
Overview
Background
Susanne leads a vibrant team researching natural ecosystems and agroecosystems focussed on plants, microbes and soil. This aims to advance the circular nutrient economy, the restoration of degraded soils and landscapes, and the sustainable use of Australia's flora in research that is led by Indigenous experts and communities.
Funded PhD and MPhil positions are available in the (i) Bushfood project and the (ii) Next-generation fertilisers project and soil ameliorants project. Honours and Masters projects are available in all active projects. Please register your interest emailing Susanne.Schmidt@uq.edu.au
Active projects:
- Climate smart agriculture: quantifying the benefits of cultural burning in QLD grazing lands (led by Firesticks Alliance, funded by the AustDAF)
- A Deadly Solution: Traditional Knowledge and Western Science for an Indigenous-led Bushfood Industry (ARC Discovery-Indigenous)
- Realising Smart Compost Formulations (End Food Waste CRC)
- Next-generation fertilisers and soil ameliorants (ARC Industry Transformation Training Centre 'Transforming Biosolids')
Completed recent projects
- Environmentally responsive bio-composite fertilisers
- Ecofriendly fertilisers for sustainable farming
- Effective microbial biostimulants in horticulture
- New technologies and management: transforming nitrogen use efficiency in cane production
- Recycled phosphorus from waste streams as efficient sources for agriculture
- License to farm - nitrogen use efficiency in sugarcane production
- Developing sugarcane-legume companion cropping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Spinifex desert grass - ecophysiology and nano-cellulose production for novel biomaterials
- The role of soil microbes to restore soil carbon in tropical reforestation
- Soil carbon sequestration in the Cooloola biosphere chronosequence
- Advancing Livestock Waste as Low Emission-High Efficiency Fertilizers
- Ecogenomic profiling of Queensland sugarcane soils
Availability
- Professor Susanne Schmidt is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Masters (Coursework), Universität Hohenheim
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
-
Quantifying the benefits of cultural burning in QLD grazed landscapes
Cultural burning has been used by Australia's Indigenous people for millennia and is essential for safeguarding from inappropriate fire management that threatens the integrity of landscapes. Indigenous agency Firesticks Alliance (https://firesticks.org.au/) leads this project with aim to evaluate the re-introduction of Indigenous Cultural fire managment.
-
Deadly solutions: Towards the Indigenous-led bushfood industry
Australia is the country with the second highest plant biodiversity and many plants have have been used for food, medicines and materials by Australia's First Nation people. Three Indigenous communities collaborate with scientists and business experts to explore native plants for bushfoods and horticulture.
-
Nutrient stewardship and the circular nutrient economy
Plant nutrition, next-generation fertilisers, organic forms of nutrients, re-purposing waste streams, compost, biochar, biosolids, matching crop nutrient demand and nutrient release, risk of nutrient losses, sustainable agriculture, industry partnerships, organic and regenerative farming
Research impacts
We must restore and preserve Earth's function as it is the foundation for our existence. Agriculture and food systems currently have an enormous footprint: as soils degrade and generate greenhouse gases, agrichemicals pollute the environment, and biodiversity is impacted by land clearing. Transiting to a circ ular economy for a world without waste and pollutionand finding ways to protect and restore biodiversity are at the core of our reasearch. Our partners include Indigenous experts and communities, government and industry.
https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2022/09/power-of-compost-making-waste-climate-champion
https://study.uq.edu.au/stories/reducing-microplastics-fertiliser-pollution
https://www.mla.com.au/news-and-events/industry-news/biocrusts-offer-natural-solution/
https://futurebeef.com.au/biocrusts-the-living-skin-of-rangeland-soils/
Works
Search Professor Susanne Schmidt’s works on UQ eSpace
2007
Journal Article
Transporters for uptake and allocation of organic nitrogen compounds in plants
Rentsch, D., Schmidt, S. and Tegeder, M. (2007). Transporters for uptake and allocation of organic nitrogen compounds in plants. FEBS Letters, 581 (12), 2281-2289. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2007.04.013
2007
Journal Article
Impacts of the biocontrol agent Malacorhinus irregularis (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) on Mimosa pigra seedlings and the importance of root nodules
Mcintyre, Vanessa, Grace, Blair and Schmidt, Susanne (2007). Impacts of the biocontrol agent Malacorhinus irregularis (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) on Mimosa pigra seedlings and the importance of root nodules. Biocontrol Science and Technology, 17 (4), 365-374. doi: 10.1080/09583150701213653
2006
Journal Article
Modelling predicts positive and negative interactions between three Australian tropical tree species in monoculture and binary mixture
Manson, Daniel G., Hanan, Jim, Hunt, Mark, Bristow, Mila, Erskine, Peter D., Lamb, David and Schmidt, Susanne (2006). Modelling predicts positive and negative interactions between three Australian tropical tree species in monoculture and binary mixture. Forest Ecology And Management, 233 (2-3), 315-323. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2006.05.028
2006
Conference Publication
Reducing nitrogen input in sugarcane production: exploitation of genetic variability and specific nitrogen uptake characteristics holds the key
Fletcher, Andrew, Robinson, Nicole, Whan, Alex, Aitken, Karen, Critchley, Christa, Schmidt, Susanne and Laskhmanan, Prakash (2006). Reducing nitrogen input in sugarcane production: exploitation of genetic variability and specific nitrogen uptake characteristics holds the key. 28th Annual Conference of the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists, ASSCT 2006, Mackay, QLD, Australia, 2-5 May 2006. Mackay, QLD, Australia: Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists.
