Research - Past, Present & Future

PAST RESEARCH

Evaluation of Dorycnium species in Tasmania
• Evaluated Dorycnium species as potential grazing shrubs for dry areas of Tasmania for my Honours Thesis.
• The project involved developing a vegetative taxonomic key, undertaking an experiment assessing drought tolerance and assessing forage quality.

Identification of Legumes for Falkland Islands Pastures
• Implementation of a research program of the Falkland Islands Department of Agriculture to identify suitable pasture legumes for the acid soils and challenging environmental conditions of the Falkland Islands.
• Development of establishment methods and adaptation of equipment for sowing pasture legumes into Falkland Islands soils.
• Lotus uliginosus was the most promising of the species tested and is now being used by sheep producers for grazing.

Alfalfa-Grass Forage Quality Prediction in New York
• An equation for estimating alfalfa neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in New York using only plant height was validated.
• Equations for estimating total mixed stand NDF using a combination of environmental measurements and sward characteristics were developed.
• A simple field usable table was developed for estimating mixed stand NDF, based on alfalfa height and the percent grass in the stand.
• Hundreds of digital photos of sward compositions were taken in order to develop a pictorial guide for visually estimating the percentage of grass in mixed alfalfa-grass stands.
• The tools developed will be part of a website for forage management in the Northeast US.

Homeostasis and Degradation in Fragile Tropical Agroecosystems (Kenyan Highlands)
• The focus of this study is to understand the long term human and biophysical dynamics of soil degradation in the Kenyan highlands. 
• An integrated economic and biophysical systems dynamic model to understand and predict the long term behavior of farms in the Kenyan highlands has been developed.  
• I reviewed and tested the model of the interactions between land use, soil degradation and poverty.
• In addition I developed new model structure, including redesigning the soil organic matter sub-section, and developing an improved nutrient flow subsection.
• A news article about this project can be viewed here.

ONGOING RESEARCH

Rapid Appraisal of Sheep Farmer Systems in Yucatan, Mexico
• A detailed household-level survey was undertaken in Yucatan, focusing on interactions between livestock and cropping systems.
• The undertaking was part of a joint US-Mexico 'TIES' partnership that seeks improvement of productivity, profitability and rural incomes in the Gulf region of Mexico. Click here for more details.

Mexico livestock & cropping systems
• A dynamic simulation model was developed to describe nutrient flows in and out of the farms and between farming system components. The integrated model is the synthesis of a crop and soil model (APSIM), an animal production model (CNCPS), and structure in VENSIM that joins the models together and provides some economic analysis.
• Eight farms, with different management practices, were monitored and used as case studies for applying the model.
• A separate dynamic simulation model is being developed to examine how factors that change the fallow period affect the long-term outcomes of the system.
• A field experiment was being undertaken to examine the relative effects of weed pressure and declining fertility on 'Milpa' agricultural production.
• My description of the traditional Mayan 'Milpa' cropping system can be found here.

FUTURE RESEARCH INTERESTS

Summary of Interests
• International agriculture
• Crop and forage agronomy
• Food production & link between diet and impact on environment
• Agriculture and natural resource management
• Agriculture and climate change
• Biofuels
• Function and evolution of agricultural systems
• Environmental issues in agriculture
• Impacts of the 'livestock revolution'