Contact Details
| Organization: | Agriculture and Food Systems |
| Position: | PRINCIPAL RESEARCH FELLOW - DAIRY INDUSTRY |
| Email: | |
| Homepage: | www.greenhouse.unimelb.edu.au |
| Work: | 03 56242222 |
| Fax: | 03 56242200 |
| Level: | Ground |
| Building: | Institute Of Land And Food Resources |
| Campus: | Parkville |
Biography
Dr Richard Eckard is an Associate Professor with the Melbourne School of Land and Environment, the University of Melbourne, but also leads a number of research programs for the Victorian Department of Primary Industries.
These programs include the “Greenhouse in Agriculture” program: a team of 15 scientists researching cost-effective (win-win) options for the abatement of methane and nitrous oxide from Victorian agriculture.
Richard also leads the Victorian Climate Change Adaptation Program; a team of over 25 scientists conducting social and policy research, together with scenario planning and modelling of future agricultural systems and land use analysis based on climate change projections.
Over the past 3 years Richard has led a project entitled “Whole Farm Systems Analysis and Tools for the Australian and New Zealand Grazing Industries - WFSAT”. The main focus of this project has been to develop improved and distributed modelling capability across southern Australia and New Zealand, while also using this capability and models to address key questions being asked by the grazing industries.
Research Expertise and International Linkages
Research Expertise
| Research Interest | Key Words | Country of Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse gas emissions from animal production | methane, nitrous oxide | Australia, South Africa |
| Nitrogen cycling in intensive grazing systems | nitrgen, ammonia, nitrate, volatilisation, denitrification, leaching | Australia, South Africa |
International Linkages
| Country | Establishment | Collaboration |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | AgResearch | Exchange, Research |
| Canada | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada | Exchange, Research |
| United States of America | United States Department of Agriculture | Exchange, Research |
Qualifications, Honours, Fellowships and Other Awards
Qualifications
| Title | Institution | Date Awarded | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Agricultural Science | University of Natal | 31-Dec-1983 | |
| Master of Agricultural Science | University of Natal | 31-Dec-1987 | |
| Doctor of Philosophy | University of Natal | 31-Dec-1994 |
Government Research Classifications
Research Fields, Courses and Discipline Classifications
- Climatology (incl. Palaeoclimatology) (ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES) (260602)
- Soil Chemistry (SOIL AND WATER SCIENCES) (300103)
- Soil and Water Sciences not elsewhere classified (SOIL AND WATER SCIENCES) (300199)
- Plant Nutrition (CROP AND PASTURE PRODUCTION) (300202)
- Agronomy (CROP AND PASTURE PRODUCTION) (300205)
- Crop and Pasture Production not elsewhere classified (CROP AND PASTURE PRODUCTION) (300299)
- Horticulture not elsewhere classified (HORTICULTURE) (300399)
- Animal Nutrition (ANIMAL PRODUCTION) (300403)
- Animal Husbandry (ANIMAL PRODUCTION) (300404)
- Animal Production not elsewhere classified (ANIMAL PRODUCTION) (300499)
- Natural Resource Management (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES) (300803)
- Environmental Impact Assessment (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES) (300804)
- Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES) (300899)
- Sustainable Development (LAND, PARKS AND AGRICULTURE MANAGEMENT) (300903)
- Fertilisers and Agrochemicals (Application etc.) (OTHER AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES) (309901)
Socio-Economic Objective Classifications
- Wheat (FIELD CROPS) (620101)
- Field crops (SUSTAINABLE PLANT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS) (620501)
- Primary products from plants (SUSTAINABLE PLANT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS) (620504)
- Sheep - wool (LIVESTOCK) (630102)
- Dairy cattle (LIVESTOCK) (630104)
- Livestock not elsewhere classified (LIVESTOCK) (630199)
- Sown grasses (PASTURE, BROWSE AND FODDER CROPS) (630202)
- Fodder crops (PASTURE, BROWSE AND FODDER CROPS) (630204)
- Livestock (SUSTAINABLE ANIMAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS) (630501)
- Pasture, browse and fodder crops (SUSTAINABLE ANIMAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS) (630502)
- Primary products from animals (SUSTAINABLE ANIMAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS) (630504)
- Chemical fertilisers (AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS) (670601)
- Environmental & resource evaluation not elsewhere classified (ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESOURCE EVALUATION) (760299)
- Climate change (CLIMATE AND WEATHER) (770101)
- Climate variability (CLIMATE AND WEATHER) (770102)
- Air quality (FARMLAND INCL. ARABLE LAND AND PERMANENT CROP LAND) (770801)
- Land and water management (FARMLAND INCL. ARABLE LAND AND PERMANENT CROP LAND) (770802)
Grants and Contracts
Research Grants, Contracts and Consultancies awarded to the University of Melbourne as the administering institution (since 2003) as recorded in Themis Agreements.
