Scott Chang

Professor, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sci - Renewable Resources Dept

Contact Overview Courses Publications

Contact

Professor, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sci - Renewable Resources Dept

Email: sxchang@ualberta.ca
Phone: (780) 492-6375
Address: 4-24 Earth Sciences Building
11223 Saskatchewan Drive NW

Edmonton AB

T6G 2E3

Overview

About

Job/Research Area: Forest soils and nutrient dynamics

Scott Chang is a participant in the Land Reclamation International Graduate School (LRIGS) program sponsored by NSERC CREATE.

Awards

Soil Science Society of America Fellow (2016)
American Society of Agronomy Fellow (2016)
Faculty International Engagement Award, Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences (2015)
University of Alberta Killam Annual Professor (2014)
Zijiang Visiting Chair Professorship (2010)

Research

Major Responsibilities/Research Interests: Forest soil processes, soil microbial ecology, carbon sequestration, application of N-15 tracer in forest soils research, forest fertilization, tree nutrition, forest ecophysiology, and silviculture-soil management interactions.

Courses

REN R 314 - Forest Soils

Chemical, physical, and biological properties and processes of soil in relation to site and the growth of forest vegetation; nutrient cycling; influences of surface soil erosion, fertilization, and fire upon forest soil productivity: forest land classification. Prerequisite: REN R 210.

Winter Term 2025 Winter Term 2026

REN R 446 - Climates and Ecosystems

The basic principles by which the cycles of water, carbon, and nutrients through soils, plants, and the atmosphere are controlled in terrestrial ecosystems under different climates. Interrelationships among water, carbon and nutrient cycles in natural and managed ecosystems that have developed in different climatic zones. Environmental consequences of human intervention in the cycles for food and fibre production in different ecosystems. Prerequisite: REN R 210. REN R 121, PL SC 221 or BOT 340 recommended. Normally offered in alternate years.

Fall Term 2025

REN R 546 - Climates and Ecosystems

The basic principles by which the cycles of water, carbon, and nutrients through soils, plants, and the atmosphere are controlled in terrestrial ecosystems under different climates. Interrelationships among water, carbon and nutrient cycles in natural and managed ecosystems that have developed in different climatic zones. Environmental consequences of human intervention in the cycles for food and fibre production in different ecosystems. Not to be taken if credit received for REN R 446 or 746. Normally offered in alternate years.

Fall Term 2025

REN R 749 - Forest Soils

Winter Term 2025 Winter Term 2026

Browse more courses taught by Scott Chang

Featured Publications

Stand structural diversity rather than species diversity enhances aboveground carbon storage in secondary subtropical forests in Eastern China

Ali, A., Yan, E.R., Chen, H.Y.H., Chang, S.X., Zhao, Y.T., Yang, X.D. and Xu, M.S.

Biogeosciences. 2016 January; 13

Pyrolysis temperature and steam activation effects on sorption of phosphate on pine sawdust biochars in aqueous solutions

Lou, K.Y., Rajapaksha, A.U., Ok, Y.S. and Chang, S.X.

Chemical Speciation and Bioavailability. 2016 January; 28

Exponential fertilization promotes seedling growth by increasing N retranslocation in trembling aspen planted for oil sands reclamation

Pokharel, P. and Chang, S.X.

Forest Ecology and Management. 2016 January; 372

Forest and grassland cover types reduce net greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural soils

Baah-Acheamfour, M., Carlyle, C.N., Lim, S.S., Bork, E.W. and Chang, S.X.

Science of the Total Environment. 2016 January;

Nitrogen transformation rates are affected by cover soil type but not coarse woody debris application in reclaimed oil sands soils

Kwak, J.H., Chang, S.X., Naeth, M.A. and Schaaf, W.

Restoration Ecology. 2016 January; 24

Soil respiration and its temperature sensitivity in agricultural and afforested poplar plantation systems in northern Alberta

Chang, S.X., Shi, Z. and Thomas, B.R.

Biology and Fertility of Soils. 2016 January; 52

Sorption of copper(II) from synthetic oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) by pine sawdust biochars: effects of pyrolysis temperature and steam activation

Lou, K.Y., Rajapaksha, A.U., Ok, Y.S. and Chang, S.X.

Journal of Soils and Sediments. 2016 January; 16

Warming and increasednitrogen deposition affect the cover, species richness and biomass of bryophytes in alpine ecosystems in Southwest China

Sun, S.Q., Wang, G.X., Chang, S.X., Bhatti, J.S., Tian, W.L. and Peng, L.

Journal of Vegetation Science. 2016 January;

Determinants of bacterial communities in Canadian agroforestry systems

Banerjee, S., Baah-Acheamfour, M., Carlyle, C., Bissett, A., Richardson, A.E., Siddique, T., Bork, E. and Chang, S.X.

Environmental Microbiology. 2016 January; 18:

Mycorrhizal inoculation and nitrogen fertilization affect the physiology and growth of spring wheat under two contrasting water regimes

Zhang, B.B., Liu, W.Z., Chang, S.X. and Anyia, A.O.

