NRM on Farms November 2013

8/13/2019 NRM on Farms November 2013

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November 2013

CLIMATE

Seasonal outlook for NSWThe November-January outlook indicates a drier than normal season for northern NSW andan average season elsewhere in the state (below left), with warmer days (centre) and nights(right), due mainly to locally warm sea surface temperatures around Australia, and a neutraltropical Pacific.

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead/

Ocean temperaturesWarmer-than-normal sea surfacetemperatures around Australia are tending todrive current Australian climate patterns, asENSO and IOD are likely to remain neutralover summer.http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/ocean/sst/anomaly/index.html

SOI remains neutralThe tropical Pacific has remained ENSO-neutralsince mid-2012 and is likely to stay neutral for theremainder of spring and summer. This means theequatorial Pacific Ocean is not shifting the oddstowards a significantly wet or dry period for Australia.However, more localised weather extremes can anddo occur during neutral ENSO phases as secondary


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or local factors come into play. For instance, warmer-than-average sea surface temperaturesaround parts of the Australian coastline may currently be influencing regional climate.http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/

Climate models say neutral outlook aheadInternational climate models indicate a neutral outlook for ENSO over spring and summer.

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead/model-summary.shtml

IOD is neutralThe Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is neutral and expected to remain so for the next month. Afterthat, the IOD has limited influence on the Australian climate until April.http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead/model-summary.shtml#tabs=Indian-Ocean

Eighth dr iest and tenth warmest OctoberNSW recorded a statewide average rainfall of 12.4mm during October, the eighth-driest October onrecord, and well below the historical average of44.4 mm (see the map at right). Most of the staterecorded below average rainfall, including recorddry conditions in parts of the Blue Mountains. TheMurray-Darling Basin also recorded 14.6 mm, wellbelow the historical average of 40.1 mm. The

statewide average maximum temperature was2.5C above average and the tenth-warmest onrecord for NSW, with temperatures more than 10C above normal across most of the stateon the 10th.http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/month/nsw/summary.shtml

Record frostsThere were several major frosts, with localisedrecords broken on 4, 15, 18 and 25 October (seeanomaly map at right). Bathurst recorded 9 nightsof 0C or lower, almost double the previous record

of 5 nights in 2012, while Canberra recorded 3nights below -2C (previous record 1 night). Thefrosts caused substantial damage to crops insoutheast NSW, exacerbated by dry conditionsand early crop development associated with September warmth.http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/month/nsw/summary.shtml


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Record 15 months of aboveaverage temperaturesOctobers unusually warm temperatures meanthat Australia has seen 15 consecutive months ofwarmer-than-average temperatures, with

numerous records broken as a result. Thiscontinuation of unusually high spring temperatureshas been sufficient to break the national record forthe warmest 12-month period again, the thirdconsecutive month in which a new record hasbeen set.http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/change/#tabs=Climate-updates

13 month rainfall well below long term averageMost of Queensland west of the ranges and northernNew South Wales has received less than 65% of the

long-term (19611990) average rainfall for the 13-months to the end of October. Serious to severedeficiencies (lowest 10% to 5% of records) are inplace across much of western Queensland and in abroad band inland of the coastal ranges, extendingfrom the Gulf of Carpentaria to just across the NewSouth Wales border.http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/

Soil moisture continues to dryTopsoil moisture is drying out acrossthe country (right) and subsoil

moisture is average to dry (far right).Red indicates drier than the 1961-1990 average for this month, and.blue indicates wetter.http://www.eoc.csiro.au/awap/

El Nino more activesince 1979New research shows El Nio Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomena have been moreactive and intense between1979-2009 than at any time during the past 600 years. This resultsuggests that the intensity and activity of El Nio and La Ninas appear to increase as global

average temperatures increase.http://www.clim-past.net/9/2269/2013/cp-9-2269-2013.pdf

Research shows El Nino wi ll intensify this centuryNew BoM research shows El Nio will intensify between 2050 and 2100 with worse droughtsin eastern Australia and increased rainfall in the central and eastern Pacific.http://theconversation.com/australia-to-see-worse-drought-thanks-to-intensifying-el-ni-o-19104


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Pacific is warming fasterReconstruction of Pacific Ocean temperatures in the last 10,000 years has found that itsmiddle depths have warmed 15 times faster in the last 60 years than they did duringapparent natural warming cycles in the previous 10,000 years.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131031142738.htm?

