Background:  

I grew up as the fifth generation on our family cane farm in Bundaberg, Queensland. After school, I obtained a Bachelor of Business in Accountancy (QUT) and worked as an auditor on financial statements, and project audits with the Australian National Audit Office. I returned to studies at UQ to complete a Bachelor of Agricultural Science – Soil Science and Plant Nutrition (Hons I, University Medal), and undertake a PhD.

Personal interests/goals:

bushwalking, ornithology

Study Area: Modelling 

Project Title: The availability of nitrogen in GCTB soils in the wet tropics and its impact on productivity / profitability: A systems analysis

Project outline: Sugarcane crops residues contain 30-50 kg nitrogen (N)/ha, and these have been retained (instead of burnt) in the wet tropics region of far north-eastern Australia for up to 30 years. The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the effect of retaining trash on the N content of sugarcane soils in the Australian wet tropics, and the implications of such changes for productivity and profitability. Techniques include field experiments with 15N labelled trash and N fertiliser, laboratory studies of nitrification processes, and analyses of different management practices with a cropping systems simulation model.

Advisors:

Principal: DrMalcolm Wegener
Other: Prof Kaye Basford, Dr Peter Thorburn

Collaborating Organisations:

• The University of Queensland
• CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
• Sugar Research and Development Corporation
• CRC for Sustainable Sugarcane

Publications:

Refereed Journal Papers

• Meier EA, Thorburn PJ, Wegener MK, Basford KE (2006) The availability of nitrogen from sugarcane trash on contrasting soils in the wet tropics of North Queensland. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 75, 101-114.
• Meier EA, Thorburn PJ, Probert ME (2006) Occurrence and simulation of nitrification in two contrasting sugarcane soils from the Australian wet tropics. Australian Journal of Soil Research 44, 1-9.
• Thorburn PJ, Meier EA, Probert ME (2005) Modelling nitrogen dynamics in sugarcane systems: Recent advances and applications. Field Crops Research 92, 337-351.
• Meier EA, Thorburn PJ, Wegener MK, Basford KE (2002) A conceptual analysis of nitrogen from trash blankets in the wet tropics. International Sugar Journal May/June, 8-11.

Peer Reviewed Conference Papers

• Meier EA, Thorburn PJ, Goodson MA, Wegener MK, Basford KE (2003) Management of sugarcane crop residues for nitrogen supply in the Australian wet tropics. In ‘Proceedings of the 16th International Soil Tillage Research Organisation’. Brisbane, Queensland. (Ed. W Hoogmoed) pp. 737-742. On CD.
• Meier EA, Thorburn PJ, Goodson MA, Wegener MK, Basford KE (2003) Optimisation of nitrogen supply from sugarcane residues in the wet tropics. In ‘Proceedings of the 11th Australian Agronomy Conference’. Geelong, Vic. On CD.

Conference Abstracts

• Thorburn PJ, Biggs JS, Horan HL, Meier EA (2006) Should nitrogen fertiliser be managed differently following trash blanketing? In ‘Proceedings of the 2006 International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists Agronomy Workshop’. p. 24. Khon Kaen, Thailand.
• Meier EA, Thorburn PJ, Wegener MK and Basford KE (2003) Where does trash nitrogen go – to the crop or soil? Proceedings of the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists 25, 84.
• Meier EA, Thorburn PJ, Wegener MK and Basford KE (2002) Organic matter dynamics in the wet tropics under different sugarcane residue management regimes. In ‘Proceedings of the 17th World Congress of Soil Science’. p. 440. (International Union of Soil Science: Bangkok, Thailand)
• Meier EA, Thorburn PJ, Wegener MK and Basford KE (2002) A systems approach to investigating the contribution of trash to soil nitrogen in the wet tropics. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists 24, 486.
• Thorburn PJ, Goodson MA, Meier EA and Biggs JS (2002) Trash raking in the wet tropics. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists 24, 488. 

Magazine Articles

• Meier E (2001) New nitrogen and trash blanketing research in the wet tropics. Australian Sugarcane 5(4), 21.
• Meier EA, Thorburn PJ, Gambley C (2003) Babinda trials yield new data on trash in Wet Tropics. Australian Canegrower 25(9), 17.
• Meier EA, Thorburn PJ (2004) What happens to the N in trash in the wet tropics? Australian Sugarcane 8(4), 7-8.
• Meier EA, Thorburn PJ (2004) How trash stacks up as an N source for sugarcane. Australian Canegrower 26(21), 12.

Contact Details:

• E-mail: elizabeth@meier.net.au