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The
Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Victoria and The University of
Melbourne established an Australian Grains Free Air Carbon Dioxide
Enrichment (AGFACE) Experiment at the Plant Breeding Centre, Horsham in
2007 (Horsham AGFACE). The FACE infrastructure and research were funded to
produce specific outputs (“Core experimentation”) and
experimental procedures are being implemented to produce these outputs (see
Horsham FACE Experimental Protocols, May 2007). A second FACE experimental site has been
established at Walpeup in 2008 as part of the “Core
Experimentation” (Walpeup AGFACE).
In addition, planning is being undertaken to establish a second FACE
experiment at Horsham to allow research on soil and plant biosecurity
issues within a cropping rotation (Horsham rotation FACE). This document outlines procedures for
collaborators to become involved in FACE experimentation at Horsham or
Walpeup.
Table 1. FACE facilities and
experiments covered by this Procedure
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Experimental
site
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Project
leaders
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Horsham AGFACE experiment
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Dr Rob Norton, Dr Glenn Fitzgerald
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Walpeup AGFACE experiment
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Dr Rob Norton, Dr Glenn Fitzgerald
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Horsham soil FACE research
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Dr Roger Armstrong
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Biosecurity research
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Dr Joanne Luck
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Physiology Research
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Dr Saman Seneweera
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Crop Systems Modelling
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Dr Garry O’Leary
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The project leader for the AGFACE is Dr Rob
Norton, University
of Melbourne, who is
based in Horsham. Overall DPI
leadership is provided by Dr Glenn Fitzgerald who is also located at
Horsham. Specific projects with the
AGFACE facility include the proposed Horsham soil FACE experiment led by Dr
Roger Armstrong, based in Horsham and biosecurity research, led by Dr
Joanne Luck, based at DPI Knoxfield in Melbourne. Dr Seneweera (University of Melbourne)
and Dr O’Leary are both based at Horsham.
Even though the experimental areas within
FACE systems are small and highly structured these experiments
internationally have attracted researchers to utilise the infrastructure
and experiments for additional studies beyond the Core experimentation. The
additional research has involved non-destructive measurements and/or
plant/soil material not required for the Core experimentation. Usually data
from the Core experimentation supplements data collected in add-on
research. Add-on research often contributes to the interpretation of Core
experimentation or permits investigation of carbon dioxide impacts on
factors outside the Core experimentation. For example, add-on research at
Horsham in 2007 investigated aspects of cereal disease not included in the
Core experimentation.
The intent is to encourage add-on research
at Horsham and Walpeup to maximise returns on the high cost of establishing
and running a FACE experiment. This document outlines the principles that
researchers need to consider when planning research, the procedure to
follow to obtain access to the site for experimentation, and the dispute
resolution procedure while undertaking research at the facility.
This protocol also covers those wishing to
access and use particular data sets from the Core experiment, such as for
modelling, either for validation or assessment of impacts.
The Australian Greenhouse Office (now
Department of Climate Change) has established a national committee to advise
on priorities for research relating to the impact of elevated carbon
dioxide on Australian plant production.
Add-on research will be submitted to this committee for approval
before access to the Horsham and Walpeup FACE can be granted.
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