Plant and Soil. 2016 January; 398

Coarse woody debris effects on greenhouse gas emission rates depend on cover soil type in oil sands reclamation

Kwak, J.H., Chang, S.X., Naeth, M.A. and Schaaf, W

Applied Soil Ecology. 2016 January; 100

Methane emissions from the trunks of living trees on upland soils

Wang, Z.P., Gu, Q., Deng, F.D., Huang, J.H., Megonigal, P., Yu, Q., Lü, X.T., Li, L.H., Chang, S.X., Zhang, Y.H., Feng, J.C. and Han, X.G.

New Phytologist. 2016 January; 211

Watering increased DOC concentration but decreased N2O emission from a mixed grassland soil under different defoliation regimes

Cai, Y.J., Chang, S.X., Ma, B. and Bork, E.W.

Biology and Fertility of Soils. 2016 January;

Limiting factors for lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and white spruce (Picea glauca) growth differ in some reconstructed sites in the Athabasca oil sands region

Duan, M., House, J. and Chang, S.X.

Ecological Engineering. 2015 January; 75

Nitrogen fertilization and tillage reversal affected water-extractable organic carbon and nitrogen differentially in a Black Chernozem and a Gray Luvisol

Sun, L., Chang, S.X., Feng, Y.S., Dyck, M.F. and Puurveen, D.

Soil and Tillage Research. 2015 January; 146

Grazing, regional climate and soil biophysical impacts on microbial enzyme activity in grassland soil of western Canada

Hewins, D.B., Fatemi, F., Adams, B., Carlyle, C.N., Chang, S.X and Bork, E.W.

Pedobiologia. 2015 January; 58

Fine root dynamics in lodgepole pine and white spruce stands along productivity gradients in reclaimed oil sands sites

Jamro, G.M., Chang, S.X., Naeth, M.A., Duan, M. and House, J.D.

Ecology and Evolution. 2015 January; 5 (20):4655–4670

Responses of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and white spruce (Picea glauca) to fertilization in some reconstructed boreal forest soils in the oil sands region

Duan, M. and Chang, S.X.

Ecological Engineering. 2015 January; 84

Coarse woody debris increases microbial community functional diversity but not enzyme activities in reclaimed oil sands soils

Kwak, J.H., Chang, S.X., Naeth, M.A. and Schaaf, W

PLOS ONE. 2015 January; 10 (11):e0143857

Coarse woody debris extract decreases nitrogen availability in tworeclaimed oil sands soils in Canada

Kwak, J.H., Chang, S.X., Naeth, M.A. and Schaaf, W

Ecological Engineering. 2015 January; 84

Carbon pool size and stability are affected by trees and grassland cover types within agroforestry systems of western Canada

Baah-Acheamfour, M., Chang, S.X., Carlyle, C.N. and Bork, E.W.

Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 2015 January; 213

Quantitative trait loci for water-use efficiency in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) measured by carbon isotope discrimination under rain-fed conditions on the Canadian Prairies

Chen, J., Chang, S.X. and Anya, A.O.

Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 2012 January; 125

Soil and crop response to wood ash and lime application in acidic soils

Arshad, M.A., Soon, Y.K., Azooz, R.H., Lupwayi, N.Z. and Chang, S.X.

Agronomy Journal. 2012 January; 104

Plant species richness affected nitrogen retention and ecosystem productivity in a full-scale constructed wetland

Zhu, S.X., Zhang, P.L., Wang, H., Ge, H.L., Chang, J., Chang , S.X., Qiu, Z., Shao, H.B. and Ge, Y

Clean: Soil, Air, Water. 2012 January; 40

Soil moisture effects on gross nitrification differ between adjacent grassland and forested soils in central Alberta, Canada

Cheng, Y., Cai, Z.C., Zhang, J.B., Lang, M., Mary, B. and Chang, S.X.

Plant and Soil. 2012 January; 352

Mineralization potential and temperature sensitivity of soil organic carbon under different land uses in the Parkland region of Alberta, Canada

Arevalo, C.B.M., Chang, S.X., Bhatti, J.S. and Sidders, D.

Soil Science Society of America Journal. 2012 January; 76

Four years of simulated N and S depositions did not cause N saturation in a mixedwood boreal forest ecosystem in the oil sands region in northern Alberta, Canada

Jung, K.H. and Chang, S.X.

Forest Ecology and Management. 2012 January; 280

Effectiveness of soil N availability indices in predicting site productivity in the oil sands region of Alberta

Yan, E.R., Hu, Y.L., Salifu, F., Tan, X., Chen, Z.C., Chang, S.X

Plant and Soil. 2012 January; 359

Growth of aspen and white spruce on naturally saline sites in northern Alberta: Implications for development of boreal forest vegetation on reclaimed saline soils

Lilles, E.B., Macdonald†, S.E., Purdy, B.G. and Chang, S.X.

