Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354511
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Soil Acidification, the Environment and Production. Soil acidification affects 50% of Australia's agricultural land and is the most important economic constraint to agricultural. In addition, major external offsite impacts include greenhouse gas emissions, reduced stream and ground water health, reduced biodiversity, increased salinity and waterlogging and infrastructure damage. The aim of this network is to quantify the acidification processes and the connection of these processes to the offsit ....Soil Acidification, the Environment and Production. Soil acidification affects 50% of Australia's agricultural land and is the most important economic constraint to agricultural. In addition, major external offsite impacts include greenhouse gas emissions, reduced stream and ground water health, reduced biodiversity, increased salinity and waterlogging and infrastructure damage. The aim of this network is to quantify the acidification processes and the connection of these processes to the offsite impacts. This will lead to development of strategic plans for acidified and potential acid soils and associate offsite impacts, as well as identifying knowledge gaps and building research and policy synergies. Read moreRead less
Role of organic matter in soil pH change in agro-ecosystems. Over 50 million hectares of arable lands in Australia are affected by soil acidity. Acidity-affected lands continue to expand due to the ongoing process of acidification under current farming practices. The project will provide new knowledge essential for the improved use and management of organic matter to minimize or reverse soil acidification and increase carbon sequestration in farming systems. The associated reduction of soil aci ....Role of organic matter in soil pH change in agro-ecosystems. Over 50 million hectares of arable lands in Australia are affected by soil acidity. Acidity-affected lands continue to expand due to the ongoing process of acidification under current farming practices. The project will provide new knowledge essential for the improved use and management of organic matter to minimize or reverse soil acidification and increase carbon sequestration in farming systems. The associated reduction of soil acidification will also minimise the negative impact of nutrient and water losses on the environment. Growers will benefit from the project through improved soil fertility and crop production, and sustainable land use. Read moreRead less
Saltland pastures in Southern Australia - opportunities for carbon sequestration and salinity management. Expanding areas of dryland salinity now seem inevitable in southern Australia. There is good evidence that productive saltland pastures can be developed on these areas, and there are opportunities to use these pastures for gaining carbon credits. The present study will account for the effects of saltland pasture establishment and management on carbon sequestration and for greenhouse gas emis ....Saltland pastures in Southern Australia - opportunities for carbon sequestration and salinity management. Expanding areas of dryland salinity now seem inevitable in southern Australia. There is good evidence that productive saltland pastures can be developed on these areas, and there are opportunities to use these pastures for gaining carbon credits. The present study will account for the effects of saltland pasture establishment and management on carbon sequestration and for greenhouse gas emissions from their saline, waterlogged soils. Budgets of carbon sequestration on saltland pastures will be critical evidence for Article 3.4 negotiations under the Kyoto Agreement. Scaled-up estimates of the carbon sequestered will account for site factors, composition of pastures and grazing.Read moreRead less
Reducing export of acid sulfate soil products (particularly iron, aluminium, phosphorus, and organic carbon) as contaminants to coastal waters. Current Australian management of acid sulfate soils (ASS) emphasises the reduction of acidity in floodplain drainage. However this acidity is mainly from the dissolved metals, which can be increased by some management techniques. Dissolved metals can be biotoxic or encourage harmful coastal phytoplankton. Organic metal complexes can increase metal tran ....Reducing export of acid sulfate soil products (particularly iron, aluminium, phosphorus, and organic carbon) as contaminants to coastal waters. Current Australian management of acid sulfate soils (ASS) emphasises the reduction of acidity in floodplain drainage. However this acidity is mainly from the dissolved metals, which can be increased by some management techniques. Dissolved metals can be biotoxic or encourage harmful coastal phytoplankton. Organic metal complexes can increase metal transport but shading of soil and drain surfaces, and constructed wetlands offers a new management tool. Our research aims to reduce transport to coastal waters of these ASS products. A sustainable Australian coast requires that improvement of ASS floodplains must not be at the environmental expense of coastal waters. Read moreRead less