Scientific Information Launching Perennial Horizons

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SILPH Database

The SILPH logoScientific Information Launching Perennial Horizons (SILPH) is a database for sharing, documenting, and preserving data from agroecosystems and regenerative agriculture research conducted by partners of the Bioeconomy Institute. It contains datasets available for use under an open access license, data for use only by partners, and datasets undergoing active development. See our Available Datasets page for login details. 

Featured Data Sets

G2G Wen anaerobic digestion TEA

This study coupled experimental and techno-economic modeling to evaluate the economic prospects of utilizing prairie biomass as a feedstock for anaerobic digestion. In addition to evaluating key anaerobic digestion parameters, four scenarios were evaluated investigating liquid digestate recirculation, as well as methane recovery from the liquid digestate in a two-stage anaerobic digestion process.

G2G Karsten manure injection N2O emissions

This dataset contains data on nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions following manure application via shallow-disk injection or surface banding without incorporation to a field of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) cover crop in early spring on growing cover crops, or late spring on terminated cover crops.

A three image collage containing an ammonia sampling chamber, a cow, and a liquid digestate injector being pulled by a tractor.

This dataset contains data related to experimental application of liquid anaerobic digestate to crop fields through injection or broadcast and the resulting corn silage yield and ammonia emissions.

More About SILPH

A word cloud made from the abstracts of datasets within SILPH. "Conservation", "prairie", "perennial", and "agricultural" are prominent.

 

SILPH (Scientific Information Launching Perennial Horizons) is an apronym referencing Silphium, the genus of several prairie plants native to the US Midwest. The genus, in turn, was named for silphium, the legendary panacea of antiquity, which was over-harvested into extinction.

SILPH was designed and is maintained by Dr. Matt Stephenson in his role as Data Management Specialist at the Bioeconomy Institute. Prior to joining BEI, Matt completed his PhD at Iowa State as a landscape ecologist on the Prairie STRIPS project.

SILPH is funded in part by Iowa State University, USDA NIFA, and USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities.