Soils Masterclass at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment

The Link Between Soil Biology and Productivity

Soil biology underpins the major processes driving productivity in agriculture. Soil biology strongly influences the processes of nutrient cycling and availability, soil water storage and movement, carbon storage in organic matter and many root and soil diseases. Our current management of soils is shaped largely around the chemical and physical aspects and their impact through tillage regimes and fertiliser use. In the future, the necessary improvements in agricultural productivity will result from better practices in soil biology. The cost and relative scarcity of energy, nutrients and water will combine to limit productivity growth while demand for food fibre will only continue to increase.

To meet these significant challenges, we will need to find and implement new ways of managing soil biology that work to make better use of energy and nutrient inputs and availability. Content areas to be covered:

• Core principles of soil biology including relative abundance and biodiversity, and the role of microbes and macro fauna in key soil biogeochemical processes.



• Latest research on the application of molecular ecology to soil biology.



• Tour of the Soil Biology and Genomics laboratory.



• Developments in soil testing; what’s currently available, how to interpret the results and what’s on the horizon.



• Management implications of improved understanding of soil biology



• How can this improve productivity?

• How new soil biology knowledge, tools and practices can be applied to their current professional situation.



• Improved research and practitioner networks.