Earth Sciences Commons^™

Bacterial Processes Associated With Soil C And N Following Application Of Compost And Manure To Dairy Pasture At The Beginning And End Of The Growing Season, Lynette Abbott, Bede Mikan, Zakaria Solaiman, Anjani Weersekara, Sanja Schwab, Ian Waite, Sasha Jenkins

The State of Soil Science in WA

This study investigated the impact of dairy manure and compost on bacterial community composition and functional diversity in a dairy pasture in south-western Australia.

Reconstructing Energy Flow Through Modern And Historical Marine Communities: Insights From Amino Acid Isotope Analysis, Emma A. Elliott Smith

Biology ETDs

The fundamental currency of life is energy. Organisms need energy to grow, to survive and to reproduce. Understanding the acquisition of energy by consumers is thus a foundational aspect of biological research. This is especially important in the modern era, as impacts of ongoing anthropogenic effects will be mediated or amplified through food webs. Here, I explore how isotopic analysis of individual amino acids – a technique new to ecological studies – can be used to trace energy flow through animal communities in modern and ancient time periods. In particular, I focus on kelp forest food webs, which are nearshore …

Pesticide Seed Treatments Containing Neonicotinoids Have Limited Effect On Soil Microbial Community Structure Under Different Tillage Regimes, Jessica E. Mackay, Richard G. Smith, Jessica G. Ernakovich, Lukas T. Bernhardt

Faculty Publications

Pesticide seed treatments (PST) which contain fungicides and insecticides are commonly used in agriculture; however, little is known about their effect on soil microbial communities and soil health. Neonicotinoids – controversial insecticides which are common in PST – have received criticism due to potential non-target effects. While fungal pathogens need to be moderated, PST have the potential to disturb broader fungal communities which could lead to reduced nutrient cycling and poor soil health. Given the broad use of PST, their effect on soil fungi needs to be studied within the context of other agricultural management practices. For example, tillage regimes …

Improving Aquifer Characterization Through Integration Of Airborne Electromagnetics (Aem) And Well Hydrographs, Jacqueline Polashek

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objective of this study is to evaluate methods of hydrostratigraphic modeling using geophysics and well hydrographs at the eastern edge of the High Plains aquifer (HPA) in Platte and Colfax counties within Nebraska, USA. The HPA is very heterogeneous in the study area, being hosted by architecturally complex glacial sediments and having many irregular hydraulic boundaries. Further, the HPA exhibits local variations between unconfined and confined conditions. Pumping in such bounded aquifers can be unsustainable because of cost increases and lost agricultural productivity. Moreover, the large drawdowns typical of confined aquifers can contribute to well interference during heavy pumping. …

Translating Soils Information Into Better Land Planning Decisions: An Example From The Peel-Harvey Catchment Western Australia, Heather M. Percy, Andrew Del Marco, Tom Lerner, Brett Flugge

The State of Soil Science in WA

State planning policy for the Peel-Harvey coastal plain catchment requires decision makers to consider land suitability when assessing proposals for intensive agriculture including for horticulture. This information is not accessible or easily understood by land use planners. We will describe how we translated this information into a model Local Planning Policy (LPP) for the Peel-Harvey.

Validating And Extending The National Better Fertiliser Decisions For Pasture Critical Values For Phosphorus, David Rogers, David Weaver, Ron Master, Robert Summers

The State of Soil Science in WA

Viable pasture based grazing systems in south-western Australia have been made possible over much of the landscape through input of nutrients to soils which were impoverished when first cleared. Initial dramatic increases in production stimulated subsequent applications of fertilisers, particularly phosphatic fertilisers, ever since. However, excessive fertiliser application can be tied to environmental impacts including the loss of phosphorus (P) to waterways impacting on water quality.

Legacy Phosphorus – Have We Fallen Asleep At The Wheel?, Simon Clarendon, David Weaver, Robert Summers

The State of Soil Science in WA

Reducing nutrient loss from agricultural landscapes using management practices in Australia has long been advocated to improve water quality. Water quality, i.e. phosphorus (P) concentrations are commonly used to measure the effectiveness of management practices at the paddock level. However, the effectiveness of paddock scale management practices is often not reflected at a catchment scale, in part due to levels of implementation, but also due to the equilibrium effects of legacy P.

Rapid Soil Analytical Techniques For International Agricultural Research And Development, Wendy Vance, Mike Tf Wong, Anthony Ringrose-Voase, Soil And Water Science Office, Cambodian Agricultural Research And Development Institute, Department Of Agricultural Research, Myanmar

The State of Soil Science in WA

Soil analysis is used to assess natural resources and inform management to improve long-term farming profitability. Conventional techniques typically use different methods, equipment, reagents and skills to measure each soil property of interest. The consequence is that a conventional soil laboratory is expensive to set up, maintain and run. These issues result in many countries (and organisations) having to do without a well-functioning conventional soil laboratory. Developments in spectroscopic and potentiometric methods of soil analysis means that these countries need not go without reliable soil analysis.

