Soil Science, Agriculture, Plant Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Chemical Engineering

• carbon sequestration

• biochar engineering and application

• negative emissions technologies

• regenerative agriculture

• nutrient cycling

• plant biology

• ecotoxicology

• environmental pollutants/contaminants

Wolfram Buss obtained his PhD from the University of Edinburgh in 2016. His PhD research in the UK Biochar Research Centre combined biology, soil science and agriculture with environmental sciences, environmental chemistry, and engineering. The project investigated the risks associated with the production and application of biochar, a charcoal-like material that can be applied to soil to improve soil properties and sequester carbon. He worked as a post-doc at the University of Edinburgh in 2017 on projects to improve biochar as a nutrient provider and for use in anaerobic digestion to increase the methane yield. In 2018, he moved to Canberra and worked as an independent consultant and as a casual academic at the Fenner School at ANU. From end of 2018 to end of 2019, he worked at CSIRO Ag and Food in crop adaptations, improving crop yields under drought conditions. In January 2020, he started a post-doc position in the research group of Prof Justin Borevitz in the Research School of Biology at ANU on land-based carbon sequestration techniques and how to maximise their potential. Wolfram’s passion is applying different areas of scientific expertise to study interdisciplinary problems and has dedicated his life to developing environmentally sustainable solutions in the food production and energy sector.

• Integrated, land-based systems for carbon sequestration

• Soil carbon sequestration through microbial inoculation
  

• Optimising biochar as nutrient provider

Potential for atmosphere carbon dioxide removal and plant nutrient provision through rock application on land

To mitigate the negative effects of climate change, besides reducing emissions, carbon dioxide needs to be removed from the atmosphere. Crushing and land application of specific types of rocks, such as basalt, can capture carbon dioxide due to a process called enhanced weathering. This process can also supply nutrients and alkalinity to the soil, improving plant growth. In this project, a plant trial will be set-up to investigate the potential for enhanced basalt weathering under different water regimes.