My Soil Journey

Over the course of my degree, I have had the opportunity to experience the wonderful world of soil science – where I have used both old and new methods for various activities, including determining soil colour using the Munsell Colour Chart and the Nix Pro, measuring canopy cover using a spherical densiometer, and creating digital maps using ArcGIS. The map example I have provided below shows the pH variations of A-horizon soil throughout a section of Toohey Forest.

Other invaluable opportunities include networking with industry professionals both internal and external to the university; completing some volunteering and contract work at the Department of Environment and Science; witnessing the reactivity of acid sulfate soils thanks to workshops run by PSK Environmental; and feeling the amazing vertosols in my hands and beneath my feet while visiting the Lockyer Valley.

Research

Feb 2023 - Present

Honours | Recycling nutrient supply in agricultural landscapes using geological materials

I have just commenced my Honours research, where I am diving deeper into the use of high surface area and chemically-reactive geologic materials to recycle key nutrients from waste streams. This will also include an evaluation of the nutrient availability potential via leaching experiments, scanning electron microscopy and a plant growth trial to determine their effectiveness as slow-release fertiliser delivery systems – stay tuned.

Honours Schematic

Sorption Process

2021-2022

Work-Integrated Learning | Carbon Incubation Experiments - Australian Rivers Institute

As part of my studies and journey to becoming a knowledgeable Soil and Water Scientist, I successfully completed a Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Placement for the Australian Rivers Institute; under the supervision of Dr Chris Pratt. During this placement, I had ample opportunity to re-visit and reflect on previously completed courses that have strongly influenced my interest in Soil Research and Quantitative Analysis, such as 1043ENV Environmental Sustainability; 1044SCG Earth Systems; 2071ENV Soils and Geomorphology; and 2291ENV Applied Data Science. The knowledge I gained during these courses provided me with the appropriate tools to successfully conduct this research while focusing on sustainability, professionalism and economics. Furthermore, my past experiences in my degree, and the completion of my WIL Placement, provided the perfect opportunity to develop my personal and professional skills relating to scientific research. This project allowed for creating a well-structured experimental design, active use of the scientific method, and demonstrated professionalism during laboratory work and communications with internal and external industry professionals.

During this WIL Placement, the research carried out was part of an existing research program and partnership between Griffith University and Zeotech. The experiment was focused on the early quantitative assessment of using sustainable, low-cost synthetic zeolites and other minerals to enhance soil carbon sequestration – providing a sound basis for future research regarding climate mitigation strategies and the use of synthetic zeolites for carbon markets in agricultural landscapes. This research topic was far from anything I had previously learned during my degree and pushed me to develop a more excellent knowledge of zeolites and experimental design. Therefore, prior to the commencement of the experiment, I reviewed the appropriate literature to gain further understanding of soil processes, the history and potential of zeolites, and the application rates of minerals and carbon sources in agricultural settings. This review of literature helped determine the conservative application rates used during the experiment. During this process, I maintained consistent communication with my supervising professor to seek input on the experiment's design and establish expectations regarding deliverables and the course of action to achieve them.

With a lot of care and precision (and a little bit of elbow grease and good music), I prepared 88 soil samples with various combinations of soil, minerals, and carbon sources, including the appropriate controls. The minerals of interest included an Australian natural zeolite, bentonite, and two synthetic zeolites manufactured by Zeotech. The chosen sandy soil and clayey soil represented the extreme ends of the scale in terms of natural soil properties in Australia. The carbon sources (cow manure and peat moss) were selected with a more economical mindset, given they are easily obtainable materials. I experienced some slight logistical issues where the total sample was too large for the original specimen containers; this was overcome by using glass jars instead. Each sample underwent a 62-day incubation period – some of which was spent in an oven to increase microbial activity, leading to an increase in carbon to potentially be sequestered. Exceptional time management, organisation, and communication were required throughout the incubation period to establish times for oven incubation and prevent the samples from drying out.

Following the incubation period, a series of geochemical analyses were conducted to assess the effectiveness of zeolites for carbon sequestration. The analysis I carried out was Loss on Ignition (LOI) tests which required precision weighing, data entry, and the demonstration of safe and professional practice in the laboratory. I also organised further soil testing conducted by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science – demonstrating my professionalism and ability to collaborate with industry professionals. Reflecting on my results has allowed me to identify slight inaccuracies, and I endeavour to conduct further research to produce results with improved accuracy and information. The data I gathered from the LOIs was then statistically analysed in R; the graphs below provide a simple visual representation of the preliminary results – however, a research paper is in production, which will be linked here in the near future.

While this placement only had one industry-related deliverable of producing early quantitative results for the partnership program - which shows great potential for the use of zeolites for carbon retention; I delivered much more in terms of personal and professional development. Not only did I gain valuable insight on the application of minerals to enhance natural soil processes, but this placement saw the enhancement of my critical thinking and research-related skills such as; a review of literature, experimental design, lab risk identification, precision with sample preparation, and performing geochemical and quantitative analyses.

Overall, I have had a fantastic time challenging myself and experiencing the real world of research. I have been provided with the opportunity to continue this research for my Honours next year. I endeavour to continue to improve my knowledge on this topic and allocate time throughout this year to plan for future research. If you would like to know more about this research, please do not hesitate to contact me - paper to be published soon.