Interview with Emeritus Professor Lynette Abbott

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En provenance du cours de University of Western Australia

Discover Best Practice Farming for a Sustainable 2050

53 notes

University of Western Australia

Discover Best Practice Farming for a Sustainable 2050

53 notes

The Discover Best Practice Farming for a Sustainable 2050 Course is based on a clear vision: imagine best practice farming for 2050, start to implement these strategies now, all the while making sure it will still be profitable. At UWA we're doing just that with the Future Farm 2050 Project, set on a mixed-enterprise farm in Western Australia and we want you to learn how it can be done in your part of the world. Although this course is based on agriculture, it's not only about farming. It is a multi-disciplinary course that addresses a wide range of issues confronting the industry, including rural communities, rural infrastructure and conservation of biodiversity in agriculture. By completing this course you will understand that feeding and clothing the planet requires a multi-disciplinary approach and upon completion you will be able to explain best practices of sustainable farming and apply them in new contexts.

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Water and Soils

Welcome to the second week of "Discover Best Practice Farming for a Sustainable 2050". This week you will gain an understanding into the importance of soil and water and its careful management.

Professor Graeme Martin - Introduction to Water and Soils1:18

Asst/Professor Matthias Leopold: Soils8:11

Interview with Emeritus Professor Lynette Abbott6:17

Dr Matt Hipsey: Water14:26

Rencontrer les enseignants

Graeme Martin
Professor
School of Agriculture and Environment

[MUSIC]

>> Welcome to our series about the Future Farm initiative here at the University of

Western Australia.

My name is Matthias Leopold.

And I am working at the university,

in the soil science disciple within the UWA School of Agriculture and Environment.

Next to me is Emeritus Professor Lynette Abbott, who is a well-known and

well-respected expert in the field of soil science in general and

soil biology in particular.

Professor Abbott, welcome and thanks for your willingness for this interview.

Can you tell our audience how you got interested in the topic of soil in

the first place?

>> Thanks, Matthias.

I became interested in soil in a roundabout kind of way.

First, I was interested in plants, so I studied Botany at university.

While I was studying plants, I found that soil fungi were also very interesting.

Then I studied interactions between plants and fungi,

especially symbiotic associations called mycorrhizas.

And they are associations between soil fungi and roots.

This is a very specific aspect of soil science,

which involves understanding plant nutrition.

>> So Lynn, why are you now interested in soil and biology?

>> Well, healthy soils have active communities of soil

organisms that contribute to nutrient cycling.

These organisms also help to create a soil that is open and easy for

roots to move through.

They also prevent soil erosion.

In other words, soil biology is important for good soil structure and

the supply of nutrients to plants.

>> What are the main kinds of organisms in soil?

>> Well, there are animals, such as earthworms, of course.

They can seen easily, but

they are not common in our agricultural soils in Southwest Australia.

Earthworms feed on organic matter.

So agricultural soils with lower levels of cereal store, for

example, are not very good habitats for earthworms.

However, there are many soil organisms that cannot be seen.

There are thousands of species of bacteria and fungi, for example.

Many of those microorganisms are involved in degradation of plant organic matter

from the agricultural crops in pastures.

In turn, they become food for tiny animals, such as mites and springtails.

But this is just an example of what is in soil.

Soil is a habitat for

much greater diversity of organisms than is found anywhere else on the planet.

>> I understand that volunteers and

school students are planting trees at the Future Farm 2050 project.

Is there a link between tree planting and soil biology?

>> Yes, there's an important link between trees and soil biology.

First, the trees help stabilize the soil.

Many years ago, quite a lot of the trees

were removed from the university farm to enable crops and passages to be planted.

However, in some areas, this led to erosion, especially along waterways.

We've been replanting these areas with the tree and

shrub species that used to grow in this area.

As a result, the soil stops eroding and organic matter starts to accumulate.

And the numbers of microorganisms and soil animals then starts to increase.

This increases the rate of nutrient cycling and the roots of the trees and

the understory plants start to build new healthy soil environments.

The organisms in the soil play important roles in these processes.

Some fungi form symbiotic associations with the roots of the plants,

which I mentioned before.

And this further helps the plants to take up nutrients from the soil.

So, there's a synergy between soil organisms in the plants,

which leads to successful restoration.

The soil erosion is reduced.

The microbial community in soil animals increase in number.

And the soil becomes more resistant to degradation.

So once the trees become reestablished,

they become part of the natural nutrient cycling processes.

They don't need fertilizers to grow.

>> What is the long-term plan for tree planting at the Future Farm Project?

>> Well, the intention is gradually return trees to around 20 to 30% of the farm.

The soil in the replanted area is already improving.

And the communities of soil organisms are contributing to these.

The farm manager uses the restored areas for short-term grazing by sheep.

And this means there's a win-win situation.

The trees help the bacterial and

fungal communities to recover, which in turn supports the soil animal community.

And together, the soil biological processes are restored.

And the landscape is protected against future erosion and degradation.

>> Professor Abbott, what would you suggest to a young person

who is interested in soil nowadays?

>> Well, there are many unanswered questions that need to be investigated,

so that we look after our soils for future generations.

Soil is so important, but it is often taken for granted.

As agricultural systems evolve, they impact on the soil.

But we need to ensure that they do this in a positive way.

This is not always case.

So there is a lot to be done to understand how to prevent future

degradation of this precious resource.

>> Lynn, thank you very much for your willingness to do this interview.

And to share your knowledge about the fascinating topic of soil biology.

>> Thanks, Matthias.

[MUSIC]

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