The Agroecosystem Sustainability Center (ASC) is jointly established by the Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Environment (iSEE), the College of ACES, and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Research Themes
Agroecosystem is a comprehensive system that carbon, water, nutrient cycles are intrinsically connected, interacting with human management practices, providing critical food/energy/fiber needs for humanity and ecosystem service.

Agricultural Production
We study the complex dynamics of crop productivity, its response to management practices and environmental stresses, and its resilience to climate change.
Learn More
Carbon
Plant carbon input from residue and root exudates further drives soil carbon dynamics and microbe-mediated transformation.
Learn More
Nutrients
Nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients) cycling in the agroecosystem is a critical determinant for both agricultural production and environmental sustainability.
Learn More
Water
Water quantity and quality are crucial for agroecosystems as they impact crop productivity and are also indicators of agriculture environmental outcomes.
Learn More
Digital Replica
Could the U.S. Midwest remain as the global food basket in the next 100 years? How can we ensure co-sustainability of food production and environmental quality in this landscape?
Learn More
Solutions
ASC aims to transform our advanced use-inspired and applied basic research outcomes into different practical solutions for various stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
Learn MoreIn The News

First-Ever Conceptual Model Explains Variations in Agricultural N2O Emissions
ASC Associate Director Wendy Yang’s new “cannon model” reveals how soil nitrate, dissolved organic carbon, and soil moisture cause different parts of flat agroecosystems to emit varying amounts of nitrous oxide across space and time.

Research Shows the Economic Feasibility of Large-Scale Carbon Measurement for Agricultural GHG Accounting
A team led by ASC Research Scientist Eric Potash demonstrated that rigorous large-scale carbon crediting projects can be cost-effective to develop using a measure-and-remeasure approach.

ASC Director Kaiyu Guan Ranked Among the World’s Most Influential Scientists
ASC Director Kaiyu Guan has been named to the 2024 Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researchers list. The list recognizes researchers and social scientists who have demonstrated exceptional influence, as reflected through their publication of multiple papers frequently cited by their peers during the last decade.

ASC Director chosen to give the American Society of Agronomy Plenary Distinguished Lectureship on AI Innovations for a Changing Climate
Kaiyu Guan, the Founding Director of the ASC Founding Director will deliver the Plenary Distinguished Lectureship at the annual meeting of the American Society of Agronomy.

Carl Bernacchi Helping Raise the Bar for Agriculture Climate Research at Illinois
A long-time Illinois scientist has helped raise the agriculture profile of the University of Illinois. Bernacchi’s leadership within ASC and its collaborative effort has proven valuable as the team tackles global climate issues.