Soil Classification Based On Spectral And Environmental Variables, Andre Carnieletto Dotto, Raphael A. Viscara Rossel, Jose Am Dematte, Rodnei Rizzo

The State of Soil Science in WA

In the last decades, the volume of soil data collection has increased significantly. Because of that it is now possible to obtain a soil classification using spectral, climate and terrain attributes. The idea was to develop a soil series system, which intends to discriminate soil types according to soil, climate and terrain variables. This new system was called Soil-Environmental Classification.

Black Soldier Fly Technology Can Convert Manure Into Valuable Fertiliser, Sasha Jenkins, Zhuoda Huang, Bede Mikan, Morten Andersen, Luke Wheat, Lynette Abbott

The State of Soil Science in WA

Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens, BSF) farming provides an alternative low-cost waste management solution for converting agricultural waste into high quality insect meal (BSF larvae as animal feed) and a valuable fertiliser (BSF casting residue or frass).

The aim of this study was to investigate the slow-releasing effect of N after coating the BSF frass with three different fatty acids (lauric, myristic and stearic acid).

Ilime An App For Assessing The Management Of Soil Acidity In Agricultural Systems, James Fisher, Jenni Clausen, Fiona Evans, Chris Gazey

The State of Soil Science in WA

iLIme mobile app is available for download for Apple and Android devices from your preferred app store.

https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/apps/ilime

Awareness of soil acidity as a constraint to agricultural production in Western Australia has led to increased use of lime, but rates remain too low to manage existing acidic soil and ongoing acidification. To invest in lime, growers need confidence in likely economic and production responses. This paper describes the development of an acidification calculator, in app form, that was developed with input and feedback to ensure that it would meet the needs and requirements of users.

Extending The Message Of Soil Quality In The Mobile Device Era, Chris Gazey, Frances Hoyle

The State of Soil Science in WA

In this day and age, where everyone is time poor, making information easily and quickly available is paramount. However, with a topic as complex and as multi-dimensional as soil quality, a new approach to packaging information that is evidence-based and relevant to the local environment is required. Apple multimedia digital books provide a platform capable of delivering layers of information on mobile devices.

Simulating Australian Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration, Juhwan Lee, Raphael A. Viscarra Rossell

The State of Soil Science in WA

National initiatives to mitigate and adopt to climate change imply the need for enhancing carbon (C) sequestration in soils. Soil process models often render a C baseline hardly representative and its C sequestration potential questionable when initial soil C pools are not accounted. Here we use the soil process model Roth C to simulate site-specific soil C across 4431 sites in Australia. After matching the modelled and measured C pools at initial equilibrium, the model predicted C sequestration potentials in soils, coherent to changes among the pools, in response to soil inputs that represent soil and residue management. We show …

Gravel Is Soil Is Gravel, David Weaver, Ron Master, David Rogers

The State of Soil Science in WA

Around 3.8 M ha of gravelly soil contributes to crop production in south west WA. Soil analysis and glasshouse experiments routinely take place in the absence of the ≥2 mm fraction. Typical processes include sample collection, air drying, and sieving (<2 mm) prior to experimentation or analysis. The ≥2 mm fraction is discarded as it is often considered inert, acting as a soil volume diluent, and problematic for routine chemical analysis when intact because of size and representativeness. However, the literature cites that the ≥2 mm fraction may contribute positively to soil chemical, physical and biological properties.

Evolution Of Ryegrass Resistance To Glyphosate Changes Soil Microbial Diversity 14 Years Continuous Application, Zakaria Solaiman, Abul Hashem, Bede Mikan, Lynette Abbott, Paul Storer, Vivek Bhat, Andrew Whitely

The State of Soil Science in WA

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicides in agriculture. Short-term impacts of glyphosate on soil microbial communities have been reported but long-term effects are rarely studied. There is concern for non-target effects on soil microbial communities with potential to negatively affect soil functions after long-term use of glyphosate. Therefore, our objective was to investigate changes in bacterial community composition following long-term glyphosate application on annual ryegrass.

Soil Nitrogen Storage And Availability To Crops Are Increased By Conservation Agriculture Practices In Rice-Based Cropping Systems In The Eastern Gangetic Plains, Md. Khairal Alam, Richard Bell, M E. Haque, M A. Islam, M A. Kader

The State of Soil Science in WA

On-farm adoption of minimum soil disturbance and increased residue retention will alter nitrogen (N) dynamics in soils and N fertiliser management in the intensive rice–based triple cropping systems of the Eastern Gangetic Plains. However, the consequences of changes in N forms, N mineralisation and N availability for crops in these cropping systems have not been determined.

