Plant-microbe interactions
Rehabilitation of post-mining substrates
Mining of mineral resources (such as iron ore, copper and nickel) has been an integral part in the global history of social and economic development. Mine operators are legally obligated to restore the extraction site as specified by the local government’s environmental regulation. Establishment of rehabilitated landforms using post-mining substrates (i.e. waste rocks, tailings) that typically exhibit extreme conditions (such as high pH, nutrient deficiency, excessive salinity and metal toxicity) can be a major issue during mine closure operations. Current mine rehabilitation strategies focus upon the establishment of above ground diversity (i.e 60-80% of the plant taxa in an adjacent reference site), which are the primary indicators for successful rehabilitation. Poor establishment of plant growth and diversity can lead to other complications such as impaired landform stability and accelerated erosion. Despite the wide acknowledgement on the impact of microbial functional diversity on overall soil health and plant diversity, no detailed attention has been paid to understand the role of microbes in mine rehabilitation strategies. In this project we attempt to incorporate the role of microbes into successful rehabilitation strategies. We are also exploring the possibility to use microbial community composition as a potential indicator in rehabilitation of post-mining substrates.
Collaborators: Dr Adam Cross and Prof Kingsley Dixon (Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia)
Mining of mineral resources (such as iron ore, copper and nickel) has been an integral part in the global history of social and economic development. Mine operators are legally obligated to restore the extraction site as specified by the local government’s environmental regulation. Establishment of rehabilitated landforms using post-mining substrates (i.e. waste rocks, tailings) that typically exhibit extreme conditions (such as high pH, nutrient deficiency, excessive salinity and metal toxicity) can be a major issue during mine closure operations. Current mine rehabilitation strategies focus upon the establishment of above ground diversity (i.e 60-80% of the plant taxa in an adjacent reference site), which are the primary indicators for successful rehabilitation. Poor establishment of plant growth and diversity can lead to other complications such as impaired landform stability and accelerated erosion. Despite the wide acknowledgement on the impact of microbial functional diversity on overall soil health and plant diversity, no detailed attention has been paid to understand the role of microbes in mine rehabilitation strategies. In this project we attempt to incorporate the role of microbes into successful rehabilitation strategies. We are also exploring the possibility to use microbial community composition as a potential indicator in rehabilitation of post-mining substrates.
Collaborators: Dr Adam Cross and Prof Kingsley Dixon (Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia)
Resource partitioning between microbial communities and its impact on plant growth
Soil microbial nutrient cycling has a direct link to plant health. Understanding nutrient partitioning between different functional guilds of soil microbes is important to devise effective management practises to enhance crop productivity or plant establishment (in restoration). Using isotope-based analysis, we are studying the impact of nutrient amendments on seed emergence and establishment of native Australian plants (Acacia, Eucalyptus etc) in rehab scenarios.
Collaborators: Dr Miriam Munoz-Rojas (School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia / Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia) & Dr Paul Storer (Australian Mineral Fertilisers)
Soil microbial nutrient cycling has a direct link to plant health. Understanding nutrient partitioning between different functional guilds of soil microbes is important to devise effective management practises to enhance crop productivity or plant establishment (in restoration). Using isotope-based analysis, we are studying the impact of nutrient amendments on seed emergence and establishment of native Australian plants (Acacia, Eucalyptus etc) in rehab scenarios.
Collaborators: Dr Miriam Munoz-Rojas (School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia / Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia) & Dr Paul Storer (Australian Mineral Fertilisers)
Vineyard Microbiology
What defines a regional terroir? Can we link microbial functional diversity to regional terroir? How important above- and below-ground feedback influences grapevine health and wine quality? What is the importance of Critical Zone on vineyard soil health and how does it influences microbial community composition? To address these questions we are currently involved in an disciplinary research in collaboration with Dr Matthias Leopold (Soil Geophysicist and a Critical Zone expert) and After Hours Vineyard (Mr Warwick Matthews, After Hours Vineyard, Margaret River)
What defines a regional terroir? Can we link microbial functional diversity to regional terroir? How important above- and below-ground feedback influences grapevine health and wine quality? What is the importance of Critical Zone on vineyard soil health and how does it influences microbial community composition? To address these questions we are currently involved in an disciplinary research in collaboration with Dr Matthias Leopold (Soil Geophysicist and a Critical Zone expert) and After Hours Vineyard (Mr Warwick Matthews, After Hours Vineyard, Margaret River)