- School of Life and Environmental Sciences
Sydney Institute of Agriculture
Suite 103, Biomedical Bld,
1 Central Avenue,
The Australian Technology Park
Eveliegh, NSW, 2016 - +61 2 8627 1138
- Agriculture and Environment, Statistics, Environmental Science, Agriculture, Education, Tertiary Education, and 20 moreGrains Industry, Cotton Industry, Southeast Asia, Development Studies, Development Economics, Food Security and Insecurity, Water Security, Energy Security, Ecosystem Services, Biodiversity, Soil Science, Soil Chemistry, Soil-Structure Interaction, Rare Earth Elements, Agriculutre, Philosophy, Political Science, International Relations, Social Sciences, and Environmental Sustainabilityedit
- I believe in integrating good science with economics and policy to solve the real-world problems in agriculture, life... moreI believe in integrating good science with economics and policy to solve the real-world problems in agriculture, life sciences and the environment. I am also passionate about education and believe that, linking good research with teaching, along with conversation with the broader community, we can promote an environment where students can actively be engaged in learning.edit
Research Interests: Geology, Soil Science, Chemistry, Decomposition, Straw, and 4 moreCatena, Soil Carbon, Soil sciences, and Organic Matter
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Soils deliver multiple ecosystem services (ES) that are essential for life on Earth, such asamong others-water and climate regulation, nutrient cycling, and biomass production. Understanding society's perception of the benefits... more
Soils deliver multiple ecosystem services (ES) that are essential for life on Earth, such asamong others-water and climate regulation, nutrient cycling, and biomass production. Understanding society's perception of the benefits provided by soils can provide valuable insights regarding the human-nature relation. However, despite soil's many contributions to human well-being, little is known about the social aspects of the ecosystem and the way society feels connected to it. Here, we contribute to addressing this issue by investigating the attitudes and perceptions of citizens of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, towards soil ES through the use of items drawn from the Norm Activation Model (NAM) and The New Environmental Paradigm scale (NEP). We found that citizens are highly concerned about environmental issues and have strong moral obligation values to contribute to soil conservation, which suggests high connectivity between citizens and soil. We explored the spatial distribution of the attitudes and found that people living in proximity to each other perceive similar benefits from the ecosystem and exhibit similar trends of attitudinal patterns. We also identified that people's connectivity to soil might depend on the level of exposure to agricultural activities and socioeconomic characteristics. Our findings contribute to the connectivity dimension of the Soil Security framework, constitute a step further to assess and map soil from a social perspective, and provide crucial information for governments and policymakers to develop policies that promote sustainable use of soils.
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Soil knowledge is essential to address modern global challenges. Soil science education began with soil survey and agricultural activities, with a focus on the traditional subdisciplines of soil chemistry, soil physics, pedology, soil... more
Soil knowledge is essential to address modern global challenges. Soil science education began with soil survey and agricultural activities, with a focus on the traditional subdisciplines of soil chemistry, soil physics, pedology, soil mineralogy, and soil biology. Soil education has evolved to address the needs of an increasing variety of fields and increasingly complex issues, as seen through the move to teach soil content in programs such as biological and ecological sciences, environmental science, and geosciences. A wide range of approaches have been used to teach soil topics in the modern classroom, including not only traditional lecture and laboratory techniques but also soil judging, online tools, computer graphics, animations, and game‐based learning, mobile apps, industry partners, open‐access materials, and flipped classrooms. The modern soil curriculum needs to acknowledge the multifunctionality of soils and provide a suite of conduits that connect its traditional subdisc...
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Although soil degradation has become a global phenomenon that might severely threaten the provision of a large range of ecosystem services, not much is known about the economic value of soil functions such as carbon sequestration and... more
Although soil degradation has become a global phenomenon that might severely threaten the provision of a large range of ecosystem services, not much is known about the economic value of soil functions such as carbon sequestration and rainfall water infiltration. Knowing these values would be an important input into the recently developed concept of Soil Security. This paper aimed at closing this gap for a broad set of soil functions valued at the regional level in the Veneto region in Italy and New South Wales in Australia. The study not only elicits non‐market values by a choice experiment but also investigates the impact of personal norm activation and social norms on stated preferences, by a hybrid choice model with multiple latent variables. As the survey was conducted in two countries, our study offers evidence of the external validity of both social norm effects and personal norm activation. The results reveal that respondents positively value the conservation of the soil func...
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<p>The importance of and role that soil plays in ensuring the future sustainability of human and planetary health is well established and the emerging soil security concept clearly identifies that education is a crucial component to ensure the securing soil to be fit for this purpose. Traditionally education in soil science has been limited to developing expertise in the discipline. To be truly effective we need to go beyond the boundaries of the discipline, and even its natural home of academia, and begin to explore the types of learning that can be developed to engage the whole community and raise our collective connectivity with soil.</p> <p>Previously theoretical frameworks based around the dimensions of to ‘know’, ‘know of’ and ‘be aware’ of soil have been accepted by the education community as well as experiential learning practices framed by the teaching-research-Industry-learning (TRIL) models. There is now the emerging question of the need for a set of newly proposed set of principles, in the same way as a set of elementary assumptions have been developed for disciplines in biology and geology, which will impact the design of learning and its engagement within the disciplinary and broader community. Starting with the Pedon this elementary level will ensure awareness of soil. Coupled with outward focused responsibility of providing salient knowledge together with the social intelligence will use the second principle of Processes to provide resolution to soil related problems. Traditionally, this knowledge is often used to tackle well know threats, but more recently the advances in digital soil mapping and decreasing soil modelling have enabled greater interdisciplinary opportunities to solve soil knowledge based around the principles of variation and ultimately forecasting soil change.</p> <p>This paper will align the set of principles against the current soil science education practices and how these can be used to engage with the broader community outside of academia.  </p>
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Remote sensing approaches are often used to monitor land cover change. However, the small physical size (about 1–2 hectare area) of smallholder orchards and the cultivation of cocoa (Theobroma cocoa L.) under shade trees make the use of... more
Remote sensing approaches are often used to monitor land cover change. However, the small physical size (about 1–2 hectare area) of smallholder orchards and the cultivation of cocoa (Theobroma cocoa L.) under shade trees make the use of many popular satellite sensors inefficient to distinguish cocoa orchards from forest areas. Nevertheless, high-resolution satellite imagery combined with novel signal extraction methods facilitates the differentiation of coconut palms (Cocos nucifera L.) from forests. Cocoa grows well under established coconut shade, and underplanting provides a viable opportunity to intensify production and meet demand and government targets. In this study, we combined grey-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) textural features and vegetation indices from Sentinel datasets to evaluate the sustainability of cocoa expansion given land suitability for agriculture and soil capability classes. Additionally, it sheds light on underexploited areas with agricultural potential....
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Indonesian peatlands are facing severe environmental challenges due to unsustainable peatlands management. The Indonesian government has established various regulations in response to international and regional agreements on zero carbon... more
Indonesian peatlands are facing severe environmental challenges due to unsustainable peatlands management. The Indonesian government has established various regulations in response to international and regional agreements on zero carbon and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The study reviews the chronological impact of peatland regulations on land use/land cover (LULC) conditions in Indonesia, in particular four major peatland areas in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Remote sensing data from 1990 to 2020 is used to generate LULC maps, recorded every 5 years, which were compared within the corresponding year in which regulations were established. The results show that the establishment of Indonesian peatland regulations coincided with the ongoing development of international climate change agreements. Historically, temporal image analysis shows massive land-use change between the years 1995–2010. Since 2010 the deforestation rate has slowed and continues to remain low. Improved peatland maps - identifying high carbon stocks with the minimum required accuracy to take action - remain a priority and can also be used to support sustainable development in Indonesia with more effective planning. The lack of detailed mapping of the capability and condition of peatlands is one of the factors that hinder effective policy development, therefore the implementation of digital soil mapping is recommended to support ongoing peatland security through codification
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Soil inorganic carbon (SIC) contributes to up to half of the terrestrial C stock and is especially significant in arid and semi-arid environments, yet has not been explored as much as soil organic carbon (SOC). SIC plays an important role... more
Soil inorganic carbon (SIC) contributes to up to half of the terrestrial C stock and is especially significant in arid and semi-arid environments, yet has not been explored as much as soil organic carbon (SOC). SIC plays an important role in agriculture, CO2 sequestration and emission and climate regulation. To address this, a comprehensive review is presented on the digital mapping of soil inorganic carbon including a discussion of SIC vertical variation, its controlling factors, and sequestration/emission capability. We surveyed SIC distribution and mapping efforts in Australia, South Africa, Chile, the Mediterranean basin, Iran, China, France, and the United States. We found that current detailed spatial information on SIC distribution and stock is relatively scarce and digital soil mapping (DSM) efforts to address this are modest. Furthermore, we do not have a complete soil C model that explicitly accounts for all sources and sinks of soil carbon. This review showed that many aspects of SIC in DSM and soil C studies have been so far ignored and that SIC has a crucial role in climate regulation. This review provides some insights into the importance and unknown aspects of SIC
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The growing need for graduates with soil science knowledge that is relevant to a diverse range of end-users is opening up many new employment opportunities. The global challenges being faced by society, including food, water and energy... more
The growing need for graduates with soil science knowledge that is relevant to a diverse range of end-users is opening up many new employment opportunities. The global challenges being faced by society, including food, water and energy security, mitigating climate change, as well as maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services, all require soil science knowledge. In addition to the biophysical aspects, solutions to these problems will have to also take into account the economic, social and policy dimensions. Therefore, graduates need to have the ability to identify problems and apply their knowledge, work with other ‘non-soil scientists’, and design contextual solutions that take into account both the biophysical and social dimensions. Developing learning environments to impart the relevant soil science knowledge that satisfies these needs requires a framework in which to consider our teaching of relevant knowledge. As identified by Churchman there is knowledge that is unique to soil science; the study of horizons, colloids, aggregates and biology, which has to be taught and explored in any course claiming to produce soil science graduates. The increasing influence of professional bodies for soil scientists has led to the development of sets of performance objectives that define the standard of soil science knowledge and ‘what is to be known’, to practice as a soil science professional. Finally, the value of soil science knowledge provided by graduates is also determined by its relevance and effectiveness when implemented to solve problems identified by end-users. All of these groups have a legitimate claim on soil science knowledge and therefore this framework will consider the academic, as well as the vocational knowledge that will form a soil science core body of knowledge (SSCBoK).
