005. Performance of a field-portable, in-stream hog manure nutrient sensor prototype in the laboratory. Rev. April 2006, US units, 33 pp. (Executive Summary)

Special Projects

In 2005, Diane Malley served as technical writer for reports for the Lake Winnipeg Implementation Committee.

Lake Winnipeg Implementation Committee. 2005. Restoring the Health of Lake Winnipeg: Canada's Sixth Great Lake, 56 pp. (pdf)

This report was transmitted to the President of the Treasury Board of Canada, Honourable Reg Alcock, and the Minister of Water Stewardship for Manitoba, Honourable Steve Ashton, by Terry Duguid and Norm Brandson. Recommendations, the Draft-Federal - Provincial Agreement, Funding Formula, and Draft Healthy Lake Winnipeg Charter were prepared by Mr. Duguid and Mr. Brandson.

Lake Winnipeg Implementation Committee. 2005. Restoring the Health of Lake Winnipeg Technical Annex, 98 pp. (pdf)

These reports give an environmental context to a number of the innovations in NIRS by PDK Projects, Inc., such as analysis of nutrients in sediment and particulates in water; analysis of nutrients in hog manure for optimal nutrient managment; monitoring of biosolids applied to agricultural land for nutrients and heavy metals; and monitoring of peatlands for changes due to climate warming.