Grants
| Title | Role | Funding Source | Scheme | Award Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pasture technology for dairy production systems in southern Australia | Chief Investigator | AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL | Strategic Partnerships with Industry - Research & Training Scheme | 01/01/2001 |
| Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Intensive Dairy Pastures | Principal Supervisor | AUST DAIRY CORP | Postgraduate Awards (DAIRY AUSTRALIA) | 01/03/2003 |
| Spatial and temporal quantification of nitrous oxide emissions in response to climate signals | Chief Investigator | DAIRY AUSTRALIA | Postgraduate Awards | 01/09/2004 |
| WHOLE FARM SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND TOOLS FOR THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND GRAZING INDUSTRIES (WFSAT) | Chief Investigator | MEAT & LIVESTOCK AUST LTD, AGRESEARCH LIMITED, DAIRY AUSTRALIA |
Out of session Project Grant (DAIRY AUSTRALIA) | 01/02/2006 |
| NEW INDUSTRIES FOR FUTURE CLIMATES | Chief Investigator | RURAL INDUSTRIES R & D CORPORATION | Project Grants | 30/04/2008 |
| NITRIFICATION INHIBITORS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REDUCE NITROUS OXIDE EMISSIONS FROM URINE DEPOSITION ON DAIRY PASTURES IN SOUTH-EASTERN AUSTRALIA | Principal Supervisor | DAIRY AUSTRALIA | Out of session Project Grant | 01/05/2009 |
| AWET MSC SCHOLARSHIP - 2009 | Principal Supervisor | AUST WOOL EDUCATION TRUST | Scholarships | 04/08/2009 |
| BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR NITROGEN IN INTENSIVE DAIRY PR | Chief Investigator | DEPT OF NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT | Strategic Partnerships with Industry - Research & Training Scheme (AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL) |
Contracts
| Title | Role | Funding Source | Award Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| A review of nitrification Inhibitors | Chief Investigator | PASTORAL GREENHOUSE GAS RESEARCH CONSORTIUM |
Additional Grant and Contract Information
- Research Fellowship, University of Tasmania. Dairy Research and Development Corporation DAT058. January 1995 to July 1997. $206,229
- Economic options for sustaining higher stocking rates of dairy cows on perennial ryegrass /clover pasture throughout lactation. Project no DAT063/UT006. Australian Dairy Research and Development Corporation. Chief Investigator, July 1996 to June 1997. $108,000
- Study tour of Canada and the USA – Dairy Australia grant UT007. June – July 1997. $8,700.
- Best management practices for nitrogen in intensive dairy production systems. Strategic Partnerships with Industry Research and Training (SPIRT) Scheme to the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Australian Research Council. Project no. C19804739. January 1998 to December 2000. $204,459.
- Best management practices for nitrogen in intensive dairy production systems. Project no DAV413. Australian Dairy Research and Development Corporation. January 1998 to December 2000. $ 221,060.
- A Decision Support Framework for Greenhouse Accounting on Australian Dairy Farms - Dairy Australia grant UM10667. July 2001 to June 2002. $60,000
- Measuring Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Agriculture – Capital Equipment Grant, Department of Primary Indsutries, Victoria, 2001. Total value: $ 1,251,842.
- Supplementary proposal for a new non-CO2 program within the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting. AusIndustry Federal Grant.
o National Non-CO2 program leader July 2003 – July 2005 $1.35M. - Whole Farm Systems Analysis and Tools for the Australian and New Zealand Grazing Industries - UM12127/ B.MGS.0035. 1 February 2006 - 30th December 2008 Dairy Australia: $1,031,250; Meat and Livestock Australia: $687,500; AgResearch New Zealand: $300,000 plus $NZ720,000 in kind
- Victorian Climate Change Adaptation Program (MIS 08275, CMI 101454), Program Leader 1st July 2007 – 30th June 2010. Victorian State Government – ESAS Initiative $2,827,000; Victorian State Government – ORLE Initiative $ 3,703,595
- Enteric methane abatement strategies for ruminant production systems in south eastern Australia. B.CCH.1009 1 April 2009 - 15th December 2011. Dairy Australia: $300,000; Meat and Livestock Australia: $98,000; DAFF: 1,067,080
Publications
Publications produced at the University of Melbourne and reported in the Annual Publications Collection and 'Research Report' since 2001. The Themis Publications module, released in November 2006, allows additional publications from previous institutions and publications from past years to be entered.