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There are a number of large environmental challenges that have been identified as affecting sustainable development, including Food Security, Water Security, Energy Security, Climate Change Abatement, Biodiversity Protection, and... more
There are a number of large environmental challenges that have been identified as affecting sustainable development, including Food Security, Water Security, Energy Security, Climate Change Abatement, Biodiversity Protection, and Ecosystem Service Delivery. It is clear that soil underpins these challenges by providing a set of functions, which include; (1) biomass production, (2) storing, filtering and transformation of nutrients, substances and water, (3) biodiversity pool, (4) physical and cultural environments, (5) source of raw materials, (6) acting as a carbon pool, and (7) archiving and geological and cultural heritage. Aligning the seven scientifically established soil functions affecting each of the global challenges clearly demonstrates that soil is the nexus when investigating them. The quantity, quality and accessibility of food is affected by the having a fertile soil with enough water to produce biomass, and is not contaminated. Soil provides for clean stored water contributing to water security, and by doing so, maintains the soil’s ability to produce food and protect biodiversity. The ability to produce plants also provides for energy production, and although this is not always synergistic with food production, is essential for energy security. The sequestering of carbon and nutrients in soil supports the reductions of greenhouse gasses affecting climate change and soil is the habitat for the largest gene pool and diversity of species. Overall, soil also provides for a wide set of ecosystem services and can be considered as a stock that can be evaluated in terms of its natural capital. Degrading the soil through erosion, fertility loss, salinity, acidification, soil carbon decline and compaction have been shown to have adverse effects. It is clear that to account for soil as a contributor to all these challenges, soil needs to be considered through its biophysical attributes as well as, its inevitable economic, social and policy aspects, making it the nexus for these global challenges.
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We introduce and discuss the multi-faceted concept of Soil Security. Soil security addresses scientific, economic, social, and policy dimensions of soil and its role in sustainable development. The dimensions are called capability,... more
We introduce and discuss the multi-faceted concept of Soil Security. Soil security addresses scientific, economic, social, and policy dimensions of soil and its role in sustainable development. The dimensions are called capability, condition, capital, connectivity and codification. This is a wider concept than currently extant notions such as soil quality and health.
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In this study, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) approach was examined for making input recommendations in the smallholder cocoa farms of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Soil samples were collected from four provinces of PNG. Soil samples... more
In this study, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) approach was examined for making input recommendations in the smallholder cocoa farms of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Soil samples were collected from four provinces of PNG. Soil samples from four different depths (0–10, 10–30, 30–60 and 60–90 cm) of 32 profiles in each of these site were used to create a database of soil chemical and physical properties. Spectral reflectance values at 1 nm interval covering visible to shortwave‐infrared (350–2,500 nm) were collected for each of these soil samples to develop partial least squares regression models. Soil textural fractions, soil organic carbon contents and available N were well predicted by the DRS approach with R2 values larger than 0.75. Moderate to poor estimation efficiencies were observed for remaining parameters. Nevertheless, the estimated soil attributes and their corresponding measured soil parameters were used as inputs to an input recommendation model of soil diagnosis to create input recommendation for a targeted cocoa yield of 1,000 kg dry cocoa beans ha‐1 Resulting input recommendations were similar for both of these input sources (measured and DRS‐estimated) suggesting that the DRS approach may provide an easy way to create input recommendations.
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To work towards achieving soil security in the next two decades, participants identified goals to secure soil so that it can contribute to solving other global issues. Specific goals for each dimension were designed to achieve the overall... more
To work towards achieving soil security in the next two decades, participants identified goals to secure soil so that it can contribute to solving other global issues. Specific goals for each dimension were designed to achieve the overall objective of soil security, catalyse research and practice and contribute to soil policy.
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Beginning in the mid-twentieth century, concepts have arisen to define how society values and cares for soil. The earliest, soil conservation, focused narrowly on the causes and prevention of soil erosion. Other early concepts were land... more
Beginning in the mid-twentieth century, concepts have arisen to define how society values and cares for soil. The earliest, soil conservation, focused narrowly on the causes and prevention of soil erosion. Other early concepts were land evaluation and capability and soil care. More recently, a large number of concepts have been proposed. These have a broader scope, reflecting increases in scientific understanding of soil and its interactions with other parts of the biosphere and with human society. They include soil function, soil quality, soil health, soil condition, soil change, soil resilience, soil ecosystem services and soil protection. However, none of these concepts includes the full range of ways in which society needs to value and care for soil, and some are vague in definition. The concept of soil security has five dimensions: capability, condition, capital, connectivity and codification (McBratney AB, Field DJ, Koch A et al., Geoderma 213:203–213, 2014). These recognise specific concepts of soil value and care.
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Authored by: Cristine Morgan, Alex. McBratney, Damien Field, Andrea Koch, and Johan Bouma. Report on the Inaugural Global Soil Security Symposium, Texas A&M University, Texas, US
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As indicated in a companion paper, there is a growing need for graduates with soil science knowledge that is applicable to a diverse range of end-users and employers. In Australia, at present, graduates with soil science knowledge may be... more
As indicated in a companion paper, there is a growing need for graduates with soil science knowledge that is applicable to a diverse range of end-users and employers. In Australia, at present, graduates with soil science knowledge may be employed in the agricultural, environmental, engineering and government sectors, and may find themselves working as researchers, consultants, technicians, regulators, policy makers or communicators. With such an array of potential career paths, the ways in which soil science knowledge could be used are many, and the type of soil science knowledge required by particular jobs could be quite different. To investigate how well matched are graduates’ soil science knowledge and the soil science knowledge demanded by employers and stakeholders, we carried out a Delphi study of soil science learning outcomes at eight Australian universities and a narrative survey of soil science topics focused on by several relevant governmental and industry stakeholders. For the Delphi study, the soil science learning outcomes were grouped into seven teaching applications, namely, (i) soil genesis, classification and morphology, (ii) soil chemistry and mineralogy, (iii) soil fertility and nutrient management, (iv) soil biology, microbiology and ecology, (v) soil physical properties, (vi) land use management, and (vii) soil information systems. For the narrative survey, the annual reports over the period 2007-2012 of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), the Australian Government’s Department of Environment (DE), Dairy Australia (DA), the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), were analysed for references to soil issues and functions, and these references aligned to the seven teaching applications listed above. Results from the study of university soil science teaching and learning showed a slight emphasis on (v) soil physical properties, but with the exception of (iv) soil biology, microbiology and ecology, and (vii) soil information systems, all of the other teaching applications were fairly widely represented across the eight universities. The two exceptions (iv, vii) were notably under-represented across the universities surveyed. The results of the narrative survey of stakeholders showed considerable variation in soil science topic emphasis between the different government departments and industry bodies, and also (in some cases) considerable variation from year-to-year. Not surprisingly, the production-focused stakeholders including ACIAR, DA and MLA made most references to (iii) soil fertility and nutrient management. In contrast, the production-focused GRDC, although having a slight bias towards (iii) in each year, made reference to all of the teaching applications across all years, indicating a very broad interest in the discipline of soil science. References to soil in DAFF reports were dominated by (vi) land use management, while in DE reports references to soil were generally dominated by teaching applications (ii) and (iii). Only in the 2007/2008 report of MLA was (v) soil physical properties, the dominant soil theme reported. On the whole, for the universities surveyed and the stakeholder reports analysed, there is a moderate matching of soil knowledge ‘supplied’ to graduates and soil knowledge ‘demanded’ by stakeholders. To strengthen the certainty of this conclusion, however, further survey work of other university providers of soil science teaching needs to be done, along with further analysis of the demands of other groups of stakeholders and employers. The soil science knowledge requirements of agricultural and environmental consultants, for example, may differ markedly to those of large government departments and industry peak bodies.
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Soil knowledge is essential to address modern global challenges. Soil science education began with soil survey and agricultural activities, with a focus on the traditional subdisciplines of soil chemistry, soil physics, pedology, soil... more
Soil knowledge is essential to address modern global challenges. Soil science education began with soil survey and agricultural activities, with a focus on the traditional subdisciplines of soil chemistry, soil physics, pedology, soil mineralogy, and soil biology. Soil education has evolved to address the needs of an increasing variety of fields and increasingly complex issues, as seen through the move to teach soil content in programs such as biological and ecological sciences, environmental science, and geosciences. A wide range of approaches have been used to teach soil topics in the modern classroom, including not only traditional lecture and laboratory techniques, but also soil judging, online tools, computer graphics, animations, and game-based learning, mobile apps, industry partners, open-access materials, and flipped classrooms. The modern soil curriculum needs to acknowledge the multifunctionality of soils and provide a suite of conduits that connect its traditional sub-disciplines with other cognate areas. One way to accomplish this may be to shift from the traditional sub-discipline-based approach to soil science education to a soil functions approach. Strategies to engage the public include incorporating soil topics into primary and secondary school curricula, engaging the public through museums and citizen science projects, and explaining the significance of soil to humanity. Soil education has many challenges and opportunities in the years ahead.
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Not only do soils provide 98.7% of the calories consumed by humans, they also provide numerous other functions upon which planetary survivability closely depends. However, our continuously increasing focus on soils for biomass provi- sion... more
Not only do soils provide 98.7% of the
calories consumed by humans, they also
provide numerous other functions upon
which planetary survivability closely
depends. However, our continuously
increasing focus on soils for biomass provi-
sion (food, fiber, and energy) through
intensive agriculture is rapidly degrading
soils and diminishing their capacity to
deliver other vital functions. These trade-
offs in soil functionality – the increased
provision of one function at the expense
of other critical planetary functions – are
the focus of this review. We examine how
land-use change for biomass provision has
decreased the ability of soils to regulate
the carbon pool and thereby contribute
profoundly to climate change, to cycle the
nutrients that sustain plant growth and
ecosystem health, to protect the soil bio-
diversity upon which many other functions
depend, and to cycle the Earth’s fresh-
water supplies. We also examine how this
decreasing ability of soil to provide these
other functions can be halted and
reversed. Despite the complexity and the
interconnectedness of soil functions, we show that soil organic carbon plays a central role and is a master indicator for soil functioning and that we require a better understanding of the factors con- trolling the behavior and persistence of C in soils. Given the threats facing humanity and their economies, it is imperative that we recognize that Soil Security is itself an existential challenge and that we need to increase our focus on the multiple functions of soils for long-term human welfare and survivability of the planet.
calories consumed by humans, they also
provide numerous other functions upon
which planetary survivability closely
depends. However, our continuously
increasing focus on soils for biomass provi-
sion (food, fiber, and energy) through
intensive agriculture is rapidly degrading
soils and diminishing their capacity to
deliver other vital functions. These trade-
offs in soil functionality – the increased
provision of one function at the expense
of other critical planetary functions – are
the focus of this review. We examine how
land-use change for biomass provision has
decreased the ability of soils to regulate
the carbon pool and thereby contribute
profoundly to climate change, to cycle the
nutrients that sustain plant growth and
ecosystem health, to protect the soil bio-
diversity upon which many other functions
depend, and to cycle the Earth’s fresh-
water supplies. We also examine how this
decreasing ability of soil to provide these
other functions can be halted and
reversed. Despite the complexity and the
interconnectedness of soil functions, we show that soil organic carbon plays a central role and is a master indicator for soil functioning and that we require a better understanding of the factors con- trolling the behavior and persistence of C in soils. Given the threats facing humanity and their economies, it is imperative that we recognize that Soil Security is itself an existential challenge and that we need to increase our focus on the multiple functions of soils for long-term human welfare and survivability of the planet.
