Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment

About the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment

HIE

3883

07/

13

Details

Date: Venue:

Cost:

Registration/ Enquiries:

Who should attend this course?

» Agronomic consultants and advisers, soil testing lab managers, advanced practitioners, R&D managers, researchers, educators, and postgraduate students.

Assumed knowledge

» Basic soil science, » Understanding of soil management

Soil Biology Masterclass Providing the core principles and cutting-edge knowledge in soil biology to drive the next advance in soil productivity. This two-day masterclass will be conducted by:

Professors Ian Anderson and Brajesh Singh and Dr Jeff Powell

The Masterclass will give participants:

» Advanced understanding of the concepts, theories and latest research on soil biology

» Insights into how soil biology can be explicitly managed to improve nutrient availability and carbon storage, and reduce pest and disease susceptibility.

13-14 August 2013

Building L9, University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury Campus, Richmond, NSW

This first session is free to attend. Includes airport and hotel transfers and catering.

Dr Jasmine Grinyer; 02 4570 1335; j.grinyer@uws.edu.au

FORES

TS GRASSLANDS CROPS

RISI

NG A

TMOS

PHER

E CO2

CLIMATE CHANGE LAND USE CHANGE

SOILS

TERRESTRIAL CARBON CYCLE

ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION

AND INTEGRATION

PLANTS,ANIMALS

AND INTERACTIONS

SOIL BIOLOGY

AND GENOMICS

The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment conducts comprehensive research across the areas of Soil Biology and Genomics, Plant and Animal Function and Ecosystems Integration. The Institute is based within the University of Western Sydney at Richmond, NSW and is ideally located close to major transport networks and the city of Sydney.

With over 50 leading researchers and world-class facilities, the Hawkesbury Institute conducts a diverse set of research projects from gene-level through to ecosystem-level.

Visit www.uws.edu.au/hie to find out more about

the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment

Professor Lynette Abbott (University of Western Australia) is well known expert in soil biology research. Her research has focused on how land management practices influence soil biological fertility. This has included investigations of soil and land management on soil biota, how soil amendments influence soil bio-physical processes, and consideration of the question of soil quality indicators.

Lyn has a strong interest in enhancing farmer knowledge of soil biological processes, including on-farm soil testing, and she played a major role in the establishment of the Monitoring Soil Science Program for schools (a tool for science teachers developed by SPICE at UWA) with support of the International Union of Soil Sciences.

Content areas to be covered

» Core principles of soil biology including relative abundance and biodiversity, and the role of microbes and macro fauna in key soil biogeochemical processes.

» Latest research on the application of molecular ecology to soil biology.

» Tour of the Soil Biology and Genomics laboratory. » Developments in soil testing; what’s currently available,

how to interpret the results and what’s on the horizon. » Management implications of improved understanding of

soil biology – how can this improve productivity?

Participants will take home

» How new soil biology knowledge, tools and practices can be applied to their current professional situation.

» Improved research and practitioner networks.

The Link Between Soil Biology and ProductivitySoil biology underpins the major processes driving productivity in agriculture. Soil biology strongly influences the processes of nutrient cycling and availability, soil water storage and movement, carbon storage in organic matter and many root and soil diseases.

Our current management of soils is shaped largely around the chemical and physical aspects and their impact through tillage regimes and fertiliser use.

In the future, the necessary improvements in agricultural productivity will result from better practices in soil biology. The cost and relative scarcity of energy, nutrients and water will combine to limit productivity growth while demand for food fibre will only continue to increase.

To meet these significant challenges, we will need to find and implement new ways of managing soil biology that work to make better use of energy and nutrient inputs and availability.

Associate Professor Pauline Mele (Victorian Department of Primary Industries) is a leading expert in soil biology and jointly leads the Soil Biology Initiative at the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

The Soil Biology Initiative is about improving awareness in the extension community of the role of soil biology in plant and crop productivity and implementing practices that support effective management of the soil’s biological, chemical and physical resources that promote healthier crops and better use of available resources. Professor Ian Anderson is

currently the Director at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment.

His research interests centre on the molecular ecology of soil microorganisms, particularly soil fungi, including those that form symbiotic mycorrhizal associations with the roots of plants.

Associate Professor Brajesh Singh is the Theme Leader for the Soil Biology & Genomics research theme within the Institute.

His research interests centre on ecosystem functions and environmental sustainability with particular focus on the role of microbes in soil health, nutrient cycling and soil productivity .

Dr Jeff Powell's research interests centre on soil ecology and understanding the contributions of biodiversity to ecosystem functioning and stability, particularly the role of soil biology in nutrient cycling and disease suppression.

External Experts UWS Experts