NZAGRC Annual Report 2017
The key role of science in mitigating global warming
15/12/17
Momentum is building in the climate change space, as politicians and the public alike look to the scientific community for solutions. The past year has seen a rapidly changing international situation with regard to the environment. Governments...
Soil carbon: Modelling shows need for nitrogen when irrigating
05/12/17
A modeling analysis of carbon and nitrogen (input, cycling and fate) in irrigated grassland in Canterbury showed reductions in soil carbon following irrigation, due to increasing nitrogen limitation. These two co-limiters of growth interact -...
Soil carbon: New tool to measure soil carbon
05/12/17
A study has been completed into the potential of using mid-infrared spectroscopy/partial least squares regression (MIR/PLSR) analyses to provide accurate estimates of the content and composition of soil carbon. The MIR/PLSR measurements provided...
Soil carbon: The impact of management practices
05/12/17
Converting a ryegrass/clover grassland to a sward with diverse species resulted in lower carbon losses than when regrassing with ryegrass/clover. Diverse swards also maintained the same level of dry matter production as the new ryegrass/clover...
Mitigating nitrous oxide and manure-derived methane emissions by removing cows in response to wet soil conditions
26/06/17
T.J. van der Weerden, S. Laurenson, I. Vogeler, P.C. Beukes, S.M. Thomas, R.M. Rees, C.F.E. Topp, G. Lanigan, C.A.M. de Klein, Mitigating nitrous oxide and manure-derived methane emissions by removing cows in response to wet soil conditions,...
Do glucosinolate hydrolysis products reduce nitrous oxide emissions from urine affected soil?
23/06/17
S.F. Balvert, J. Luo, L.A. Schipper, Do glucosinolate hydrolysis products reduce nitrous oxide emissions from urine affected soil?, Science of The Total Environment, Volume 603, 2017, Pages 370-380, ISSN 0048-9697,...
Sensitivity of the carbon footprint of New Zealand milk to greenhouse gas metrics
31/05/17
Reisinger, A., Ledgard, S.F., Falconer, S.J. 2017. Sensitivity of the carbon footprint of New Zealand milk to greenhouse gasmetrics. Ecological Indicators 81, 74–82. Highlights The carbon footprint of milk depends on the choice...
Modelling NH3 volatilisation within a urine patch using NZ-DNDC
25/05/17
Giltrap, D., S. Saggar, et al. (2017). "Modelling NH3 volatilisation within a urine patch using NZ-DNDC." Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 108(3): 267-277. Abstract Urea concentrations in urine patches deposited during animal grazing can be...
Some clarification of the impacts of grassland intensification on food production, nitrogen release, greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration: using the example of New Zealand
19/05/17
Anthony J. Parsons, John H. M. Thornley, Susanne Rasmussen and Jacqueline S. Rowarth, 2016, Some clarification of the impacts of grassland intensification on food production, nitrogen release, greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration:...
Feeding diets with fodder beet decreased methane emissions from dry and lactating dairy cows in grazing systems
24/02/17
Jonker Arjan, Scobie David, Dynes Robyn, Edwards Grant, De Klein Cecile, Hague Helen, McAuliffe Russel, Taylor Anna, Knight Trevor, Waghorn Garry (2017) Feeding diets with fodder beet decreased methane emissions from dry and lactating dairy cows...
The carbon balance of temperate grasslands part I: The impact of increased species diversity
06/02/17
S. Rutledge, A.M. Wall, P.L. Mudge, B. Troughton, D.I. Campbell, J. Pronger, C. Joshi, L.A. Schipper, The carbon balance of temperate grasslands part I: The impact of increased species diversity, Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, Volume...
The carbon balance of temperate grasslands part II: The impact of pasture renewal via direct drilling
23/01/17
S. Rutledge, A.M. Wall, P.L. Mudge, B. Troughton, D.I. Campbell, J. Pronger, C. Joshi, L.A. Schipper, The carbon balance of temperate grasslands part II: The impact of pasture renewal via direct drilling, Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment,...
Nitrous oxide emissions from cattle urine deposited onto soil supporting a winter forage kale crop
11/01/17
van der Weerden, T. J., T. M. Styles, et al. (2017). "Nitrous oxide emissions from cattle urine deposited onto soil supporting a winter forage kale crop." New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 60(2): 119-130. AbstractWintering cows on...
Comparative genomics of rumen methanogens
01/01/17
Li, Y. (2016). Comparative genomics of rumen methanogens, Massey University. Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry: 550. Abstract Methane (CH4) emissions from agriculture represent around 9% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The...