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Mineral nutrient fluxes derived from litterfall are key components of nutrient biogeochemical cycles in both natural and agroforesty systems. Cocoa production systems are generally nutrient depleted and may benefit from on external... more
Mineral nutrient fluxes derived from litterfall are key components of nutrient biogeochemical cycles in both natural and agroforesty systems. Cocoa production systems are generally nutrient depleted and may benefit from on external nutrient application to maintain primary productivity. However, in developing countries the main source of nutrients is often nutrient recycling through decomposing leaf litter, and in this regard shade-tree species play an important role in cocoa agroforestry. This study aimed to investigate the nutrient inputs of litter from two shade-tree species (Canarium indium and Gliricidia sepium) and cocoa trees (Theobroma cacao) after 15 months of decomposition in a cocoa plantation. Litter from G. sepium lost more mass (59%) than T. cacao (37%) and C. indium (10%), and showed a higher average concentration of total nitrogen (TN), boron (B), iron (Fe) and phosphorus (P) after 15 months of field incubation than that of C. indium. It also showed a low C:N ratio and N release, which suggest N mineralisation. All litter species showed high C:P ratio and negative P release, which suggests P immobilisation. Litter from G. sepium and T. cacao showed a rapid K release after 1 month of decomposition. The differing mass loss rates and litter nutrient concentrations of the three species could benefit T. cacao by providing asynchronous nutrient inputs and improve long-term sustainability of mixed-species plantations.
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Soils deliver multiple ecosystem services (ES) that are essential for life on Earth, such asamong others-water and climate regulation, nutrient cycling, and biomass production. Understanding society's perception of the benefits provided... more
Soils deliver multiple ecosystem services (ES) that are essential for life on Earth, such asamong others-water and climate regulation, nutrient cycling, and biomass production. Understanding society's perception of the benefits provided by soils can provide valuable insights regarding the human-nature relation. However, despite soil's many contributions to human well-being, little is known about the social aspects of the ecosystem and the way society feels connected to it. Here, we contribute to addressing this issue by investigating the attitudes and perceptions of citizens of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, towards soil ES through the use of items drawn from the Norm Activation Model (NAM) and The New Environmental Paradigm scale (NEP). We found that citizens are highly concerned about environmental issues and have strong moral obligation values to contribute to soil conservation, which suggests high connectivity between citizens and soil. We explored the spatial distribution of the attitudes and found that people living in proximity to each other perceive similar benefits from the ecosystem and exhibit similar trends of attitudinal patterns. We also identified that people's connectivity to soil might depend on the level of exposure to agricultural activities and socioeconomic characteristics. Our findings contribute to the connectivity dimension of the Soil Security framework, constitute a step further to assess and map soil from a social perspective, and provide crucial information for governments and policymakers to develop policies that promote sustainable use of soils.
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Soil is a unique natural body that is fundamental to plant growth, as it provides anchorage, nutrients and water, and habitat for rhizosphere microbes. The ability of a soil to provide for plant growth depends on a variety of edaphic soil... more
Soil is a unique natural body that is fundamental to plant growth, as it provides anchorage, nutrients and water, and habitat for rhizosphere microbes. The ability of a soil to provide for plant growth depends on a variety of edaphic soil properties, which, in turn, are governed by complex interactions of the soil-forming factors and processes. Edaphic properties are those soil properties that influence plant growth and an understanding how the edaphic properties of soil horizons vary in profiles is central to understanding the suitability of a soil for agriculture.
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Academic staff are required to include graduate attributes like inquiry and problem-solving in student learning to meet university proclamations. In response to student evaluations that a traditional lecture-based first year agriculture... more
Academic staff are required to include graduate attributes like inquiry and problem-solving in student learning to meet university proclamations. In response to student evaluations that a traditional lecture-based first year agriculture science course was not effective in motivating students, a new course introduced inquiry orientated learning primarily to motivate and engage students, to promote deep learning and problem-solving skills. The approach adopted problem-based learning to develop discipline knowledge and graduate attributes in a seamless manner. Instead of giving the students a questionnaire with options for students to indicate what graduate attribute they had learned, a structured learning journal was used to question students about their learning without specifically asking about any graduate attributes. Analysis of the learning journals revealed that significant numbers of students perceived that they had learned or practiced a range of graduate attributes, including...
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The emerging concept of soil security is concerned, in part, with the maintenance and improvement of the soil resource to produce, food, fibre, and freshwater and the use of the term security here is in the same sense that is used for... more
The emerging concept of soil security is concerned, in part, with the maintenance and improvement of the soil resource to produce, food, fibre, and freshwater and the use of the term security here is in the same sense that is used for food and water securities. These issues are assessed, managed and secured through a combination of measuring inherent and manageable soil properties that are indicators of the soil’s function, as well as, being affected by decisions that are value driven and contextual including economic and regulatory drivers. Therefore to assess the optimal state of the soil, its current state and how it can secure food and water requires a multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary approach.
Food security, whether global, national or regional, is built on being available, accessible and its use. Having access to the resources to support food production and the knowledge of how to manage these resources ensures the availability of food. The functions required of soil are to support biomass production and yield by storing sufficient nutrients and water. Water shortages are an immediate threat and the ability to harvest water is not only affected by its availability from source but the growing political and policy tensions deciding how water can be allocated to support both urban and agricultural demands. While engineering, such as dams and irrigation schemes, is part of the solution the scarcity of water is also being addressed by looking for management strategies to maximize the soil’s storage of water and improving our understanding of the plant-soil-water interactions. Both of these, in part, contribute to the idea of water-use efficiency that strives to maximize biomass production and yield, and it is this potential that needs to inform the value placed on the soil resource and the regulation formulated for its management.
Food security, whether global, national or regional, is built on being available, accessible and its use. Having access to the resources to support food production and the knowledge of how to manage these resources ensures the availability of food. The functions required of soil are to support biomass production and yield by storing sufficient nutrients and water. Water shortages are an immediate threat and the ability to harvest water is not only affected by its availability from source but the growing political and policy tensions deciding how water can be allocated to support both urban and agricultural demands. While engineering, such as dams and irrigation schemes, is part of the solution the scarcity of water is also being addressed by looking for management strategies to maximize the soil’s storage of water and improving our understanding of the plant-soil-water interactions. Both of these, in part, contribute to the idea of water-use efficiency that strives to maximize biomass production and yield, and it is this potential that needs to inform the value placed on the soil resource and the regulation formulated for its management.
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There is some suggestion that the projected growth in the world’s population may be greater than the soil’s capacity to produce food in a sustainable way. In fact, some have suggested that there is need to increase production by about 50%... more
There is some suggestion that the projected growth in the world’s population may be greater than the soil’s capacity to produce food in a sustainable way. In fact, some have suggested that there is need to increase production by about 50% over the next four decades while still using the same area of land under production as is now, and do this with reduced inputs and minimizing environmental impact. Currently there are large areas of land where soil deterioration has resulted in soil with poor condition compared to their natural state, but there are also examples of where management has resulted in an improvement in the soil condition. Soil security is concerned with maintaining and improving the world’s soil resource to produce food, fibre and freshwater, maintain the biodiversity, and maintain ecosystem services. There are five dimensions that frame soil security. The dimensions of ‘capability’ and ‘condition’ are concerned with the biophysical challenges, by measuring what can a soil do and how soil is affected by its use and management. The socio-economic challenges faced by the soil and food security nexus are framed by the need to place a value on the soil so the soil’s capital can be estimate, and how this is affected by people’s connection with the soil, as well as the need for good policy to secure soil against further degradation. Sustainable intensification begs the question of to what extent soil capability and condition can be enhanced while maintaining ecosystem capital. Does sustainable intensification also demand increased soil social connectivity?
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There are a number of large environmental challenges that have been identified as affecting sustainable development, including Food Security, Water Security, Energy Security, Climate Change Abatement, Biodiversity Protection, and... more
There are a number of large environmental challenges that have been identified as affecting sustainable development, including Food Security, Water Security, Energy Security, Climate Change Abatement, Biodiversity Protection, and Ecosystem Service Delivery. It is clear that soil underpins these challenges by providing a set of functions, which include; (1) biomass production, (2) storing, filtering and transformation of nutrients, substances and water, (3) biodiversity pool, (4) physical and cultural environments, (5) source of raw materials, (6) acting as a carbon pool, and (7) archiving and geological and cultural heritage. Aligning the seven scientifically established soil functions affecting each of the global challenges clearly demonstrates that soil is the nexus when investigating them. The quantity, quality and accessibility of food is affected by the having a fertile soil with enough water to produce biomass, and is not contaminated. Soil provides for clean stored water contributing to water security, and by doing so, maintains the soil’s ability to produce food and protect biodiversity. The ability to produce plants also provides for energy production, and although this is not always synergistic with food production, is essential for energy security. The sequestering of carbon and nutrients in soil supports the reductions of greenhouse gasses affecting climate change and soil is the habitat for the largest gene pool and diversity of species. Overall, soil also provides for a wide set of ecosystem services and can be considered as a stock that can be evaluated in terms of its natural capital. Degrading the soil through erosion, fertility loss, salinity, acidification, soil carbon decline and compaction have been shown to have adverse effects. It is clear that to account for soil as a contributor to all these challenges, soil needs to be considered through its biophysical attributes as well as, its inevitable economic, social and policy aspects, making it the nexus for these global challenges.
