Soil Health Monitoring

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1 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H Soil Health Monitoring Today vs Tomorrow: Defining a More Comprehensive View of Soil Health Bryan Stevenson (and a host of others)

2 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 2 What is Soil Health? The continued capacity of the soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals and humans

3 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 3 How do we measure it? organic carbon ph water-stable aggregation crop yield texture Penetration resistance cation exchange capacity electrical conductivity nitrogen Phosphorus potassium carbon mineralization nitrogen mineralization erosion rating base saturation bulk density available water holding capacity infiltration rate micronutrients Macroporosity Contaminants [ ]

4 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 4 Where do we go from here

5 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 5 Opportunities: Industry realising they must be on board Several major research initiatives: CRC for High Performing Soils US Soil Health Institute (NGO) / USDA Initiatives Trace elements in NZ (proposed MBIE) Soil Health MBIE Integrating Research

6 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 6 Fonterra Global Dairy Sustainability Framework

7 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 7 Objectives of Soil Health Monitoring Objective Focus Attributes of Programme SoE monitoring/ reporting Formalised management tools Quantitative assessment with accurate and measurable indicators Quantitative measurements of specific land management practices on soil health Broad coverage of all land uses Considers a range of factors -production and environment Regional/National Scale Can be more targeted, but is often limited in application for specific land management comparisons (e.g. conventional tillage vs no till practices) Can be more focused on production values e.g. yield Farm Scale Guidelines to help explain basic concepts of soil health (e.g. Visual Soil Assessment) Often informal to provide landowners with a simple, noor low-cost method to assess soil properties under different conditions on their property Qualitative or semi-quantitative, but generally not suggested when quantitative assessment needed Limited range of indicators Baseline sampling of soil resource Geochemical sampling for trace element excess or deficiency Broad coverage of managed land use areas Often grid based sampling Often related to parent material

8 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 8 Major Research Initiatives

9 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 9 CRC High Performing Soils Theme 2: Soil Performance Metrics Theme 3: Increasing Soil Fertility and Function Theme 4: Soil Management Solutions

10 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 10 CRC Theme 2 Soil Performance Metrics Reviewing current and new indicators Integration with in situ sensor technologies Data management and Apps for real-time reporting of soil performance Allophanic Soils as model for a high performing soil?

11 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 11 The role of trace elements (MBIE proposal-cavanagh) The role of trace elements (TE) in ecosystem health and resilience: futureproofing sustainable land management Biological indicators Soil community resilience native to legacy contaminated sites Soil/plant root structure Movement of TE and impact in selected aquatic ecosystems Outcomes Identify ecological limits for TE Enable risk-based management of TE and kaitiakitanga Exploring mauri and mana of whenua and trace elements and mahinga kai

12 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 12 Soil Health MBIE Research Aims: 1. Soil Resilience (testing pedogenic thresholds) 2. Develop Māori Soil Health concepts (Garth Harmsworth and Māori researchers) 3. Develop an Integrated Soil Health Framework

13 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 13 Soil Resilience Sampling land use chronosequences/paired sites to determine long term change in soil properties ( inherent as well as dynamic) Sampling across regions and soil orders Full profile sampling (not just topsoil) Land management pressures include: irrigation, grazing, cultivation, drainage

14 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 14 Aligned sampling from irrigation SLMACC Pumice Brown Recent Brown Pallic Allophanic Brown Pallic Recent Semi-Arid Brown Pallic Recent Gley Courtesy of Paul Mudge

15 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 15 Kaupapa Māori Research Relevant frameworks

16 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 16 Integrating Research

17 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 17 Soil Horizons - Issue 26, October 2017

18 J a n u a r y 1 8 M A N A A K I W H E N U A L A N D C A R E R E S E A R C H P A G E 18 Development of an Integrated Soil Health Framework Integrating new knowledge into the existing monitoring programme