Last year we offered up some soil from one of our paddocks as part of a national research project. Scientists who are part of The Victorian Soil Carbon Project came one rainy day to take the samples.
The project’s aim is to measure the amount of carbon and the type of carbon in agricultural soils using consistent methods across the country. The project will determine how soil carbon is influenced by agricultural management, climate and soil type.
The findings of The Victorian Soil Carbon Project will help agricultural industries and government to make more informed decisions about managing soil carbon, both for minimising carbon pollution and for protecting soil health.
Sampling involves us taking 10 thin core samples to a depth of 30 cm at 10 spots on site (a 25 m by 25m grid). The soil samples are then sent to the CSIRO’s laboratory in Adelaide for comprehensive soil carbon testing.
With the lab in Adelaide running hot with hundreds of samples to process we may have a bit of a wait for our first set of results.
http://www.csiro.au/science/Soil-Carbon-Research-Program
Montrose Dairy 