Soils and Landscapes
Introduction
Soils, landscapes and natural resources (such as water) underpin natural and managed ecosystems. They provide ecosystem and productive services on which we rely for agriculture and forestry and act as a platform for communities, infrastructure, and the national identity on which our culture and tourist trade is based. Current land uses, intensification, the changing geographic pattern of our land uses, as well as climate change and variability, are putting increasing pressures on our soils, landscapes, and natural resources threatening their ability to sustain the critical functions on which we depend.
The Soil and Landscapes team comprises of more than 40 staff, at five sites across New Zealand. We lead research on understanding the complex inter-relationships that control the response of soils and landscapes to climatic and human-induced pressures, evaluating current risk, and offering sustainable land use and natural resource allocation options. Our value is in providing opportunities for the future.
Research themes
- Erosion and sediment processes
Primary contact: Les Basher
Erosion and sediment processes encompasses a diversity of research and consultancy projects ranging from fundamental understanding of erosion processes, landscape dynamics and response in a changing environment, erosion and sediment modelling and tools for control and mitigation of soil and land degradation. - Hydrology and soil physics
Primary contact: Andrew Fenemor
Focusing on how water interacts with land, research ranging from land rehabilitation and understanding hydrological pathways through the soil, to landscape-scale hydrological processes and the tools, techniques and frameworks needed to effectively model and manage water resources and associated quality. - Soil biological and chemical interactions
Primary contact: Jackie Aislabie
Fundamental and applied research in soil biogeochemistry and biology in a variety of environments from intensive agriculture through to extreme Antarctic soils. Projects range from understanding nutrient cycling, soil quality and health through to contaminant fluxes through the soil system. - Strategic land-use & pedology
Primary contact: Allan Hewitt
Underpinning research on the spatial distribution of soils in the landscape, methods for mapping, modelling and quantifying diversity, and tools and frameworks for ensuring the optimum use of soil and land resources.
Research collaborations
Sustainable Land Use Research Initiative (SLURI) - a national centre for maintaining and managing our soils. SLURI carries out research on the sustainable management of land, and works to develop new tools for regulators and land managers.
www.sluri.org.nz/
Tools & Services
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Mineralogy laboratory (MinLab)
Offers a range of analytical services on soils, clays, sediments, rocks, and a number of other materials -
S–map project
A new digital soil spatial information system for New Zealand. -
SINDI: soil quality indicators
Sindi is a web–based DSS (decision support system) for people wanting to assess soil quality especially at a regional or national scale. Field measurements of seven key soil indicators are entered and assessed against expert–derived target ranges. Colour–coded bar charts are used for easy interpretation of the measurements. -
Soil classification maps, Land Resource Inventory (NZLRI) and Land Use Capability
Manaaki Whenua Press can supply soil classification maps of New Zealand and the South Pacific, and New Zealand Land Resource Inventory worksheets. -
Soil fundamental data layers (FDLs)
Fundamental data layers (FDLs) contain spatial information for 16 key attributes of the soils of New Zealand. -
Soils portal
The Soils Portal should be your first port of call for any information about New Zealand Soils – their names, distributions, properties and background information. -
Visual Soil Assessment
The visual soil assessment method (VSA) provides land managers with a simple tool to assess and monitor soil quality. -
Vulnerability maps
Maps showing areas at risk of declining soil quality.
Science leader
Alison Collins Email | |
Landcare Research | |
Phone: 06 353 4800 |