The growing need for graduates with soil science knowledge that is relevant to a diverse range of end-users is opening up many new employment opportunities. The global challenges being faced by society, including food, water and energy... more
The growing need for graduates with soil science knowledge that is relevant to a diverse range of end-users is opening up many new employment opportunities. The global challenges being faced by society, including food, water and energy security, mitigating climate change, as well as maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services, all require soil science knowledge. In addition to the biophysical aspects, solutions to these problems will have to also take into account the economic, social and policy dimensions. Therefore, graduates need to have the ability to identify problems and apply their knowledge, work with other ‘non-soil scientists’, and design contextual solutions that take into account both the biophysical and social dimensions. Developing learning environments to impart the relevant soil science knowledge that satisfies these needs requires a framework in which to consider our teaching of relevant knowledge. As identified by Churchman there is knowledge that is unique to soil science; the study of horizons, colloids, aggregates and biology, which has to be taught and explored in any course claiming to produce soil science graduates. The increasing influence of professional bodies for soil scientists has led to the development of sets of performance objectives that define the standard of soil science knowledge and ‘what is to be known’, to practice as a soil science professional. Finally, the value of soil science knowledge provided by graduates is also determined by its relevance and effectiveness when implemented to solve problems identified by end-users. All of these groups have a legitimate claim on soil science knowledge and therefore this framework will consider the academic, as well as the vocational knowledge that will form a soil science core body of knowledge (SSCBoK).
As indicated in a companion paper, there is a growing need for graduates with soil science knowledge that is applicable to a diverse range of end-users and employers. In Australia, at present, graduates with soil science knowledge may be... more
As indicated in a companion paper, there is a growing need for graduates with soil science knowledge that is applicable to a diverse range of end-users and employers. In Australia, at present, graduates with soil science knowledge may be employed in the agricultural, environmental, engineering and government sectors, and may find themselves working as researchers, consultants, technicians, regulators, policy makers or communicators. With such an array of potential career paths, the ways in which soil science knowledge could be used are many, and the type of soil science knowledge required by particular jobs could be quite different. To investigate how well matched are graduates’ soil science knowledge and the soil science knowledge demanded by employers and stakeholders, we carried out a Delphi study of soil science learning outcomes at eight Australian universities and a narrative survey of soil science topics focused on by several relevant governmental and industry stakeholders. For the Delphi study, the soil science learning outcomes were grouped into seven teaching applications, namely, (i) soil genesis, classification and morphology, (ii) soil chemistry and mineralogy, (iii) soil fertility and nutrient management, (iv) soil biology, microbiology and ecology, (v) soil physical properties, (vi) land use management, and (vii) soil information systems. For the narrative survey, the annual reports over the period 2007-2012 of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), the Australian Government’s Department of Environment (DE), Dairy Australia (DA), the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), were analysed for references to soil issues and functions, and these references aligned to the seven teaching applications listed above. Results from the study of university soil science teaching and learning showed a slight emphasis on (v) soil physical properties, but with the exception of (iv) soil biology, microbiology and ecology, and (vii) soil information systems, all of the other teaching applications were fairly widely represented across the eight universities. The two exceptions (iv, vii) were notably under-represented across the universities surveyed. The results of the narrative survey of stakeholders showed considerable variation in soil science topic emphasis between the different government departments and industry bodies, and also (in some cases) considerable variation from year-to-year. Not surprisingly, the production-focused stakeholders including ACIAR, DA and MLA made most references to (iii) soil fertility and nutrient management. In contrast, the production-focused GRDC, although having a slight bias towards (iii) in each year, made reference to all of the teaching applications across all years, indicating a very broad interest in the discipline of soil science. References to soil in DAFF reports were dominated by (vi) land use management, while in DE reports references to soil were generally dominated by teaching applications (ii) and (iii). Only in the 2007/2008 report of MLA was (v) soil physical properties, the dominant soil theme reported. On the whole, for the universities surveyed and the stakeholder reports analysed, there is a moderate matching of soil knowledge ‘supplied’ to graduates and soil knowledge ‘demanded’ by stakeholders. To strengthen the certainty of this conclusion, however, further survey work of other university providers of soil science teaching needs to be done, along with further analysis of the demands of other groups of stakeholders and employers. The soil science knowledge requirements of agricultural and environmental consultants, for example, may differ markedly to those of large government departments and industry peak bodies.
The aboveground vegetation cover, which is the main source of soil organic carbon (SOC) input into the soil, is largely controlled by land use and land cover (LULC) types. LULC also determines the amount and type of SOC input from the... more
The aboveground vegetation cover, which is the main source of soil organic carbon (SOC) input into the soil, is largely controlled by land use and land cover (LULC) types. LULC also determines the amount and type of SOC input from the above and belowground biomass, which inevitably affect soil carbon sequestration. Past studies have focused on investigating the impact of generalized LULC types on total SOC but not so much on different SOC fractions, which by far are more critical to sustainable agricultural production and environmental protection. In this study, we investigated the effect of higher-level LULC categories (i.e. Fir, mixed conifer, temperate broadleaf, blue pine, shrubs, grassland, paddy field, dryland and orchard) on particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (Humus) at specific depths in montane ecosystems of Bhutan, Eastern Himalayas. In addition, the spatial variability of SOC fractions under different climatic zones (i.e. warm, cool and cold temperate, subalpine and alpine) was also investigated. But first the conditioned Latin Hypercube Sampling procedure was used to determine 62 sampling sites covering all LULC types and climatic zones of the study area. Secondly at each sampling site, a soil profile was described and sampled by horizons. Thirdly, this was followed by fractionation of SOC in which soil samples (< 2mm) were dispersed and then fractionated using 53 μm sieve into > 53 μm fraction of POC + recalcitrant organic carbon (ROC) associated with POC (ROCPOC) + sand and <53 μm fraction of Humus + recalcitrant organic carbon (ROC) associated with Humus (ROCHUM). The horizon-based SOC fractions were interpolated onto specified depths using an equal area spline function. Our preliminary results indicate significant differences of POC + ROCPOC and Humus + ROCHUM between different LULC types and climatic zones at all depths. Thus, this study is anticipated to contribute to the huge gaps in detailed knowledge and database of SOC accounting in relation to landscape biogeochemical processes to better understand the impacts of land use and land cover change in the Himalayan region and its secondary effect on global warming.
Globally, high-altitude ecosystems are one of the main reservoirs of carbon and are potentially vulnerable to global warming and climate change impacts. To examine their roles in the global carbon cycle and potential feedback to global... more
Globally, high-altitude ecosystems are one of the main reservoirs of carbon and are potentially vulnerable to global warming and climate change impacts. To examine their roles in the global carbon cycle and potential feedback to global environmental change, it is important to understand the patterns and controls of SOC in montane ecosystems. In this paper, we investigated the variation of SOC density and their vertical distribution under different altitudinal zones (i.e. 1769-2500 m (Zone 1), 2501-3000 m (Zone 2), 3001-3500 m (Zone 3), 3501-4000 m (Zone 4) and > 4000 m (Zone 5)) and aspects (i.e. northern (316-45°), eastern (46-135°), southern (136-225°) and western (226-315°)) in montane ecosystems in the Eastern Himalayas. A total of 186 soil profile pits were described and sampled by natural horizons. An equal area spline profile function was applied to interpolate the horizon-based SOC contents onto the specified depths (i.e. 0-20, 20-40, 40-60, 60-80 and 80-100 cm). Our results revealed a significant influence of altitude and aspect on spatial variation of SOC density. Mean SOC densities invariably increased with altitude but only Zone 4 and 5 were significantly different from other zones at all depths. Mean SOC densities for the upper meter depth were 16.3 kg m-2 (Zone 1), 18.3 kg m-2 (Zone 2), 27.0 kg m-2(Zone 3), 38.4 kg m -2 (Zone 4) and 32.0 kg m-2 (Zone 5). Furthermore, the mean SOC densities on the northern aspect were also significantly higher than other aspects. The mean SOC densities for the upper meter under different aspects were 20.9 kg m-2 (eastern), 27.1 kg m-2 (northern), 20.4 kg m-2 (western) and 16.4 kg m-2 (southern). As expected, the vertical distribution of SOC densities with depth exhibited a decreasing trend under all altitudinal zones and aspects. Under both altitudinal zones and aspects, the first two depth intervals (i.e. 0-20 and 20-40 cm) had significantly higher mean SOC densities compared to the last three depths. This may be due to limited SOC inputs and lower biopedoturbation in the deeper soil layers. Furthermore, the decrease in soil depth in high altitude soils (e.g. Zone 5) precludes them from having more SOC stocks despite their high SOC contents. This study is expected to contribute to filling the gaps in data and detailed knowledge about SOC in montane ecosystems.
Much is made of the link between soil organic matter and the formation of stable aggregates. Previous research has demonstrated that that the presence of organic matter can increase the stability of soil aggregates requiring more energy... more
Much is made of the link between soil organic matter and the formation of stable aggregates. Previous research has demonstrated that that the presence of organic matter can increase the stability of soil aggregates requiring more energy input for this disruption and dispersion. To study the link between soil aggregates and energy will involve the use of reconstituted clay soil collected from the field. Half the air-dried soil sampled was passed through a 2 mm sieve and stored, while the other half of the soil was then puddled to destroy most of the inherent soil macro- and microaggregates. The sieved and puddled soil was then incubated in pots housed in sealed containers for a period of up to 3 months. In addition to the controls three levels (1, 2, & 3% organic matter) of two types of organic matter (alfalfa; C:N 10:1, and ; barley straw C:N 50:1) where incubated in the soil. The change in soil organic carbon was assessed at days 14 and 28 of each month for the three months. Two vials of NaOH were placed in each of the sealed containers to capture the CO2 generated during the incubation which were sampled at 7,14,21 and 28 days of each month that the experiment was conducted over. Soil was sampled at the end of each of the three months and the change in aggregation was assessed using a combination of end-over-end shaking and wet sieving for 5 time periods for each sample. This enabled the dynamics of aggregate breakdown to be assessed by scaling the exponential curves fitted for each sample. From this samples were selected and the kinetics of breakdown assessed using ultrasonic agitation so that the energy consumed could be measured. We will show the dynamics of soil aggregate formation and will able to infer energy of aggregate formation. From the study, we will discuss how this information can provide strategies that produce more stable aggregates, and more protected soil carbon.