Warming beyond historical variabili ty from 2047?Climate modellers estimate that, under a business as usual emissions scenario, globalwarming will begin to reach almost continuously beyond historical variability in 2047. This willpotentially affect ecosystem health drastically.http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v502/n7470/full/502174a.html?WT.ec_id=NATURE-20131010

Melting Arct ic is changing the jet streamA recent study has found that melting Arctic sea ice is causing a change in the position of thejet stream and this could help to explain the recent wet summers in northwest Europe.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131028205410.htm

Arctic temperatures highest in 44,000 yearsAverage summer temperatures in the Eastern Canadian Arctic are higher now than in thepast 44,000 years and perhaps as long ago as 120,000 years, according to Canadianresearch. The finding is based on dead moss clumps emerging from receding ice caps onBaffin Island which had not been exposed to the elements since at least 44,000 years ago.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131024102243.htm

CLIMATE RESOURCES

Drought and rural communitiesA recent Victorian study into the socio-economic impacts of drought and adaptation found

that more effort is needed to shift from drought-as-crisis towards acknowledging the variableavailability of water and that multi-year droughts should not be unexpected, and may evenbecome more frequent.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378013001027

Fire risk has increased due to warming and dryingThe risk of fire has increased in south-east Australia due to a warming and drying trend thatis partly due to increases in greenhouse gases. The annual cumulative Forest Fire DangerIndex, which integrates daily fire weather across the year, increased significantly at 16 of 38Australian sites from 1973-2010. The number of significant increases is greatest in thesoutheast, while the largest trends occurred inland and during spring and autumn.

http://theconversation.com/fire-and-climate-change-dont-expect-a-smooth-ride-19391

Preparedness for natural disastersA report into Queenslanders preparedness for natural disasters found that recent floodshave increased their perceptions of risk and levels of preparedness. The report also foundthat effective disaster preparedness depends on cooperation, communication of risk, and thecohesion of communities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters.http://austjourcomm.org/index.php/ajc/issue/view/3


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Role of financial sector in climate riskA new report on the role of the financial sector in managing climate risk says increaseduncertainty about future cash flows is particularly relevant for industries such as agriculturalinvestment. Gradual climate change affects long term viability, and extreme climatic eventsmay increase the riskiness of investments. Consequently, it would seem appropriate fordecision makers to incorporate possible consequences of climate change when estimating

future cash flows.http://www.australiancentre.com.au/News/risk-management-and-climate-change-role-financial-services-sector

Primary industries adaptation li terature reviewThe Primary Industries Adaptation Research Network has published an interpretive overviewof literature published on the topic of climate change adaptation and Australian primaryindustries between 2009 and 2012.http://www.piarn.org.au/sites/piarn.boab.info/files/resources/832/rickards-2013cca-aus-primary-industriesan-interpretive-review-recent-lit.pdf

Plants have kept the heat downUS researchers calculate that land ecosystems have absorbed 186-192 billion tonnes of carbon out of the atmosphere since the mid-20th century and kept the global temperature down by a third of adegree.http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/09/18/1314047110.abstract

Wake up before it is too lateThis UN report, subtitled Make agriculture truly sustainable now forfood security in a changing climate, says a paradigm shift inagricultural development is needed, based on ecologicalintensification and mosaics of sustainable, regenerative productionsystems. This approach recognises that farmers not only produce

agricultural goods, but also manage agro-ecological systems thatprovide public goods and services.http://unctad.org/en/pages/PublicationWebflyer.aspx?publicationid=666

Students understanding of climate changeA recent study of WA Year 10 students scientific understanding of greenhouse effect andclimate change has found that many do not understand the science, confusing the ozonelayer with the greenhouse effect, and thinking carbon dioxide is the only greenhouse gas.The findings may be because climate change is not explicitly mentioned in the AustralianCurriculum in Science until year 10, and is a multidisciplinary science whereas the recentAustralian curriculum divides science into four discrete sections.http://theconversation.com/what-do-young-people-really-know-about-climate-change-19754

Greenhouse 2013 presentationsPresentations from the Greenhouse 2013 conference held in Adelaide in October are nowavailable at the address below. They are a valuable resource of up to date climate researchfindings, many of them covering projections and impacts for agricultural industries active inNSW.http://www.greenhouse2013.com/program/presentations/


