Understanding a dry continent

With NSW in the grip of drought a major new study has been launched to determine the mechanisms linking water availability and plant productivity in Australia.

Led by Professor Derek Eamus of the University of Technology, Sydney, the project has been backed by a $700,000 Australian Research Council grant over four years.

"The aim is to develop a model for how soil moisture links to plant photosynthesis and respiration across the full range of climates in Australia," Prof. Eamus said.

Information will be gathered from selected water catchment areas in NSW, Victoria, the Northern Territory, Queensland and the ACT.

"While the study is focused on forests, both native and managed, the results could be applied to crop producing areas," Prof. Eamus said.

"This kind of integrated pan-Australian study hasn't been done before and as a result we'll have a better understanding of how landscape water balance determines plant productivity in this environment.

"The Australian climate is dry - it's the driest of all permanently inhabited continents - and highly variable. If we understand how water is used by forests and woodlands or crops we'll be able to better manage both water resources and yield of forests and crops.

"The model will allow us to predict the effects of climate change and weather system fluctuations - such as El Niño - across the Australian landscape. It will be possible to tell that certain plantation trees or certain crops should not be planted in certain areas.

The study brings together three world leaders in the fields of experimental ecophysiology and ecosystem modelling: Professor Eamus, Professor Mark Adams of the University of Melbourne and Professor Ross McMurtrie of the University of NSW.

"It's a unique collaborative effort involving field researchers and system modellers," Prof. Eamus said.