Transformation toward agricultural sustainability in New Zealand hill country pastoral landscapes

Dodd, Mike; Wedderburn, M. E.; Parminter, Terry G.; Thorrold, B.S.; Quinn, John M.

doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2008.04.004

Cited by 18 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The climate is humid temperate with a mean annual rainfall of 1663 mm (1993Á2010; NIWA, unpublished data for Whatawhata Research Station climate station) and a mean average temperature of 13.7 8C. For a more detailed physiographic description of the study catchments, refer to Dodd et al (2008a) and Quinn & Stroud (2002).…”

Section: Study Sites and Icm Changesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Land use influences on suspended sediment yields and event sediment dynamics within two headwater catchments, Waikato, New Zealand

Hughes

Quinn

McKergow

2012

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

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Information on the effect of human-induced disturbances on sediment yields and sediment sources from New Zealand catchments is limited. This study analyses the sediment yields and event sediment dynamics for a 12-year period from two paired headwater catchments within the Waikato region. One catchment (Whakakai) was entirely vegetated in native forest, while the other (Mangaotama) was of mixed land use. Near the beginning of the study period, an integrated catchment management plan was implemented with the Mangaotama catchment. This plan included riparian planting, planting of degraded land in Pinus radiata and changes in stock management. Long-term in-stream turbidity data was calibrated with suspended sediment concentration (SSC) measurements and used to determine event and annual sediment yields. Hysteresis of the discharge (Q)ÁSSC relationship during events was used to infer differences in sediment sources. Event sediment yields within the Mangaotama catchment were similar to Whakakai catchment during small events (c. 1.01-year return period). For larger and less frequent events (!5-year return period), the event yields from Mangaotama exceeded Whakakai by about a factor of three, probably due to mass movement initiation. The specific sediment yield (91s) from Mangaotama (97939 t/km 2 /year) was around 60% higher than Whakakai (60922 t/km 2 /year). Clockwise hysteresis in the QÁSSC relationship dominated at Mangaotama, indicating the importance of near-channel sources. The persistence of near-channel source dominance throughout the study period (despite major land use changes) was attributed to switching of erosive mechanisms (i.e. from cattle-induced mechanical disturbance to subaerial processes). The prevalence of anticlockwise hysteresis in the QÁSSC relationship of events at Whakakai suggests that hillslope sources are likely to be a principal source of eroded sediment. Such information provides valuable information that may help guide future decisions on the application of catchment rehabilitation measures.

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Section: Study Sites and Icm Changesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Land use influences on suspended sediment yields and event sediment dynamics within two headwater catchments, Waikato, New Zealand

Hughes

Quinn

McKergow

2012

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

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“…For example, Dodd et al (2008) use the conclusions in it to justify the statement that in hill country under pasture 'effective rainfall can be below 30% of actual'. The primary reason for the above conclusions is B&G's assumption that the pasture rooting depth was only 150 mm, an assumption for which no justification was provided.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Towards an improved understanding of the soil water balance of sloping land under pasture

Bretherton

Scotter

Horne

et al. 2010

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

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Soil water content and surface runoff data for a hill country soil under pasture in the Tararua district are reported, showing significant water extraction down to at least 350 mm depth, and suggesting repellency-induced runoff at certain times of the year. This paper provides a soil water balance model, including a simplified version of the innovative way in which previous workers modelled repellency-induced runoff. That work provides the only other detailed analysis of the water balance of New Zealand hill country under pasture. The model presented here suggests that between 65 and 80% of rainfall contributed to available soil moisture and was evaporated by pasture. These results contrast with those of the other researchers in that their water balance model assumed a much shallower rooting depth of 150 mm, implying that hill country soils have a small moisture storage capacity and that probably less than 50% of annual rainfall replenishes root zone soil moisture.

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“…At a paddock scale, shade trees can be used to draw cattle away from vulnerable sites (Betteridge et al 2012). At management dominated by tree-planting has shown improvement of all contaminants in the short-term (Dodd et al 2008). At a larger scale again, modelling has been used to show that implementation of whole farm plans can potentially reduce sediment loads in the Manawatu River by 8 to 47% (depending on the degree of targeted implementation, Schierlitz et al 2006).…”

Section: Major Contaminant Mitigationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of contaminant losses to water from pastoral hill lands and mitigation options

Dodd¹,

McDowell²,

Quinn³

2016

NZGA R&P Series

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Pastoral hill lands deliver a range of contaminants to receiving environments that are of concern to the wider sector stakeholder community: principally sediment, phosphorus, nitrogen and faecal microorganisms. Thermal energy may also be considered a contaminant. Pastoral waterways generally have higher concentrations of suspended sediments, nutrients, faecal micro-organisms, and water temperature relative to forested waterways. These effects can be quantitatively linked to animal stocking rates and management. The large variation in the micro-climates, parent materials, soil types and vegetation resources inherent in hill country is the major driver of spatial and temporal dynamics of contaminant losses. This variation is modified by animal behaviour and physiology. Stores of contaminants in surface or sub-surface flow paths create important temporal lags resulting from land use and management change. The concept of critical source areas has become a key focus for the development of mitigation options. A wide range of biophysical options are now available, covering multiple scales and levels of cost-benefit. The use of farm planning tools is critical in balancing the implementation of mitigations with farm system objectives to improve whole-system sustainability. More research is needed on long-term impacts, given spatial and temporal variation in drivers and known spatial and temporal lag effects. There will be ongoing demand for mitigations that have been developed through co-innovation processes. Keywords: environmental mitigations, erosion, hill country, nutrient loss, pastoral, sediment export

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Transformation toward agricultural sustainability in New Zealand hill country pastoral landscapes

Cited by 18 publications

References 21 publications

Land use influences on suspended sediment yields and event sediment dynamics within two headwater catchments, Waikato, New Zealand

Land use influences on suspended sediment yields and event sediment dynamics within two headwater catchments, Waikato, New Zealand

Towards an improved understanding of the soil water balance of sloping land under pasture

A review of contaminant losses to water from pastoral hill lands and mitigation options

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