B.S., M.S. (China Agricultural University)
Ph.D. (Iowa St.)
Short Bio
Dr. Zhiming Qi received his BS in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering and MS in Soil and Water Engineering from China Agricultural University in Beijing, China. After graduation, he was hired as an irrigation engineer in Beijing Hydraulic Research Institute. Later, Dr. Qi earned his Ph.D. degree in Agricultural Engineering and Environmental Science from Iowa State University. Before joining McGill, he worked as Postdoctoral Fellows at Iowa State University, USDA-ARS Agricultural Systems Research Unit, and International Food Policy Research Institute in the United States.
Research Interests
Dr. Zhiming Qi’s research interest is to understand the response of hydrology, environment, and crop growth to engineering measures, management practices, and climate change. His research spans from field experimentation to computer modeling. Dr. Qi is interested in monitoring hydrology, soil and water quality, and crop growth in irrigated and artificially drained watershed. He utilizes Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM2 coupled with DSSAT crop models) and Great Plains Framework for Agricultural Resource Management model (GPFARM-Range) to investigate the hydrological process and environmental quality, as well as crop and forage yield, under various management practices and climate scenarios in croplands and grazed rangelands. In addition, Dr. Qi develops and modifies computer models or modules to address emerging concerns such as carbon sequestration and climate change impacts on environment and water resources.
His specific research interests are:
Water quality
Hydrological and environmental modeling
Climate change impacts on bioresources
Irrigation and drainage engineering
Current Research
Development of a model-based phosphorus management tool for manure applications in subsurface drained field
Bioresource Engineering: The communicative skills of surveying. The fundamentals of surveying through the application of reasoning, tools, techniques, and instruments. Practices in use of basic surveying equipment including steel tape, level, and theodolite. The use and operation of Total Stations. The procedures and methods for the measurement of distances, elevations, angles and positions. Basic surveying calculations, including traverse adjustments.
Bioresource Engineering: Engineering aspects of land stewardship and water resource conservation, including: introduction to the hydrologic cycle and agricultural water use; computation of soil loss by water erosion; conservation farming practices; reservoirs and embankments; water and sediment control structures; stream restoration and water supply; wetlands and wetland design; irrigation principles and design; pumps and pumping; introduction to drainage and water table management.
Bioresource Engineering: Hydrologic cycle in the nature and how to quantitatively describe those processes using models. The fundamentals of hydrology including basic concepts, precipitation, snow and snowmelt, evapotranspiration, subsurface flow, infiltration and soil water movement, and runoff and streamflow. Equivalent attention to theories and hands-on practices on model application. How to set up and execute weather data driven physical based models, both at a point-scale and a watershed scale, to predict snowmelt, evapotranspiration, infiltration, soil water redistribution, subsurface drainage, runoff, and stream flow in hydrologic systems.
Bioresource Engineering: The water phases of terrestrial ecological systems and the processes that link them. Physical, chemical, and biological properties of water, and water quality standards. The fate and transport of pollutants in rivers and streams, lakes, and wetlands. Methods to quantify soil carbon and nitrogen cycle to predict nutrient leaching. Impacts of human activities (e.g., agricultural drainage) on water quality and measures to improve drainage water quality. Assess the effectiveness of proposed engineering measures or management practices in improving or maintaining water quality of a real site/water body using numerical methods or a computer modelling approach.
Offered by: Bioresource Engineering
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken BREE 625 (formerly ABEN 625).
Management of water quality for sustainability. Cause of soil degradation, surface and groundwater contamination by agricultural chemicals and toxic pollutants. Screening and mechanistic models. Human health and safety concerns. Water table management. Soil and water conservation techniques will be examined with an emphasis on methods of prediction and best management practices.
This course carries an additional charge of $38.81 to cover the cost of transportation with respect to a field trip. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.
