Agricultural Greenhouse Gas

We apply micrometeorological techniques including Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, quantum cascade lasers, and other approaches, for field-scale measurements. Emissions reduction projects look at urease and nitrification inhibitors and controlled-release fertilisers (ARC Hub for Smart Fertilisers), and modified coals for decreasing NH3 and N2O emissions from agricultural systems. To upscale field findings, we have developed an internationally acclaimed, spatially referenced and process-based water and nitrogen management model (WNMM), and a Decision Support System for optimum irrigation and fertiliser N application.

The Agricultural Greenhouse Gas research group seeks to understand the impacts of agricultural management on soil processes and develop technology to improve agricultural sustainability.

We carry out a range of fundamental and applied research with the aim to help policy makers, industry partners and farmers make evidence-based decisions. Current research strengths and activities include:

• Nutrient cycling in agro-ecosystems;
• Measuring, modelling and mitigating air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, particularly intensive animal production system;
• Novel fertiliser technologies;
• Agro-ecosystem modelling and decisions support tools for efficient fertilisers use;
• Reuse and recycling of agricultural and urban wastes;
• Big data (data mining): Green index, nitrogen footprint, decision support systems for fertiliser use;
• Soil and environmental microbiomes;
• Transmission of antibiotic resistance genes in agro-ecosystems;
• Soil microbial evolution and biogeography.

We quantify the emissions of direct and indirect greenhouse gases from various agricultural systems, including dairy pasture, grain cropping, vegetable production and intensive feedlot systems, as well as ammonia deposition surrounding intensive feedlots. We apply advanced micrometeorological techniques using open- and closed- path Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, open-path lasers, quantum cascade lasers etc. for field (paddock) scale measurements. We have developed an internationally acclaimed, spatially-referenced and process-based water and nitrogen management model (WNMM) for broadacre and intensive agricultural systems, and a Decision Support System for optimum irrigation and fertiliser N application. We also examine the effectiveness of urease and nitrification inhibitors, and controlled release fertilisers in decreasing NH₃ and N₂O emissions from crop and pasture systems, whereas lignite and modified black coal in minimising NH₃ emission from intensive animal production systems.