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Coastal climate adaptation appGriffith University researchers have created an app providing climate change projections,impacts and adaptation options for coastal Australia.http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/527790/CERCCS-iPhone-App.pdf

EMISSIONS

Climate Change Authority suggests emissions optionsThe Climate Change Authoritys draft report on Australias greenhouse gas emissions targetssays a 5 per cent reduction from 2000 levels by 2020 would leave Australia lagging behindcomparable countries. The Authority offers two reduction options: a 15 per cent reduction by2020, with a trajectory range of 35 to 50 per cent by 2030; or a 25 per cent reduction inemissions by 2020, with a trajectory range of 40 to 50 per cent by 2030. A weaker 2020target would require faster reductions later. Comments on the draft are due by 29 Novemberwith the final report to be released in February 2014.

http://climatechangeauthority.gov.au/Node/100

Australias carbon budgetThe recent IPCC report warned that the global greenhouse gas emissions must be containedwithin a finite carbon budget to keep global warming below 2C, and more than half of thisglobal carbon budget has already been used. The World Wildlife Fund estimates thatAustralias share of the worlds carbon budget is 18 billion tonnes and 66-84% has beenused. The WWF report suggests that a 25% pollution reduction target for 2020 is needed ifAustralia is to meet its carbon budget.http://www.wwf.org.au/?8180/Australia-has-nearly-blown-its-carbon-budget-already

UN emissions gap reportA new report from the U.N. Environment Programme finds that global GHG emissions in2020 will still be 18 to 27 percent above where they need to be if warming is to be limited to2C above pre-industrial levels. The report outlines several options for bridging theemissions gap, from applying more stringent accounting practices to increasing the scope ofpledges and implementing the higher end of pledges that are currently framed as a range.http://www.unep.org/publications/ebooks/emissionsgapreport2013/

Australias agricultural emissions projectionsA report from the Centre for InternationalEconomics says that Australias agriculturalemissions are expected to grow at around 1.2

per cent a year to 2050 due mainly toexpansion in enteric fermentation fromlivestock due to anticipated export demand.http://climatechangeauthority.gov.au/Node/104


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Sequestration potential of wheat stubbleA NSW DPI modelling study has found that it appears possible to increase SOC in rainfedwheat cropping soils of SE Australia by incorporating wheat stubble into the soil. However,5070% of the stubble would need to be incorporated, so practical incorporation methodswould need to trialled. If this can be achieved, incorporation could assist in meeting emissionreduction targets. It is possible that 214% of Australia's 5%-unconditional emission target

could be achieved with modest changes in farming practices in just 26% of the 360,000 km2

study area. The study by De Li Liu et al and published in Geoderma, is titled Managingwheat stubble as an effective approach to sequester soil carbon in a semi-arid environment:Spatial modelling.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/aip/00167061

US biochar methodologyA US methodology for emissions reductions from biochar projects is available for commentuntil 22 November. Under the methodology, biochar may be produced from any biomassapproved for use under the International Biochar Initiatives standards provided suchfeedstocks also meet sustainability criteria specified in the methodology.http://www.biochar-international.org/protocol

OECD supports carbon taxA new OECD study concludes that carbon taxes and emissions trading systems are the mostcost-effective means of reducing CO2emissions, and should be at the centre of governmentefforts to tackle climate change.http://www.oecd.org/env/tools-evaluation/carbon-prices.htm

Tackling climate change through livestockThis FAO report presents aglobal assessment ofgreenhouse gas emissions

along livestock supplychains, according to species,agroecological zones,regions and productionsystems.http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3437e/i3437e.pdf

WATER

NSW water storagesNSW water storages have dropped to 66% capacity,compared with 83% a year ago.http://water.bom.gov.au/waterstorage/awris/#urn:bom.gov.au:awris:common:codelist:region.state:newsouthwales


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Water trading challengesA recent paper in Global Environmental Change journal concludes that water trading haspotential as a climate change adaptation strategy, but the social and environmental impactsare not well understood. Reallocating water to high value users may disadvantage agricultureand urban water supplies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378013001581

Rainwater tank useAn ABS survey of Australian household water use has found that 26% used rainwater tanksin 2013. In SA 46% of households use rainwater, and 34% in Queensland.http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/cat/4602.0.55.003