Dynamics Of Water Use By Wheat And Canola Crops In Compacted, Acidic Sands Treated With Deep Tillage And Lime, Gaus Azam, Chris Gazey, Richard Bowles

The State of Soil Science in WA

Incorporation of agricultural lime by ‘strategic deep tillage’ is one of the quickest methods for managing subsurface soil acidity. Such soil amelioration practice decreases soil resistance by removing compaction and increases soil pH, which allows deep penetration of crop roots, and hence increases the acquisition of soil water from deeper in the soil. As a result of improved soil physical and chemical properties, crop yield also increases and so does the water use efficiency (WUE). Under broadacre cropping conditions, WUE is generally estimated from crop yield and weather data; actual measurement of soil water uptake can lead to more accurate …

Crop Response To Amelioration Of Agricultural Soils Are Mediated By Contraint Combinations And Soil Type, Stephen Davies, Wayne Parker, Giacomo Betti, David Hall, Tom Edwards, Chad Reynolds, Glenn Macdonald

The State of Soil Science in WA

Over the past decade alternative strategic deep tillage approaches have been developed to complement more established soil amelioration methods. Strategic tillage takes the form of a one-off or occasional intervention, implemented to overcome a number of soil and biotic constraints. Deep ripping can effectively remove subsoil hardpans and potentially delve up some subsoil to the surface depending on tine design. Deep soil mixing, using rotary spaders or large disc ploughs, can mix and incorporate topsoil and amendments deeper into the soil profile and reduce topsoil repellence. Soil inversion, using mouldboard, square or one-way disc ploughs, can bury surface-applied amendments, as …

Subsoil Contraints And Their Management: Overview From Five Years Of R&D, David Hall, Yvette Oliver, Shahab Pathan, Karen Holmes, Dennis Van Gool, Geoff Anderson, Jeremy Lemon, Caroline Peek, Liz Petersen, Glenn Macdonald, E G. Barrett-Lennard, Dana Mulvaney, Glen Riethmuller, Edward Arnold Griffin, Phil Ward

The State of Soil Science in WA

Subsoil constraints cost the grains industry more than $1.6b in lost production each year. Diagnosing and mapping subsoil constraints (SSC) was achieved at a shire scale using the DPIRD soils database and historic surveys.

Temporally Consistent Urban-Rural Delineations For Global Urban Heat Island Monitoring, Tc Chakraborty

Yale Day of Data

Urbanization leads to local-scale modification of climate, particularly the urban heat island (UHI) effect - the high temperature in cities compared to their surroundings. The UHI effect is generally quantified by measuring the temperature differential between the city and its surrounding rural reference. Choices of both the city and the rural reference are prone to assumptions, which may affect, among other things, temporal variability in UHI intensity. To reduce these uncertainties, I create a global dataset of urban-rural delineations that can be used to better constrain the temporal trends in UHI intensity throughout the globe using the European Space Agency's …

Crustal Structure Beneath The East Coast Magnetic Anomaly From Seismic Refraction Tomography, Collin C. Brandl

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Syn-rift igneous addition is necessary for successful continental breakup. Past investigations of passive margins have focused on strike perpendicular structure, but potential field anomalies indicate that significant crustal variations may be present. Data from 21 ocean bottom seismometers was acquired as part of the Eastern North American Margin Community Seismic Experiment and was used for tomographic inversion to create 2D velocity models of the margin that are representative of crustal structure. Crustal thickness varies along-strike from ~20 km to ~24 km and a high velocity (Vp > 7 km/s) layer is present at the base of the crust above the Moho. …

The Community Outreach Model Of Service-Learning: A Case Study Of Active Learning And Service-Learning In A Natural Hazards, Vulnerability, And Risk Class, Brittany D. Brand, Kara Brascia, Margaret Sass

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The popularity of service learning is increasing, especially at a time when college students want to make a greater impact in their communities. However, service learning has not been extensively assessed in courses based in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This article provides a case study of how incorporating service learning through a community outreach project can increase student engagement, enhance the depth of understanding of a given topic, build communication and teamwork skills, and contribute meaningfully to the students' community. This article shares how the instructor of a natural hazards, vulnerability, and risk course implements service-learning through a community …

Employing Earth Observations And Artificial Intelligence To Address Key Global Environmental Challenges In Service Of The Sdgs, Wenzhao Li

