Evanna McGuinness
Southern Cross University
Soil organic carbon (SOC) has been a growing research field, but few of the present studies sample deeper than 30cm below the soil surface. My project digs a little deeper, because we want to better understand what drives SOC retention and turnover in soils 30–100 cm deep. My research involves field sampling, soil chemistry, GIS mapping and isotopes, followed by lab-based experiments, looking into how soil properties and structure might influence sequestration potential in subsoils.
This research has the potential to help meet the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) ambitious goal of restoring 4‰ of current SOC stocks in agricultural soils.
Project title: Subsoil organic carbon dynamics in perennial pasture grazing systems of northeast NSW
Start date: December 2023
Supervisors: Associate Professor Joanne Oakes (Southern Cross University), Dr Abe Gibson (Southern Cross University), Dr Naomi Wells (Lincoln University), Dr Mark Farrell (CSIRO).
What interested you about this sort of research?
I previously worked as a chef in commercial kitchens and was exposed to the beneficial impacts of reducing food waste and working with farmers to improve sustainability, and move towards regenerative agriculture. Through this research, I can contribute to a sustainable future, which is important to me and aligns with my core values.
What do you love about soil?
Soil is the medium from which most of our food is grown – what’s not to love about that!
I love how the complexity of soil is translated in the landscape – it’s the rocky outcrops that tell a history of soil slowly eroded down slopes; changes in the heights of trees, hinting at changes in the availability of essential nutrients and water; and in a field of crops, you can see where the soil is working and where things might need addressing. With the right lens, you can understand soil by cues in the landscape and vegetation.
What do you love about your Soil CRC research project?
I love the learning opportunities that this research is providing, particularly the chance to learn beyond my project and work with others in my field. I’ve enjoyed opportunities to participate in soil judging, join field sampling trips and attend conferences, all of which have met my desire for a role that in some capacity includes travel – it’s what keeps life exciting for me.
How will your research help to make a difference for farmers and other end or next users?
Understanding what’s driving carbon (and other nutrient) turnover in soil 30-100 cm depth, can inform land management practices which improve subsoil conditions, and hopefully promote deeper rooting plants – this could benefit crops access to subsoil nutrients and moisture, with potential yield benefits for farmers. This research is also important for informing soil organic carbon sequestration policy.
What do you want to do when you finish your Soil CRC research project?
I would love to stay in research, but I know it’s not a straightforward path, so I like to keep my mind open to other options. My dream role would keep me in agriculture and food research, with the opportunity to travel (near or far) for fieldwork and collaborations. But I also like the idea of a leadership role in some field of natural resource management, collaborating with stakeholders in a catchment-scale role, to the benefit of the broader landscape – hopefully still with a soil focus.