Today’s soil science graduates need to be adept problem solvers, use interdisciplinary approaches and be technically proficient. This is because modern approaches to solving key problems in agriculture and the environment come from a... more
Today’s soil science graduates need to be adept problem solvers, use interdisciplinary approaches and be technically proficient. This is because modern approaches to solving key problems in agriculture and the environment come from a broad section of the community, including scientists, government agents, environmental groups, producers and consumers. Work by Field et al., 2011 and Jarvis et al., 2012, where they surveyed academics, graduates and industry stakeholders, have reported on the need for graduates with good soil science knowledge, who can problem solve and provide contextual solutions and be able to communicate this clearly. While this requires a holistic approach to teaching with greater synergy between students, educators and industry, the modern challenge for soil science education is to service this while still providing students with a good grounding in existing soil science knowledge. To address this challenge we took a Delphi study approach (Reeves et al., 1978) as part of a project to develop a National Curriculum for Soil Science in Australia, and this resulted in the drafting of a Soil Science Core Body of Knowledge (SSCBoK). It is expected that this core knowledge will be endorsed by professional soil science bodies and contributes to accreditation procedures, as well as, be relevant to the community who need good soil science knowledge. The immediate task is developing a framework to manage an agreed core body of knowledge that can also respond and evolve to meet the changing needs of society into the future.
Field, D. J., Koppi, A. J., Larrett L. E., Abbott L K., Cattle S R., Grant A D., McBratney A B., Menzies N. W., Weatherly A J., 2011. Soil Science Teaching Principles. Geoderma 167-168, 9-14.
Jarvis H. D., Collett R., Wingenbach G., Heilman J L., Fowler D. 2012. Developing a Foundation for Constructing Curricula in Soil, Crop, and Turfgrass Sciences. Journal of Natural Reource s & Life Sciences Education. 41, 7-14
Reeves G., & Jauch L. R. 1978. Currciculum development through Delphi. Research in Higher Education. 8, 157-168
Field, D. J., Koppi, A. J., Larrett L. E., Abbott L K., Cattle S R., Grant A D., McBratney A B., Menzies N. W., Weatherly A J., 2011. Soil Science Teaching Principles. Geoderma 167-168, 9-14.
Jarvis H. D., Collett R., Wingenbach G., Heilman J L., Fowler D. 2012. Developing a Foundation for Constructing Curricula in Soil, Crop, and Turfgrass Sciences. Journal of Natural Reource s & Life Sciences Education. 41, 7-14
Reeves G., & Jauch L. R. 1978. Currciculum development through Delphi. Research in Higher Education. 8, 157-168
Research Interests:
The fundamental purposes of teaching are to impart knowledge, insight, and inspiration. Around the world university teaching principles are changing as students also gain knowledge and inspiration in other ways than the classical class... more
The fundamental purposes of teaching are to impart knowledge, insight, and inspiration. Around the world university teaching principles are changing as students also gain knowledge and inspiration in other ways than the classical class room model. Likewise, the soil science discipline is evolving as there is a new set of tools and techniques available by which we investigate soils, the foci are shifting towards other disciplines and research questions, and there are paradigm shifts at the doorstep. In many universities the teaching of undergraduate soil science increasingly takes place to non-soil science majors. All these forces require some thinking about how we teach the subject and here we present our experiences and ideas of teaching soil science in different parts of the world. Some 15 examples are presented from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, Russia, Taiwan, The Netherlands, and the USA. As the research is widening so is our teaching. The examples are diverse and despite cultural and personal differences they show several trends. The cases represent vibrant and creative and innovative ways to teach soils, and the initial focus is to create a sense of wonder about the soil and its utilitarian and scientific value"
This paper reports on a two-year soil science higher education learning and teaching project funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council. Collecting data from soil science stakeholders though an action learning process resulted... more
This paper reports on a two-year soil science higher education learning and teaching project funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council. Collecting data from soil science stakeholders though an action learning process resulted in the development of a set of unique soil science teaching principles, which also included a proposed structure of outcomes for graduates with soil science expertise. A key challenge is for providers to meet the learning needs of competent graduates that represent the soil science community.
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This paper describes a method that can be used by individual cotton growers and/or cotton consultants to estimate the potential deep drainage. To do this the initial work undertaken was to identify the minimum number of observations that... more
This paper describes a method that can be used by individual cotton growers and/or cotton consultants to estimate the potential deep drainage. To do this the initial work undertaken was to identify the minimum number of observations that need to be taken to in a cotton field to give a good estimate the potential deep drainage (Figure 1). Once the number of observations needed was known the next stage involved estimating the sub-soil hydraulic conductivity using the falling head lined-borehole technique (FHLBT). To calculate the potential deep drainage also requires an estimate of how many days the sub-soil is saturated for, which growers can determine by knowing the soil moisture after irrigation using their C-probe data (Figure 1). The data generated by the growers is managed by the user-friendly Potential and Required Deep Drainage Interface housed in Microsoft EXCEL. To make the estimate of potential deep drainage more meaningful growers are also asked about the quality of their irrigation water and the crops that are to be grown during the season. This information is used to by the Potential and Required Deep Drainage Interface to determine the leaching requirement that is needed to prevent excess salts build up in the sub-soil that may affect crop yield.
Some testing of the method has been conducted on Field 11 at Auscott Moree. This site was chosen as it is representative of the soil in the growing area, having heavy clays derived from alluvial material and less clayey and/or leaky soil traversing the field. Results showed a significant difference in the potential deep drainage occurring within Field 11, corresponding to soil with different soil clay contents and leaky areas.
Some testing of the method has been conducted on Field 11 at Auscott Moree. This site was chosen as it is representative of the soil in the growing area, having heavy clays derived from alluvial material and less clayey and/or leaky soil traversing the field. Results showed a significant difference in the potential deep drainage occurring within Field 11, corresponding to soil with different soil clay contents and leaky areas.
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Research Interests:
We introduce and discuss the multi-faceted concept of Soil Security. Soil security addresses scientific, economic, social, and policy dimensions of soil and its role in sustainable development. The dimensions are called capability,... more
We introduce and discuss the multi-faceted concept of Soil Security. Soil security addresses scientific, economic, social, and policy dimensions of soil and its role in sustainable development. The dimensions are called capability, condition, capital, connectivity and codification. This is a wider concept than currently extant notions such as soil quality and health.
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Research Interests:
This paper describes an activity intended to promote scholarship of teaching through small-group discussion of feedback from students. There is a paucity of literature on group reflection on student feedback which this paper aims to... more
This paper describes an activity intended to promote scholarship of teaching through small-group discussion of feedback from students. There is a paucity of literature on group reflection on student feedback which this paper aims to address. Reflection on teaching is often a lone activity for teaching staff, but this ALTC-supported project afforded the opportunity for group reflection by teachers from five institutions during our first project workshop. To provide the data for group analysis, students from the participating institutions were surveyed using an instrument designed by the project team. A workshop activity was devised in which groups analysed the qualitative responses and derived principles for learning and teaching based on their reflection. Evaluation of the activity included workshop participant evaluation forms, feedback from the project team and ALTC project evaluator and the principles developed during the activity. A notable measure of the activity’s impact is the fact that most participants stated that as a result of the workshop, of which this activity was a significant part, they intended to change something about their own teaching.
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This paper reported on novel teaching techniques implemented in the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment (The University of Sydney) to engage students in problem solving of real-world problems both nationally and internationally and... more
This paper reported on novel teaching techniques implemented in the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment (The University of Sydney) to engage students in problem solving of real-world problems both nationally and internationally and work-place learning. Undergraduates work directly with industry to solve contemporary problems that require a multidisciplinary approach. The students are responsible for identifying the problems developing the strategy to investigate and manage the problem and report the solution(s). A similar approach is adopted internationally and the students also have the opportunity to work in country with peers from the National University of Laos. In all cases the teachers take a facilitator role to encourage students to be active in their learning.
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Attracting more people to soil science is a concern shared by many practicing soil scientists and education institutions. Many disciplines have amateur societies whose members engage with the discipline out of sheer passion and personal... more
Attracting more people to soil science is a concern shared by many practicing soil scientists and education institutions. Many disciplines have amateur societies whose members engage with the discipline out of sheer passion and personal interest. These amateur enthusiasts are members of the general community that have perceived something of value and interest in the discipline to which they may contribute knowledge and advancement of the discipline in its own right. Some examples of amateur societies are: botany, paleology and astronomy. Soil science has no recognised amateur society. The professional training may mostly focus on knowledge at the expense of development or fostering amateur qualities to which members of the public could relate. Soil science and the general community have much to gain by fostering amateur qualities and the creation of a Society of Amateur Soil Scientists.
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There is an increasing expectation that graduates in the discipline of soil science not only have a good grounding in existing knowledge, but the technical abilities and generic skills that enable them to use interdisciplinary approaches... more
There is an increasing expectation that graduates in the discipline of soil science not only have a good grounding in existing knowledge, but the technical abilities and generic skills that enable them to use interdisciplinary approaches to solve real world problems. In doing so graduates have to be able to interact with members of the community at all levels and understand the social, economic and cultural elements that affect the adoption of the solutions they will provide. To develop graduates with such a holistic approach would require students, teachers and industry engaging with each other at appropriate times during the education process. To achieve this, and presented here for the first time, the evolution of a Teaching-Research-Industry-Learning (TRIL) framework educational framework is described and supported using sound educational theories. When illustrated using some of the current teaching and learning activities (e.g. practical classes or problem-based learning) used by soil science educators in Universities the theoretical framework may not be as foreign as it first appears. To evaluate the usefulness of TRIL five Australian Universities are working with agencies, accrediting bodies and industry to determine its use for producing a national soil science curriculum answering the need for work-ready graduates.