Computational and Data Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Earth Observation (EO) data provides the capability to integrate data from multiple sources and helps to produce more relevant, frequent, and accurate information about complex processes. EO, empowered by methodologies from Artificial Intelligence (AI), supports various aspects of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This dissertation presents author’s major studies using EO to fill in knowledge gaps and develop methodologies and cloud-based applications in selected SDGs, including SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 14 (Life below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land). For SDG 6, the study focuses on spatiotemporal water recharge …

Why Gamma Distribution Of Seismic Inter-Event Times: A Theoretical Explanation, Laxman Bokati, Aaron A. Velasco, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

It is known that the distribution of seismic inter-event times is well described by the Gamma distribution. Recently, this fact has been used to successfully predict major seismic events. In this paper, we explain that the Gamma distribution of seismic inter-event times can be naturally derived from the first principles.

Crevasse Initiation And History Within The Mcmurdo Shear Zone, Antarctica, Lynn Kaluzienski, Peter Koons, Ellyn Enderlin, Gordon Hamilton, Zoe Courville, Steven Arcone

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

While large-scale observations of intensified fracture and rifting can be observed through remote-sensing observations, understanding crevasse initiation may best be achieved with small-scale observations in which crevasses can be directly observed. Here we investigate the kinematic drivers of crevasse initiation in the McMurdo Shear Zone (MSZ), Antarctica. We delineated 420 crevasses from ∼95 km of 400 MHz frequency ground-penetrating radar data and compared these data with kinematic outputs derived from remotely-sensed ice surface velocities to develop a statistical method to estimate crevasse initiation threshold strain rate values. We found the MSZ to be dominated by simple shear and that surface …

Increased Fluvial Runoff Terminated Inorganic Aragonite Precipitation On The Northwest Shelf Of Australia During The Early Holocene, Maximilian Hallenberger, Lars Reuning, Stephen J. Gallagher, Stefan Back, Takeshige Ishiwa, Beth A. Christensen, Kara Bogus

School of Earth & Environment Departmental Research

Inorganic precipitation of aragonite is a common process within tropical carbonate environments. Across the Northwest Shelf of Australia (NWS) such precipitates were abundant in the late Pleistocene, whereas present-day sedimentation is dominated by calcitic bioclasts. This study presents sedimentological and geochemical analyses of core data retrieved from the upper 13 meters of IODP Site U1461 that provide a high-resolution sedimentary record of the last ~15 thousand years. Sediments that formed from 15 to 10.1 ka BP are aragonitic and characterised by small needles (<5 >µm) and ooids. XRF elemental proxy data indicate that these sediments developed under arid conditions in …

A Transfer Students Guide To Becoming A Pca, Zack J. Krueger

Agricultural Education and Communication

A transfer students guide to becoming a PCA through the AGED department as opposed to AEPS. Agricultural science majors. Classes shown and listed cooperate with the California Department of Pesticide Regulations required course list necessary to take the Pest Control Advisers exam.

Umphlett Qci Dec 2019, Natalie A. Umphlett

High Plains Regional Climate Center: Staff Publications

Highlights for the Basin

Temperature and Precipitation Anomalies

Soil Moisture Conditions

Agriculture

Energy

Infrastructure

Temperature

Precipitation

Groundwater Chemistry And Salinity Processes In The Myalup Region, Adam M. Lillicrap, Richard J. George Dr

Resource management technical reports

The Myalup region, which incorporates the Myalup Irrigated Agriculture Precinct (MIAP), is located about 100 kilometres south of Perth between the southern end of Lake Clifton and the northern tip of the Leschenault Inlet. It covers 17 800 hectares, with about 2100ha being irrigated. The precinct produces mainly carrots, onions, potatoes and leafy vegetables. In 2016–17, the total value of agricultural production for the MIAP, including on-farm processing and packaging, was more than $120 million.

Irrigation water is mainly from the surficial Myalup aquifer, with limited abstraction from the underlying Leederville aquifer. Average annual rainfall is about 800 millimetres, but …

Groundwater Investigations To Support Irrigated Agriculture At La Grange, Western Australia: 2013–18 Results, Robert J. Paul, Gregory Paul Raper, Richard J. George Dr, Nicholas J. Wright, Adam M. Lillicrap, Peter S. Gardiner

Resource management technical reports

The Broome Sandstone aquifer is the main aquifer and groundwater resource in the La Grange area, near Broome in the West Kimberley, Western Australia. Land use is dominated by cattle grazing on pastoral stations, dispersed mining and tourism. Irrigated agriculture has developed at a small scale, with about 470 hectares under cultivation in 2014. Groundwater abstraction is licensed under the La Grange groundwater allocation plan (Department of Water 2010) and managed by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. The La Grange groundwater allocation area is split into the La Grange North subarea and La Grange South subarea, with groundwater …