Water assessment 2011-12The Bureau of Meteorologys 2012 assessment of Australian water resources in 2011-2012found that total annual rainfall was 33% above the long-term 19112012 average;evapotranspiration was 30% above the long-term average; and landscape water yield was57% above the long-term average. The substantially higher landscape water yield

contributed to above average streamflow, causing the total water stored in major reservoirsto increase from 75% at the end of 201011 to 83% of capacity on 30 June 2012.http://www.bom.gov.au/water/awra/2012/

SOILS

Warming disturbs dryland nutrient balanceA study of 224 dryland sites in 16 countries, including NSW woodland sites near Mildura, hasfound that increasing aridity is associated with a reduction in carbon and nitrogen in the soiland an increase in phosphorus.http://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science/warming-will-disturb-soil-nutrient-balance

Soil carbon storage potentialA meta analysis of Australian soil carbon studies has found that the potential of improvedmanagement practices to store soil carbon is limited to the surface 010 cm of soil anddiminishes with time. Some of the analysis was subsequently refuted in a response byUniversity of Sydney soil scientists.http://www.nature.com/srep/2013/130710/srep02179/full/srep02179.htmlhttp://theconversation.com/storing-carbon-in-soil-potential-opportunities-outweigh-limits-17922

Long term fate of nitrate ferti liserThis long term study shows that 30 years after application of fertiliser N in 1982, 8-12% hadleached toward groundwater, and 12-15% was in soil organic matter and predicted to leachas nitrate for at least another five decades, much longer than previously thought.http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/10/15/1305372110.abstract?sid=a5aca9ea-da3a-4fd3-988e-aaad26b99bd4

World Soil Day is on December 5, 2013


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Soil fertility is crucialSoil fertility is a propertyof the soil-plant-humansystem, with theinteractions, limits andsurprises that

characterise complexsystems, says a recentScience paper. Fertilitycannot be separatedfrom land use not theunintendedconsequences of usage.Great civilisations havefailed because oferosion, salinity and nutrient depletion, and our world could suffer the same fact unless wepay attention to soil fertility.http://www.sciencemag.org/content/342/6158/565.full

Sustainable soil managementThis new book outlines critical changes in management ofagricultural soils necessary to achieve food security and meetthe food demands of the present and projected futurepopulation. The overall strategy is to replace what is removedfrom the soil, respond wisely to what is changed in the soil, andbe pro-active to what may happen because of natural andanthropogenic disturbance. Chapters cover a range of topicsincluding organic farming, soil fertility, crop-symbiotic soilmicrobiota, human-driven soil degradation, soil degradation andrestoration, carbon sink capacity of soils, soil renewal andsustainability, and the marginality principle.http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781466513464

New book: Ecosystem services andcarbon sequestrationThis book describes potential benefits and drawbacks of carbon sequestration for ecosystemservices and says trade-offs between carbon sequestration and ecosystem services must beconsidered when paying land managers for ecosystem services.http://www.springer.com/life+sciences/agriculture/book/978-94-007-6454-5

DVD: Soil, your silent allyThe Global Soil Partnership has compiled a DVD of short videosand animations explaining the different roles of soil in our lives.

http://www.fao.org/globalsoilpartnership/news/detail/en/c/174791/


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BIODIVERSITY

Plant biodiversity slow to recover in replanted forestsA new study of re-growing tropical forests has concluded that plant biodiversity takes longerto recover than carbon storage following major disturbances such as clearance for farming.

Forests following after agricultural use may be more valuable in the first 100 years for thecarbon they store than for their biodiversity.http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/280/1773/20132236.short

Biological weed control for policy makersThis report outlines a framework for prioritising targets for biological control and includes adecision support tool that enables policy makers to determine whether biological control is asuitable option for a proposed target species.http://data.daff.gov.au/data/warehouse/9aai/2013/TrgtBioCntrlWeed/TrgtBioCntrlWeedDcsnSpptTl_v.1.1.0.pdf

ENERGY

Coal seam well mapThe NSW coal seam gas website nowshows a comprehensive list of exploration,pilot and production wells. Each icondisplays specific information about thehistory of the well including the wellsstatus (producing/ not producing/permanently sealed), drilling date andwhether hydraulic fracturing has beenused.