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This paper reports on the distribution of soil aggregates for Vertosols and Ferrosols as a function of the actual energy involved in dispersion, known as the dispersive energy. For Vertosols showing an aggregate hierarchy, the breakdown... more
This paper reports on the distribution of soil aggregates for Vertosols and Ferrosols as a function of the actual energy involved in dispersion, known as the dispersive energy. For Vertosols showing an aggregate hierarchy, the breakdown of aggregates is modelled using the aggregate liberation and dispersion characteristic curve indicating a stepwise breakdown of soil aggregates. Meanwhile, for Ferrosols, during dispersion the 2-50 μm aggregates increases monotonically with increasing dispersive energy, which is indicative of the direct release of silt and clay from the disruption of aggregates. The exponential decrease in ultrasonic power over time for the Ferrosols, as opposed to the prominent drop or steps in the curves for the Vertosols, confirms the lack of a prominent aggregate hierarchy.
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Structural stability is a fundamental property that determines the behaviour of a soil with its ability to support root development, aid the cycling of water, as well as resist soil erosion. The assessment of aggregate stability often... more
Structural stability is a fundamental property that determines the behaviour of a soil with its ability to support root development, aid the cycling of water, as well as resist soil erosion. The assessment of aggregate stability often involves a combination of wetting procedures and subsequent mechanical agitation supplying an arbitrary amount of energy. Although, limited attempts having been made to estimate the energy directly applied during stability assessment using ultrasonic agitation. While ultrasonic instruments have been used extensively in soil research to disrupt or disperse soil aggregates, most work is reported in terms of total energy applied, as determined calorimetrically. North (1976) first proposed that the ultrasonic technique could be used to measure aggregate bond energy by estimating the dispersive component of the total energy applied from the ultrasonic probe. This was later critically commented on by Koenigs (1978), to which. Raine and So (1993) responded by developing an ultrasonic technique for quantifying the total energy applied to the soil–water system using a mass-balance approach to calculate the energy consumed during breakdown and dispersion of soil aggregates. Interestingly, only these two groups of authors that have reported and measured the component of dispersive energy from ultrasonic agitation.
This work reports on the application of ultrasonic energy to four New South Wales soil types to assess the energy required to cause aggregate disruption and subsequent dispersion.
This work reports on the application of ultrasonic energy to four New South Wales soil types to assess the energy required to cause aggregate disruption and subsequent dispersion.
Research Interests:
This paper reports on the findings of a project to investigate the future needs of a soil science curriculum to produce work-ready graduates. Soil scientists are expected to deal with increasingly complex problems and graduates are... more
This paper reports on the findings of a project to investigate the future needs of a soil science curriculum to produce work-ready
graduates. Soil scientists are expected to deal with increasingly complex problems and graduates are required to not only have
well developed soil science knowledge and skills, but can also work between and across other disciplines communicate their
findings appropriately. Survey results obtained from current students, graduates and employers of soil science indicated some
areas of discipline knowledge that need to be addressed, as well as more emphasis on developing critical thinking and problem solving skills. Employers also expressed the desire to not only provide advice on curriculum change but a willingness to be involved in the learning environment. Using problem based learning as the scaffold an example of how industry maybe
engaged is provided. Issues are raised around the need to align the graduate outcomes for soil science with Threshold Learning Outcomes for Science and Agriculture and the need for a core-body of knowledge (CBoK) that characterise graduates with soil science knowledge. As a result of widespread stakeholder consultations during the project a set of soil science teaching
principles was developed (Field, Koppi, Jarrett, Abbott, Cattle, Grant, McBratney, Menzies, & Weatherly, 2011).
graduates. Soil scientists are expected to deal with increasingly complex problems and graduates are required to not only have
well developed soil science knowledge and skills, but can also work between and across other disciplines communicate their
findings appropriately. Survey results obtained from current students, graduates and employers of soil science indicated some
areas of discipline knowledge that need to be addressed, as well as more emphasis on developing critical thinking and problem solving skills. Employers also expressed the desire to not only provide advice on curriculum change but a willingness to be involved in the learning environment. Using problem based learning as the scaffold an example of how industry maybe
engaged is provided. Issues are raised around the need to align the graduate outcomes for soil science with Threshold Learning Outcomes for Science and Agriculture and the need for a core-body of knowledge (CBoK) that characterise graduates with soil science knowledge. As a result of widespread stakeholder consultations during the project a set of soil science teaching
principles was developed (Field, Koppi, Jarrett, Abbott, Cattle, Grant, McBratney, Menzies, & Weatherly, 2011).
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
It has been reported (1) that the experience of students in traditional science practical classes strongly influences how they conceptualize science and scientific research, e.g, seeing science as a set of irrefutable facts and anomalies... more
It has been reported (1) that the experience of students in traditional science practical classes strongly influences how they conceptualize science and scientific research, e.g, seeing science as a set of irrefutable facts and anomalies observed during their practical experience aligned with their lack of technical abilities. We challenged this observation by developing a research-based practical experience, in which students undertook a series of interrelated experiments on a soil profile they had sampled in the field and from which they collated and interpreted the resulting data for publication in the Australian Journal of Soil Research (AJSR). Students, in groups of five, were required to keep their own laboratory book describing their experiments, record how they overcame difficulties they encountered, and, through consultation with each other and the literature, try to explain any observed anomalies. Students were informed that their manuscripts were to be assessed using the criteria that a reviewer for AJSR would use to accept the manuscript for publication. Student surveys indicated that the practical experience improved student’s ability to identify fundamental relationships between concepts and experimental observations, and an increased confidence in identifying and addressing problems encountered during experimentation. Laboratory books reflected a critical approach to the methods, with student results suggesting that they were questioning the dependability of the methods and their outcomes rather then their own technical abilities.
(1) Ala Samarapungavan, E. L. W. & Bodner, G. M. 2006. Contextual epistemic development in science: A comparison of chemistry students and research chemists. Science Education, 90, 468-495.
(1) Ala Samarapungavan, E. L. W. & Bodner, G. M. 2006. Contextual epistemic development in science: A comparison of chemistry students and research chemists. Science Education, 90, 468-495.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The utilisation of land for crop production is often accompanied by the modification of soil properties that may result in changes to other soil factors which may restrict crop growth. Some of the common soil factors likely to restrict... more
The utilisation of land for crop production is often accompanied by the modification of soil properties that may result in changes to other soil factors which may restrict crop growth. Some of the common soil factors likely to restrict crop growth include organic matter decline, soil structural limitations, pH limitations and the potential development of sodic soil or salinisation. Understanding and managing the optimal function of soil for crop production, in part, requires the assessment of basic soil properties that drive these soil factors. Routine analysis of soil supplies some of the information concerning these basic soil properties, while the more difficult and/or expensive to measure soil properties can be estimated from measured data using appropriate pedotransfer functions. It is not possible to identify a single soil property that may be used as an indicator that can monitor changes in these soil factors; rather it is the interrelationship and dynamics between several basic soil properties that drives changes in these soil factors. The objective of this study is to identify which soil properties and their interrelationships influence two soil factors that may influence crop production. Basic soil properties are estimated for the topsoil of 20 Vertosols utlised for cotton production in northern NSW. Statistical techniques such as classification and regression trees are employed to identify what interrelationships between the measured soil properties affect surface soil aggregate stability and soil available water capacity. It is demonstrated that several differing interrelationships between basic soil properties can result in similar stability classes. It is postulated that the identification of the interrelationships between basic soil properties is the first step to identifying a minimum data set of soil properties that form a rule base for estimating changes in soil factors affecting crop production.
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Previous studies of soil used for cotton production has highlighted that soil structural decline may be a potentially one of the limiting factor restricting cotton growth (CRDC report MCK IC & MCK 2C). Surface soil aggregates of soil... more
Previous studies of soil used for cotton production has highlighted that soil structural decline may be a potentially one of the limiting factor restricting cotton growth (CRDC report MCK IC & MCK 2C). Surface soil aggregates of soil used for cotton production will slake and/or disperse in water. The implications vary according to the scale at which this phenomenon occurs. Generally slaking is a desirable process in terms of surface soil structural regeneration, a process termed self-mulching. If slaking is excessive, resulting in aggregates < 100 pin in diameter, there is a chance that a temporary surface crust may form (Loch, 1995). Further, if the slaked aggregates disintegrate to producing sand, silt and clay, an undesirable massive structure may result. Water and air movement, root penetration and function, and seedling establishment often are affected adversely (Field, 2001). In order to identify the potential for surface soil structural decline two soil stability procedures have been identified by the industry. One of the procedures is termed the aggregate stability in water test (ASWAD, developed by Field et al. (1997), which is a diagnostic procedure used to assesses the degree of dispersion aggregates experience when immersed in water. The advantage of the test is it requires little specialised equipment, is relatively expedient making it satisfactory for routine use by land managers in the field or at home. Consequently the ASWAT procedure has been incorporated into SOILpak for cotton growers (3'rd edition) making it accessible to workers in the cotton industry. The other procedure identified by industry is a modified end-over-end technique. This procedure is used to assess the rate at which surface soil slakes and/or disperses. By comparing these surface soil breakdown dynamics it is possible to assess the potential for a surface crust to form
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Crop rotation is claimed to be one management system whereby rates of decline of soil organic carbon can be reduced. The objective of this study was to quantify the contribution of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) roots and microbial... more
Crop rotation is claimed to be one management system whereby rates of decline of soil organic carbon can be reduced. The objective of this study was to quantify the contribution of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) roots and microbial activity to soil carbon stocks in an irrigated Vertosol. A study was carried out in an on-going experiment at Myall Vale near Narrabri, NSW, Australia to compare the effects of some cotton-based rotations on root production and turnover, soil microbial biomass, microbial activity, and soil organic carbon. The rotations, implemented since 2002, were; cotton-vetch in which vetch stubble was retained (CV), continuous cotton (CC), cotton-wheat in which wheat stubble was incorporated (CW), cotton-wheat-vetch in which both wheat and vetch stubble were retained as surface mulch (CWV). Cotton root dynamics and below ground carbon production were measured using a minirhizotron, core break and root washing methods. The chloroform fumigation-extraction (CFE) method and Ninhydrin reactive N were used to measure microbial biomass. Microbial activity was measured by soil respiration (CO2) using the NaOH trap method. Root growth rates, root numbers and root length were highest at 72 days after sowing in the CW rotation. Microbial biomass at this time was also highest in the CW rotation (10-20cm) indicating that high root growth and possibly root exudations, and incorporation of wheat residues were most favourable to microbial populations. Both cotton-based rotations that included wheat produced the highest root mass throughout the season and hence, the largest amounts of carbon in their root systems. There were no differences in microbial activity between rotations, suggesting that soil carbon losses through CO2 respiration could be similar for all treatments. Therefore, the two cotton-based rotations incorporating a wheat phase (CW and CWV) may return the largest amount of carbon into the soil through their roots. Lint yields were also highest in rotations CWV and CW suggesting that the inclusion of a wheat phase in the rotation can improve cotton yield.
