New Zealand Soils Portal - Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research
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Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research

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Eco SGVs thumb 540
Developing soil guideline values to protect terrestrial biota (Eco-SGVs)
From 01 Jun 2014 to 30 Jun 2019

Soil guideline values (Eco-SGVs) developed to protect terrestrial biota provide a useful means for assessing potential environmental impact of contaminants.

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Effect long term irrigation thumb 540
The effect of medium- to long-term irrigation on soil water holding properties
From 01 Oct 2016 to 30 Jun 2020

An improved understanding of soil water holding properties include better land management practices through irrigation scheduling, more accurate environmental reporting and regulation of reduced nutrient leaching.

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irrigating pasture thumb 540
Impact of irrigation on soil carbon and nitrogen
From 01 Dec 2017 to 31 Dec 2020

In this study we investigate the effect of irrigation on soil organic matter to determine the importance of region, soil type and irrigation duration. The ultimate aim is to identify where and how irrigation can be used to maintain or increase soil organic matter and the multiple associated benefits.

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Increasing water quality rivers 540
Increasing water quality in rivers by soil conservation actions on land
From 01 Jul 2014 to 31 Dec 2020

Mitigating the numerous impacts that fine sediment has in rivers requires a catchment-wide approach to reducing soil erosion. 

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National mapping of winter forage cropping and intensive grazing on hill country land.
Mapping of winter forage cropping and intensive grazing
From 01 Jan 2019 to 31 May 2019

Assessing the spatial extent of hill country forage cropping and intensive grazing, as well as the severity and timing of de-vegetation that results from these practices.

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Okains Bay, Banks peninsula. Image: A Hansell
Soil and erosion mapping on the Port Hills and Banks Peninsula
From 01 Jul 2017 to 30 Jun 2023

Improving our knowledge of the soils on Banks Peninsula and other hilly land in New Zealand is vital to making better land use and management decisions to safeguard and enhance the benefits of the New Zealand environment.

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Long-term research from a rain shelter site is enabling precise irrigation scheduling at the paddock scale.
Maximising the value of irrigation (MVI)
From 01 Oct 2013 to 01 Oct 2019

The new irrigation scheduling and measurement systems developed as part of the programme will enable New Zealand’s farmers to make effective irrigation decisions to improve productivity, reduce costs, and lessen the negative environmental impacts of overwatering.

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Soil carbon monitoring. Image: Caroline King
Monitoring changes in soil organic carbon stocks in New Zealand’s managed grasslands
From 01 Oct 2016 to 01 Oct 2019

New Zealand’s managed grasslands occupy more than half the country’s total land area. Soil organic carbon stocks are inherently spatially and temporally variable, so sampling at field sites is problematic. A fit-for-purpose method is being designed to monitor soil carbon stocks at approximate 5-year intervals over upcoming decades.

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on farm sensors. Image: John Hunt
A national soil carbon monitoring system for agricultural land
From 01 Oct 2019 to 30 Jun 2022

A study to produce a nationwide baseline soil carbon measurement to improve New Zealand’s ability to report greenhouse gas emissions and removals under international climate change agreements.

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Nex Gen Smap thumb 540
NextGen S-map
From 01 Oct 2016 to 30 Sep 2021

Strengthening the science that underpins New Zealand's soil information system. NextGen S-map will provide cost-effective mapping, as well as fit-for-purpose, multi-scale soil information.

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 High country from Lyndon Road near Lake Coleridge. Image: Bradley White
Our Land and Water National Science Challenge
From 26 Jan 2016 to 26 Jan 2024

Our Land and Water National Science Challenge aims to preserve the most fundamental treasures of our country – our land, water and associated ecosystems – while producing value from those same treasures.

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Collecting samples of lucerne foliage to measure biomass and for chemical analysis. Image: Bradley White
Reducing nitrogen losses from farms
From 01 Oct 2016 to 30 Sep 2021

We are investigating on-farm solutions to reduce the environmental impact of intensive irrigated pastoral agriculture while maintaining productivity and profitability.

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SOE soil data set thumb
Representativeness of Regional Council State of the Environment (SOE) soil quality data set
From 01 Jun 2016 to 31 Dec 2017

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Erosion and  sediment sources in soft rock country. Image: Les Basher
Development and application of SedNetNZ
From 01 Jul 2011 to 30 Jun 2020

SedNetNZ is an erosion model that predicts the generation and transport of sediment through river networks, based on a relatively simple physical representation of hillslope and channel processes at small sub-catchment scale.

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Wellington. Image: Cissy Pan
S-map soil survey in Greater Wellington area
From 01 Jun 2017 to 30 Jun 2020

Greater Wellington is responsible for the management of the region's natural resources. By mapping the soils in the region using S-map decision making will be improved.

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Hill erosion.
Smarter targeting of erosion control (STEC)
From 01 Oct 2018 to 01 Jul 2023

A project on exploring cost-effective ways of targeting land-based erosion control in the hope of slowing the damage and improving water quality.

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Soil health and resilience word cloud.
Soil health and resilience
From 01 Oct 2016 to 30 Mar 2022

An integrated soil health framework that provides a comprehensive view of soil health and resilience and can be used by a wide range of end-users.

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augering summary
Tasman S-map extension
From 02 Nov 2020 to 30 Jun 2023

A soil survey project to fill in existing gaps in S-map coverage in Tasman.

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