Canadian Journal of Soil Science. 2012 January; 92

Responses of microbial activity and community metabolic profiles to plant functional group diversity in a full-scale constructed wetland

Zhang, C.B., Ke, S.S., Wang, J., Ge, Y., Chang, S.X., Zhu, S.X. and Chang, J

Geoderma. 2011 January; 160

Effects of monocot and dicot types and species richness in mesocosm constructed wetlands on removal of pollutants from wastewater

Zhang, C.B., Liu, W.L., Wang, J., Ge, Y., Ge, Y., Chang, S.X. and Chang, J.

Bioresource Technology. 2011 January; 102

Effects of land-use type and incubation temperature on greenhouse gas emissions from Chinese and Canadian soils

Lang, M., Cai, Z.C. and Chang, S.X.

Journal of Soils and Sediments. 2011 January; 11

Sulfate adsorption properties of acid-sensitive soils in the Athabasca oil sands region in Alberta, Canada

Jung, K.H., Ok, Y.S. and Chang, S.X.

Chemosphere. 2011 January; 84

Potential use of δ13C, δ15N, N concentration, and Ca/Al of Pinus densiflora tree rings in estimating historical precipitation pH

Kwak, J.H., Lim, S.S., Chang, S.X., Lee, K.H. and Choi, W.J.

Journal of Soils and Sediments. 2011 January; 11

Organic soils of Canada. Part I. Wetland organic soils

Kroetsch, D., Geng, X.Y., Chang, S.X. and Saurette, D.

Canadian Journal of Soil Science. 2011 January; 91

Effects of land-use type and incubation temperature on greenhouse gas emissions from Chinese and Canadian soils

Lang, M., Cai, Z.C. and Chang, S.X.

Journal of Soils and Sediments. 2011 January; 11

The physiology and stability of leaf carbon isotope discrimination as a measure of water-use efficiency in barley on the Canadian prairies

Chen, J., Chang, S.X. and Anyia, A.O.

Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science. 2011 January; 197

Gene discovery in cereals through quantitative trait loci and expression analysis in water-use efficiency measured by carbon isotope discrimination

Chen, J., Chang, S.X. and Anyia, A.O.

Plant Cell and Environment. 2011 January; 34

Effects of canopy-deposition interaction on H+ supply to soils in Pinus banksiana and Populus tremuloides ecosystems in the Athabasca oil sands region in Alberta, Canada

Jung, K.H. Chang, S.X. and Arshad, M.A.

Environmental Pollution. 2011 January; 159

Nitrate/ammonium ratios affect ryegrass growth and nitrogen accumulation in a hydroponic system

Cao, H.Q., Ge, Y., Liu, D., Cao, Q.J., Chang, S.X., Chang, J., Song, X.L. and Lin, X.

Journal of Plant Nutrition. 2011 January; 34

Gross N transformations were little affected by 4 years of simulated N and S depositions in an aspen-white spruce dominated boreal forest in Alberta, Canada

Cheng, Y., Cai, Z.C., Zhang, J.B. and Chang, S.X.

Forest Ecology and Management. 2011 January; 262

Carbon mineralization of tree leaf litter and crop residues from poplar-based agroforestry systems in Northeast China: A laboratory study

Zeng, D.H., Mao, R., Chang, S.X., Li, L.J., and Yang, D.

Applied Soil Ecology. 2010 January; 44

Effects of plant diversity on biomass production and substrate nitrogen in a subsurface vertical flow constructed wetland

Zhu, S.X., Ge, H.L., Ge, Y., Cao, H.Q., Liu, D., Chang, J., Zhang, C.B., Gu, B.J. and Chang, S.X.

Ecological Engineering. 2010 January; 36

Temperature and substrate effects on C & N mineralization and microbial community function of soils from a hybrid poplar chronosequence

Teklay, T., Shi, Z., Attaeian, B. and Chang, S.X.

Applied Soil Ecology. 2010 January; 46

Using vector analysis to understand temporal changes in understorey-tree competition in agroforestry systems

Mead, D.J., Scott, J.T. and Chang, S.X.

Forest Ecology and Management. 2010 January; 259

Dissolved soil organic carbon and nitrogen were affected by conversion of native forests to plantations in subtropical China

Wu, J.S., Jiang, P.K., Chang, S.X., Xu, Q.F. and Lin, Y.

Canadian Journal of Soil Science. 2010 January; 90

Organic mulch and fertilization affect soil carbon pools and forms under intensively managed bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox) forests in southeast China

Li, Y.F., Jiang, P.K., Chang, S.X., Wu, J.S. and Lin, L

Journal of Soils and Sediments. 2010 January; 10

Elevated UV-B radiation increased the decomposition of Cinnamanun camphora and Cyclobalanopsis glauca leaf litter in subtropical China

Song, X.Z., Zhang, H.L., Chang, S.X., Jiang, H., Peng, C.H. and Yu, S.Q.

Journal of Soils and Sediments. 12