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Invited lecture given to students at Texas A&M University
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Invited talk on soil science education requested by Texas A&M University
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This talk was invited by the Institute of Teaching and Learning (ITL) requesting a presentation on the rationale and practice of problem based learning in the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment. This teaching initiative engages... more
This talk was invited by the Institute of Teaching and Learning (ITL) requesting a presentation on the rationale and practice of problem based learning in the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment. This teaching initiative engages students both in research and community enhanced learning practices, which are part of the wider University's Teaching and Learning Strategy.
This was a joint presentation given by Dr Damien Field and Assoc Prof. Stephen Cattle.
This was a joint presentation given by Dr Damien Field and Assoc Prof. Stephen Cattle.
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The Soil Science Society of Indonesia invited this talk to be given as part of the plenary session for their National Society meetings.
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The Faculty at Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University requested this presentation be given to staff and students as part of an IPDF funded program
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Talk requested by the Institute of Water Saving Agriculture in Arid Regions of China.
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The Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources made an invitation for this talk to update the Faculty on the research developments in the area of Soil Function supported by the Cotton Catchments Community CRC
This talk was given as part of a research proposal seminar series for the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC annual updates.
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The Australian Cotton CRC invited this talk as part of their research updates program.
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Newsletter published on behalf of Division 4 of the International Union of Soil Science
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This project will find out what are the core body of knowledge and skills needed by soil scientist and advisors who give advice to growers in the grains industry. This soil science core body of knowledge (CBoK) will be based on feedback... more
This project will find out what are the core body of knowledge and skills needed by soil scientist and advisors who give advice to growers in the grains industry. This soil science core body of knowledge (CBoK) will be based on feedback from community surveys and industry workshops, which include academics, consultants, industry advisors and growers. This CBoK will be taught as part of the undergraduate curriculum in the Universities that are members of the Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture to ensure a lasting legacy for the training of soil scientists, agronomists and advisors needing core soil skills. In addition to the incorporation of the CBoK into an undergraduate curriculum the need for in-service postgraduate training will also be investigated. This will involve making sure that the soil CBoK is relevant for industry advisors after they have some in-field experience and if needed, supplementing this with any missing knowledge or skills, and developing a customizable teaching framework. It is expected that both graduates and those with in-field experience from both the curriculums will be able to use their new found soil science knowledge and skills for accreditation as a Certified Practicing Soil Scientist. The outcomes of this project will be a customizable teaching framework for the delivery in both an undergraduate, as well as, in-service training postgraduate curriculums. This will be delivering a soil science core body of knowledge (CBoK) essential for graduates and is relevant for the ongoing training of advisors in the grains industry.
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Despite strong economic growth and reductions in poverty rates during the last decade, the prevalence of food insecurity in Lao PDR remains largely unchanged: 22% of the population was deemed food insecure in 2007-08, down 1% from... more
Despite strong economic growth and reductions in poverty rates during the last decade, the prevalence of food insecurity in Lao PDR remains largely unchanged: 22% of the population was deemed food insecure in 2007-08, down 1% from 2002-03. Food insecurity is especially prevalent in the uplands and in the north of the country. This lack of relation between economic growth and food security is the policy issue that drives this research.
The proposed research addresses gaps in knowledge by asking two questions. The first is: “what drives food security status in the Northern Uplands of Lao PDR?”. The second question is “what are the impacts of interventions to address food insecurity in the Northern Uplands of Lao PDR?”. The answer leads to the third objective of this project, to quantify the impact of selected pilot interventions aimed at improving food security status of household
The proposed research addresses gaps in knowledge by asking two questions. The first is: “what drives food security status in the Northern Uplands of Lao PDR?”. The second question is “what are the impacts of interventions to address food insecurity in the Northern Uplands of Lao PDR?”. The answer leads to the third objective of this project, to quantify the impact of selected pilot interventions aimed at improving food security status of household
There is a need to research improved soil management strategies, focused on managing the soil fertility and health, to support smallholders in their cocoa production and crop diversification. This will focus on; what are the measurable... more
There is a need to research improved soil management strategies, focused on managing the soil fertility and health, to support smallholders in their cocoa production and crop diversification. This will focus on; what are the measurable soil indicators to assess change? what is the soil fertility response to composting and fertiliser strategies? and, what are the benefits of the improved soil condition on nutrition and production for cocoa and associated cash crops? The intensification of cropping and subsequent incorporation of high value cash crops enables a diversification of cash income opportunities as needed by smallholders. The adoption of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) is a proven approach to develop extension strategies and provides training supports women to participate and share knowledge will further support diversification. The findings of this research will result in the development of sustainable model production systems that can be extended to smallholder cocoa growers with similar soil constraints on production.
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IUSS Newsletter for Division 4
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Newsletter of the IUSS Division 4
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Newsletter for Division 4 of the International Union of Soil Science
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Please follow the link to access the .pdf of selected presentations given at the Symposium held in Texas 2015
See http://ussc.edu.au/events/past/global-soil-security
See http://ussc.edu.au/events/past/global-soil-security
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Early in the program at a symposium on Global Soil Security a call to arms to secure our soil was made by General Michael Jeffery, Australia's National Advocate for Soil Health, when he said, "If you eat you should be involved". Involved... more
Early in the program at a symposium on Global Soil Security a call to arms to secure our soil was made by General Michael Jeffery, Australia's National Advocate for Soil Health, when he said, "If you eat you should be involved". Involved people were, with some 85 participants from 14 countries and 40 institutions representing soil scientists, government agencies, foundations, policy makers, and the general public converged on College Station to voice their ideas on this emerging concept of Global Soil Security. Read more here: http://sydney.edu.au/news/agriculture/1272.html?newscategoryid=143&newsstoryid=15089
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Soil Connects is the biannual newsletter of Division 4 in the International Union of Soil Sciences.
Edited by Damien Field
Edited by Damien Field
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This article was produced the the national magazine, Profile which is distributed to the memebers of Soil Science Australia. (Magazine cover and article index included in document)
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This test was designed so growers and consultants could evaluate the degree of dispersion of a soil when exposed to water and mechanical stresses. The details of the test can be found by accessing the first link below, Section C, pages... more
This test was designed so growers and consultants could evaluate the degree of dispersion of a soil when exposed to water and mechanical stresses. The details of the test can be found by accessing the first link below, Section C, pages C4-15 to C4-18.
The test has now been incorporated into other industry decision support manuals as well as the book, 'Interpreting Soil Test Results' by Pam Hazelton and Brian Murphy, CSIRO Publishing, pp.24-25.
The test has now been incorporated into other industry decision support manuals as well as the book, 'Interpreting Soil Test Results' by Pam Hazelton and Brian Murphy, CSIRO Publishing, pp.24-25.
This two-year project was intended to start a discussion about soil science higher education at the national level with all relevant stakeholders. The long-term aim was to involve all institutions that teach soil science, and for the... more
This two-year project was intended to start a discussion about soil science higher education at the national level with all relevant stakeholders. The long-term aim was to involve all institutions that teach soil science, and for the project consortium to do the initial groundwork. This consortium (comprising The Universities of Adelaide, Melbourne, Queensland, Sydney (lead institution) and Western Australia) represents five states and the issues and challenges facing soil science higher education across a diverse educational and geographic landscape.
Stakeholders (academia, students, industry, graduates and professional bodies) were consulted through surveys and forums to develop a national approach to a curriculum that will produce work-ready graduates with the interdisciplinary knowledge, skills and capabilities relevant to the needs of Australia.
A national curriculum is here defined as: a curriculum that includes stakeholder considerations and is applicable at any higher education institution teaching soil science. This is an inclusive approach that aspires to synthesise the broad range of perspectives internal and external to academia.
The surveys of current students, employers and graduates concerned with soil science were the primary means of academia receiving feedback on the curriculum. Forums including students and representatives from the professional bodies (Australian Society of Soil Science Incorporated, and the accrediting body Certified Professional Soil Scientist) were held to discuss the survey findings and responsive actions required.
It was recognised that the soil science teaching context was strongly influenced by local staff expertise and local environmental factors, and that students had limited opportunity to engage with the circumstances elsewhere in Australia. As far as possible in the short timeframe, an intention was to develop joint units of study whereby the students could participate in investigating soil science issues away from their own location. Realistically this endeavour requires a long-term approach and the engagement of a wider range of institutions teaching soil science.
Stakeholders (academia, students, industry, graduates and professional bodies) were consulted through surveys and forums to develop a national approach to a curriculum that will produce work-ready graduates with the interdisciplinary knowledge, skills and capabilities relevant to the needs of Australia.
A national curriculum is here defined as: a curriculum that includes stakeholder considerations and is applicable at any higher education institution teaching soil science. This is an inclusive approach that aspires to synthesise the broad range of perspectives internal and external to academia.
The surveys of current students, employers and graduates concerned with soil science were the primary means of academia receiving feedback on the curriculum. Forums including students and representatives from the professional bodies (Australian Society of Soil Science Incorporated, and the accrediting body Certified Professional Soil Scientist) were held to discuss the survey findings and responsive actions required.
It was recognised that the soil science teaching context was strongly influenced by local staff expertise and local environmental factors, and that students had limited opportunity to engage with the circumstances elsewhere in Australia. As far as possible in the short timeframe, an intention was to develop joint units of study whereby the students could participate in investigating soil science issues away from their own location. Realistically this endeavour requires a long-term approach and the engagement of a wider range of institutions teaching soil science.
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This unit provides students with a direct contact with the agricultural reality of a developing country through a fieldtrip. Active learning in the field through contacts with farmers, public servants, cooperatives, private firms and NGOs... more
This unit provides students with a direct contact with the agricultural reality of a developing country through a fieldtrip. Active learning in the field through contacts with farmers, public servants, cooperatives, private firms and NGOs should then motivate a critical reflection on the constraints to agricultural development in these environments. The fieldtrip will be organized around central themes (for example, technology adoption, sustainable use of resources, access to credit, land use change) that will be introduced in a short series of seminars (held on main campus ahead of the departure and intended to provide a first introduction to some of the questions that are expected to be addressed in the field) and will constitute the focus of group work once back to main campus. Although there are no formal prerequisites, the unit is directed to students that have completed most of the second year units in their degrees. N.B. Department permission required for enrollment. Please note that, in practice, this unit will run prior to the start of semester 1 with all classes and the fieldtrip being scheduled during that period.
