The Soil Environment

Aims:

• Understanding the role of nutrient uptake and mobility in soils and sediments
• Investigation and characterization of biosolids from stockpiles in selected areas in Victoria
• Study the effects on soil and crop characteristics of changing land management practices

Projects in Progress

• Modelling the role of EDTA and its metal complexes in the release of phosphate from sediments
• Investigation of vertical movement of phosphorous on a range of soils under flood irrigation
• Effects on soil properties and plant growth of the application of composted wastes to soils in vineyards
• Impact of exotic plants on Australian soils
• Impacts of treated wastewater in irrigation based agriculture and horticultural activities
• Dynamics of phosphate uptake and mobility in the soil solution as a result of irrigation processes Investigation of the levels and lability of heavy metals in composted and uncomposted biosolids

Recent Publications / Presentations

• Barry Meehan

Applications of Rare Earth Elements in Enhancement of Crop Production in Australia. Plenary Lecture, 4th International Conference on Rare Earth Elements and Applications. Beijing, China, June 2001

• J. Stokes, B. Meehan, A. Fowless and K. Peverill,

The Bioavailability of Applied Lanthanum in 7 Different Soils from Victoria, Australia. 4th International Conference on Rare Earth Elements and Applications, Beijing, China, June 2001

• Greg Davey, David Nash, Peter Carpenter and Barry Meehan

The Effects of Water : Soil Ratio, Extraction Time and the Soil Drying Process on Water-Extractable Phosphorous. Submitted for Publication

• Melissa Toifl, David Halliwell, David Nash, Felicity Roddick, Nichola Porter and Barry Meehan

Soil Solutions P Concentrations: An Effective Tool for Predicting P Exports from Irrigated Grazing Systems? Conference Paper, Soil 2000: New Horizons for a New Century (Australian and New Zealand second joint Soils Conference, December 2000)