Gene network analysis identifies rumen epithelial cell proliferation, differentiation and metabolic pathways perturbed by diet and correlated with methane production
14/12/16
Xiang, R., J. McNally, et al. (2016). "Gene network analysis identifies rumen epithelial cell proliferation, differentiation and metabolic pathways perturbed by diet and correlated with methane production." 6: 39022. Abstract Ruminants obtain...
The trade-offs between milk production and soil organic carbon storage in dairy systems under different management and environmental factors
15/10/16
Kirschbaum, M. U. F., L. A. Schipper, et al. (2017). "The trade-offs between milk production and soil organic carbon storage in dairy systems under different management and environmental factors." Science of the Total Environment 577: 61-72....
Herbicide application during pasture renewal initially increases root turnover and carbon input to soil in perennial ryegrass and white clover pasture
16/09/16
McNally, S. R., Laughlin, D. C., Rutledge, S., Dodd, M. B., Six, J., & Schipper, L. A. (2017). Herbicide application during pasture renewal initially increases root turnover and carbon input to soil in perennial ryegrass and white clover...
The complete genome sequence of the methanogenic archaeon ISO4-H5 provides insights into the methylotrophic lifestyle of a ruminal representative of the Methanomassiliicoccales
06/09/16
Li, Y., Leahy, S. C., Jeyanathan, J., Henderson, G., Cox, F., Altermann, E., . . . Attwood, G. T. (2016). The complete genome sequence of the methanogenic archaeon ISO4-H5 provides insights into the methylotrophic lifestyle of a ruminal...
Low spatial and inter-annual variability of evaporation from a year-round intensively grazed temperate pasture system
01/08/16
J. Pronger, D.I. Campbell, M.J. Clearwater, S. Rutledge, A.M. Wall, L.A. Schipper, Low spatial and inter-annual variability of evaporation from a year-round intensively grazed temperate pasture system, Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment,...
Enhancing life cycle impact assessment from climate science: Review of recent findings and recommendations for application to LCA
19/07/16
Annie Levasseur, Otávio Cavalett, Jan S. Fuglestvedt, Thomas Gasser, Daniel J.A. Johansson, Susanne V. Jørgensen, Marco Raugei, Andy Reisinger, Greg Schivley, Anders Strømman, Katsumasa Tanaka, Francesco Cherubini, Enhancing...
Methane emissions changed nonlinearly with graded substitution of alfalfa silage with corn silage and corn grain in the diet of sheep and relation with rumen fermentation characteristics in vivo and in vitro
14/07/16
Jonker, A., K. Lowe, S. Kittelmann, P. H. Janssen, S. Ledgard, and D. Pacheco. 2016. Methane emissions changed nonlinearly with graded substitution of alfalfa silage with corn silage and corn grain in the diet of sheep and relation with rumen...
Bridging the gap between impact assessment methods and climate science
11/07/16
Francesco Cherubini, Jan Fuglestvedt, Thomas Gasser, Andy Reisinger, Otávio Cavalett, Mark A.J. Huijbregts, Daniel J.A. Johansson, Susanne V. Jørgensen, Marco Raugei, Greg Schivley, Anders Hammer Strømman, Katsumasa Tanaka,...
Reducing emissions from agriculture to meet the 2 degrees Celcius target
11/07/16
Wollenberg, E., Richards, M., Smith, P., Havlík, P., Obersteiner, M., Tubiello, F. N., Herold, M., Gerber, P., Carter, S., Reisinger, A., van Vuuren, D. P., Dickie, A., Neufeldt, H., Sander, B. O., Wassmann, R., Sommer, R., Amonette, J. E.,...
The potential of using alternative pastures, forage crops and gibberellic acid to mitigate nitrous oxide emissions
21/05/16
Di, H. J., Cameron, K. C., Podolyan, A., Edwards, G. R., de Klein, C. A. M., Dynes, R., & Woods, R. (2016). The potential of using alternative pastures, forage crops and gibberellic acid to mitigate nitrous oxide emissions. [Article]. Journal...
Nitrous oxide emissions from grazing cattle urine patches: Bridging the gap between measurement and stakeholder requirements
31/01/16
F.J. Cook, F.M. Kelliher, Nitrous oxide emissions from grazing cattle urine patches: Bridging the gap between measurement and stakeholder requirements, Environmental Modelling & Software, Volume 75, January 2016, Pages 133-152, ISSN 1364-8152,...
Wide variation in nitrification activity in soil associated with different forage plant cultivars and genotypes
01/06/15
Bowatte, S., Newton, P. C. D., Hoogendoorn, C. J., Hume, D. E., Stewart, A. V., Brock, S. C. and Theobald, P. W. (2016), Wide variation in nitrification activity in soil associated with different forage plant cultivars and genotypes. Grass Forage...