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Soils support agricultural and natural ecosystems and regulate environmental interactions between the hydrosphere and atmosphere. It is the quality of our soils that affect productivity, the environment, health and ultimately... more
Soils support agricultural and natural ecosystems and regulate environmental interactions between the hydrosphere and atmosphere. It is the quality of our soils that affect productivity, the environment, health and ultimately sustainability. However, challenges such as those presented by lack of plant nutrient supply, soil acidification, physical degradation, soil contamination, and loss of soil biodiversity are problems at a global scale that threaten the sustainability of the environment and society. As well as the threats the importance of maintaining a quality soil that regulates environmental interactions will be explored, such as soil as a sink for carbon affecting climate interactions or understanding how a rich soil biodiversity can contribute to food production affecting food security. To do this, this unit of study is concerned with exploring the key pedology, soil chemistry, soil physical and soil biological processes that drive these challenges to soil quality. Time will be spent investigating how the quality of the soil can be assessed, using the indicators of the mentioned soil processes, and how the resulting data can be aggregated and communicated in a meaningful way. Working with case studies, the students will identify problems that are assessed using soil quality or function analysis with the aim of identifying management options. The management options will be evaluated to determine their adoptability and implement ability. By investigating the case studies using soil quality or function analysis students will develop their research and enquiry skills. Assessing and developing adoptable management strategies the students will develop their skills in synthesising material from multiple sources and enhance their intellectual autonomy. By producing reports and presenting seminars the students will develop their communication skills
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This unit of study is designed to allow students to critically reflect on the relationship between the rural enterprise and environment and how they can contribute to the future decisions and management affecting the rural community. It... more
This unit of study is designed to allow students to critically reflect on the relationship between the rural enterprise and environment and how they can contribute to the future decisions and management affecting the rural community. It is a core unit of study in 4th year for the BAgrEc, BScAgr, BLWSc, BResEc, BHortSc which requires students to complete 40 days of professional experience with the expectation that students will examine the nature of facts from their degree in this environment. A minimum of 15 days must be completed on-farm/field. The remaining days may be at the student's discretion. The unit will be counted towards 4th year, but professional experience placements will normally be undertaken throughout the degree. In the early stages of the Professional Development program students participate in Faculty excursions that have been developed so they can experience a range of activities, such as research, extension, on-farm and industry both in the rural and urban environment to complement their learning within their individual degree programs. Building on this various workshops have been developed to assist students to identify a rural environment theme or issue of their interest with the specific emphasis being placed on them reflecting on how their new understandings of their theme of interest affects their personal and professional development. To complete this unit students will present a portfolio of their theme including critical reflection on the pivotal relationships between the academic degree, rural environment, professional experience, and beliefs and values if the rural community. Through developing these pivotal relationships, students will be able to use their new understandings to support and guide the future developments in the rural enterprise and environment. By developing and presenting the portfolio and engaging in other online activities the students will enhance their skills in inquiry, information literacy and communication. In particular the autonomous development of case studies reflecting the contemporary issues in agriculture and their professional placements the students will have to consider their understandings of ethical, social and professional issues and further develop the personal and intellectual autonomy.
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This unit of study aims to develop a student’s ideas about the nature of scientific research, and how it is achieved and the findings communicated. Through attending lectures and workshops students will consider what research is and how... more
This unit of study aims to develop a student’s ideas about the nature of scientific research, and how it is achieved and the findings communicated. Through attending lectures and workshops students will consider what research is and how it is directed through knowing the scientific method, achieved through good experimental design, and interpreted using critical evaluation. Students will be required to deconstruct and evaluate their research proposals, know what it means to write for the sciences, and how research findings are communicated to the scientific community and wider public. This unit will develop skills in reading scientific literature and the need for a well defines research question and suitable research framework. Students will enhance their intellectual and personal autonomy through evaluating and preparing critiques of research writing and communication.
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This unit aims to develop a student’s ability to review the literature with the view of developing a major research project in an area of specialization. The student will work with an academic advisor on a mutually agreed topic for... more
This unit aims to develop a student’s ability to review the literature with the view of developing a major research project in an area of specialization. The student will work with an academic advisor on a mutually agreed topic for research to be undertaken and the subsequent writing of a literature review. The literature review will advance the students ability to identify existing knowledge, define research problems, demonstrate a sound grasp for presenting a research question, and begin to define a research strategy. Students will develop their research and inquiry skills through sourcing a wide range of literature and improve their written communication skills.
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This unit of study aims to develop a student’s ability to write a detailed research proposal and develop a strategy combined with the appropriate methodology to execute their research. Working with their academic advisor students will... more
This unit of study aims to develop a student’s ability to write a detailed research proposal and develop a strategy combined with the appropriate methodology to execute their research. Working with their academic advisor students will prepare a proposal describing; the background and aims, its significance and innovation, the justification of the methodology, the national benefit, and considerations of the required budget and project timeline. This unit will enable students to develop their ability to define a research project to be managed within a suitable research framework. Students will develop their skills in solving research problems and enhance their intellectual and personal autonomy through managing a research program.
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This unit of study builds on the major research project proposed in AFNR5904. Working with their academic advisor students will execute their research strategy that provides data and subsequent data analysis towards solving the research... more
This unit of study builds on the major research project proposed in AFNR5904. Working with their academic advisor students will execute their research strategy that provides data and subsequent data analysis towards solving the research question. The results and analysis will be presented in a format suitable for submission as a research paper to a relevant journal. Students will build their research skills, develop a strong analytical capacity, demonstrate a sound grasp of the topic, and ability to interpret results in a broad framework. Students will demonstrate their ability to draw reliable conclusions and identify future areas of research. Students will continue to develop their skills in solving research problems and enhance their intellectual and personal autonomy by means of managing a research program. Students will improve their communication skills through presentation of the research paper.
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This unit of study provides the students with the opportunity to present the research findings of their major research project using several communication media appropriate for different audiences, for example, external stakeholders and... more
This unit of study provides the students with the opportunity to present the research findings of their major research project using several communication media appropriate for different audiences, for example, external stakeholders and /or popular media. Using poster and oral presentations students will communicate their research to the academic community in a professional conference environment. Students will also be required to attend the Faculty’s seminar program that is relevant to their research topic. Students will build on their skills to use several modes of communication to demonstrate their ability to produce high quality results, draw reliable conclusions and identify future areas of research.
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Field schools in
The Hunter Valley - The Soil Resource (Usyd code SOIL2004)
NW New South Wales - Contemporary Lab and Field Soil Science (Usyd code SOIL3009)
The Hunter Valley - The Soil Resource (Usyd code SOIL2004)
NW New South Wales - Contemporary Lab and Field Soil Science (Usyd code SOIL3009)
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This unit of study is designed to introduce students to the fundamental concepts within pedology, soil physics and soil chemistry. These concepts are part of the grounding principles that underpin crop and animal production, nutrient and... more
This unit of study is designed to introduce students to the fundamental concepts within pedology, soil physics and soil chemistry. These concepts are part of the grounding principles that underpin crop and animal production, nutrient and water cycling, and environmental sustainability taught by other units of study in the Faculty. Students will participate in a two-day field excursion in the first week of semester to examine some common soils of the Sydney Basin, they will also learn to describe soil, and measure soil chemical and physical properties in the field. Referring to common soil profiles of the Sydney Basin, students will concentrate on factors affecting soil formation, the rudiments of soil description, and analysis of soil properties that are used in soil classification. Students will also develop knowledge of the physics of water and gas movement, soil strength, soil chemical properties, inorganic and organic components, nutrient cycles and soil acidity in an agricultural context. At the end of this unit students will become familiar with the factors that determine a soil's composition and behaviour, and will have an understanding of the most important soil physical and chemical properties. Students will develop communication skills through essay, report and practical exercises. The final report and laboratory exercise questions are designed to develop team work and collaborative efforts.
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This is a problem-based applied soil science unit. It is designed to allow students to identify soil-related problems in the real-world and by working in a group and with an end-user to suggest short and long-term solutions to such... more
This is a problem-based applied soil science unit. It is designed to allow students to identify soil-related problems in the real-world and by working in a group and with an end-user to suggest short and long-term solutions to such problems. This is a core unit for students majoring or specializing in soil science and an elective unit for those wishing to gain an understanding of environmental problem-solving. It utilises and reinforces soil-science knowledge gained in SOIL2003 and/or SOIL2004 and problem-solving skills gained during the degree program. This unit will address real-world scenarios which involve soil-related problems such as carbon management, structural decline, acidification, salinisation and contamination. Students will gain some understanding of the concept of sustainability, and will be able to identify the causes of problems by reference to the literature, discussion with landusers and by the design and execution of key experiments and surveys. They will gain a focused knowledge of the key soil drivers to environmental problems and will have some understanding on the constraints surrounding potential solutions. By designing and administering strategies to tackle real-world soil issues students will develop their research and inquiry skills and enhance their intellectual autonomy. By producing reports and seminars that enables understanding by an end-user students will improve the breadth of their communication skills
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This portfolio is valid for eh period of 2014.
Changes will have occurred and should not be read as current beyond the year it is dated.
Changes will have occurred and should not be read as current beyond the year it is dated.
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Development and implementation of the annual senior undergraduate conference open to the general public to present their research project findings. N.B. Initiative commenced in 2008 (inaugural program and example poster from 2010... more
Development and implementation of the annual senior undergraduate conference open to the general public to present their research project findings.
N.B. Initiative commenced in 2008 (inaugural program and example poster from 2010 attached) and repeated annually.
N.B. Initiative commenced in 2008 (inaugural program and example poster from 2010 attached) and repeated annually.
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Development and implementation of the Postgraduate Portfolio to manage ad record professional and personal development for HDR students in the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment at the University of Sydney. NB. Abridged version of... more
Development and implementation of the Postgraduate Portfolio to manage ad record professional and personal development for HDR students in the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment at the University of Sydney.
NB. Abridged version of the Portfolio. Initiative created in 2009 and version loaded here current up till 2012.
NB. Abridged version of the Portfolio. Initiative created in 2009 and version loaded here current up till 2012.