http://www.csg.nsw.gov.au/

FOOD

Agrifood infrastructure reportThis study identifies food industry issues that may affect the pattern of agricultural productionin Australia and the growth of Australias agrifood industry.http://data.daff.gov.au/data/warehouse/9aap/2013/iafipead9aap_20131105/infaAustFoodInd_prelimEcoAssess_v1.0.0.pdf

Botanic gardens barley cropAdelaide Botanic Gardens and SARDI aregrowing a barley crop at the gardens toconnect urban people with important foodplants and demonstrate the important role offarmers.http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/botanicgardens/Learn/barley-blog


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What Asia wantsThis DAFF report on long term food trends in Asia finds that demand for wheat, vegetables,fruit, beef and dairy products is likely to expand and be met by imports.http://data.daff.gov.au/data/warehouse/research_reports/9aat/2013/WhatAsiaWants/longtermFoodConsumptionTrendsInAsia_v.1.1.0.pdf

Urban agriculture and food securityThis paper says key issues such as urban sprawl, contamination threats and legality must beaddressed for urban farming to have a sustainable future.http://www.futuredirections.org.au/files/sap/Urban_Agriculture-_Feeding_the_Cities_1Nov.pdf

UK local food filmA new film explores what the UK local food movement has achieved in the past 20 years andwhere opportunities now lie, including the relevance of local food to feeding towns and cities.http://localfoodfilm.org.uk/

LAND USE

Land use change in AustraliaIn a new report looking at changes in Australian land usesince 1993, agriculture remains the dominant land use,with grazing on native vegetation and modified pasturesin the arid and semiarid regions the dominant enterpriseby area. The number of medium size farm businessesdecreased while farms greater than 2,500 ha and lessthan 50 ha both increased. A national land use map,based on 2010-11 agricultural census information, is duefor release late in 2013.

http://www.daff.gov.au/abares/publications_remote_content/publication_topics/land_use

Global land usearchetypesGerman researchers havedeveloped 12 land systemarchetypes to assess globalimpacts of land use on theenvironment and helpprovide appropriate counter

measures.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378013001532


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Centre for land use and land resourcesThe report proposes a Centre for Land Use and Land Resources for work on agricultural landuse and food security analysis, linked to international efforts.http://data.daff.gov.au/data/warehouse/9aal/2013/ReportToClient/ScpAssesNatRsrchCntrLndUseFoodSec20131018/ScpAssesNatRsrchCntrLndUseFoodSec20131018_v1.0.0.pdf

SUSTAINABILITY2013 Landcare farmer surveyThe 2013 National Landcaresurvey of 500 commercial farmersfound that respondents chose tobe part of local Landcare andfarming systems groups to getinformation tailored to localissues/conditions, join socialnetworks and see what other

farmers are doing. Their primaryinformation sources for sustainableagriculture/NRM issues were therural media, localLandcare/farming systems groupsand State departments of agriculture. Average farm expenditure on pests and diseases wasaround $20,000.http://www.landcareonline.com.au/?page_id=9184

Green pastures milkA Victorian consortium of five dairying families has launched its own milk brand based onsustainable farming practices such as 100% composting of all farm waste. Suppliers havebeen audited independently and require the operation to have composted for a minimum oftwo years and meet animal husbandry requirements. Each bottle of milk has a photograph ofone of the families and an app code so consumers can learn about each farm.http://www.greenpasturesmovement.com.au/site/

EVENTSNovember 25-26 Bioenergy Australia conference, Hunter Valley

http://www.bioenergyaustralia.org/

December 1-4 Generation 2050: Project Feed the World, Armidalehttp://www.generation2050.com.au/

December 2-4 Carbon Expo, Melbournehttp://www.carbonexpo.com.au/

December 5 World Soil Dayhttp://www.iuss.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=405

December 16 National biochar workshop, [email protected]

2014

March 24-27 Soil change matters symposium, Bendigo


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http://www.soilmatters.org/program.html

April 8 Future Farm live, Canberrahttp://www.futurefarmonline.com.au/announcements/future-farm-live

May 20-21 4thNational Acid Sulfate Soil Conference, Perth

http://scu.edu.au/nationalassconference/

July 8-10 Peri-urban 2014, Parramatta

http://periurban14.org/December 1-4 Soil science for future generations, Queenstown NZ

MAILING LISTTo subscribe to NRM on Farms, email Rebecca Lines-Kelly at [email protected].

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NRM on Farms November 2013