The 47 mixed farms involved in this project are assisting researchers to quantify the relationships between biodiversity and on-farm production.

The Biodiversity in Grain & Graze project will help researchers to answer these questions:

• Can farms be managed to improve ecosystem services and profitability?
• Does enterprise diversity on-farm lead to increased biodiversity?
• Is there is a relationship between site conditions, land use, landscape, terrain and biodiversity?
• Has rotational farming increased biodiversity compared to monoculture farming?

Land use and biodiversity

Farms were selected for the project based on monitoring of four paddocks with different land usages:

• a cropping paddock that has been in a crop rotation for at least three years;
• a paddock in the break crop phase of the rotation (lucerne or annual legume);
• a perennial pasture paddock established for at least three years; and
• an area of remnant vegetation on the farm.

Biological samples will be taken in autumn and spring over the next two years. Each indicator species being monitored forms part of a complex system.

The data collected will assist in a better understanding of the range of biodiversity in the mixed farming phases and how production is influencing these relationships. So what is being sampled?

The project is collecting information on:

• soils (nutrients and decomposer activity);
• vegetation (crops, pastures and remnant vegetation);
• invertebrates (beetles, spiders and ants); and
• birds.

Getting the dirt on soils

Soil nutrient levels are being measured for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, carbon, conductivity and acidity/alkalinity.

Investigating vegetation

All plant species in the focus paddocks are identified and their growth stages and percentage groundcover is assessed. The relative health and condition of vegetation is being recorded.

Trapping bugs and watching birds

Pitfall traps (plastic cups placed in the ground for a week) are used to collect invertebrates - beetles, spiders and ants. Samples are being sent to the University of Tasmania for species' counting and identification.

Regional staff involved in the project are working together with local bird observers to conduct surveys using a standard method provided by Birds Australia.

By collecting information about biodiversity, the project will gain an understanding of how biodiversity supports on-farm production.

Project Coordinator

Dr Kerry Bridle
Private Bag 98
Hobart TAS 7001
Phone: (03) 6226 2837
Mobile: 0427 846 050
Email: kerry@utas.edu.au