2006
Journal Article
Adaptations of strangler figs to life in the rainforest canopy
Schmidt, Susanne and Tracey, Dieter P. (2006). Adaptations of strangler figs to life in the rainforest canopy. Functional Plant Biology, 33 (5), 465-475. doi: 10.1071/FP06014
2006
Journal Article
Effects of nitrogen source and ectomycorrhizal association on growth and delta N-15 of two subtropical Eucalyptus species from contrasting ecosystems
Schmidt, Susanne, Handley, Linda L. and Sangtiean, Tanuwong (2006). Effects of nitrogen source and ectomycorrhizal association on growth and delta N-15 of two subtropical Eucalyptus species from contrasting ecosystems. Functional Plant Biology, 33 (4), 367-379. doi: 10.1071/FP05260
2006
Conference Publication
Genetic and Physiological traits of diploid progenitors and newly synthesized polyploidy trees
Gamage, Harshi K., Prentis, Peter, Lowe, Andrew J., Lamont, Malcolm and Schmidt, Susanne (2006). Genetic and Physiological traits of diploid progenitors and newly synthesized polyploidy trees. IUFRO Division 2 Joint Conference: Low input breeding and genetic conservation of forest tree species, Antalya, Turkey, 9-13 October 2006.
2006
Conference Publication
Foreword to 'Plant and Ecosystem Physiology: Research and Methodology'
Schmidt, Susanne, Gleadow, Ros and Robinson, Sharon (2006). Foreword to 'Plant and Ecosystem Physiology: Research and Methodology'. Collingwood: Csiro Publishing. doi: 10.1071/FPv33n5_FO
2004
Conference Publication
Special issue: Ecophysiology of Australasian plants and ecosystems. Foreword
Hovenden, Mark and Schmidt, Susanne (2004). Special issue: Ecophysiology of Australasian plants and ecosystems. Foreword. doi: 10.1071/FPv31n5toc
2004
Journal Article
Nitrogen ecophysiology of Heron Island, a subtropical coral cay of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Schmidt, Susanne, Dennison, William C., Moss, Gordon J. and Stewart, George R. (2004). Nitrogen ecophysiology of Heron Island, a subtropical coral cay of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Functional Plant Biology, 31 (5), 517-528. doi: 10.1071/FP04024
2004
Journal Article
Foreword to 'ecophysiology of Australasian plants and ecosystems'
Hovenden, Mark and Schmidt, Susanne (2004). Foreword to 'ecophysiology of Australasian plants and ecosystems'. Functional Plant Biology, 31 (5), iv-iv. doi: 10.1071/FP04902
2003
Journal Article
Physiological profiles of restricted endemic plants and their widespread congenors in the North Queensland wet tropics, Australia
Richards, A. E., Shapcott, A., Playford, J., Morrison, B., Critchley, C. and Schmidt, S. (2003). Physiological profiles of restricted endemic plants and their widespread congenors in the North Queensland wet tropics, Australia. Biological Conservation, 111 (1), 41-52. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3207(02)00245-8
2003
Journal Article
Nitrogen use strategies of neotropical rainforest trees in threatened Atlantic Forest
Aidar, M. P. M., Schmidt, S., Moss, G., Stewart, G. R. and Joly, C. A. (2003). Nitrogen use strategies of neotropical rainforest trees in threatened Atlantic Forest. Plant Cell And Environment, 26 (3), 389-399. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3040.2003.00970.x
2003
Journal Article
Do cluster roots of Hakea actities (Proteaceae) acquire complex organic nitrogen?
Schmidt, S., Mason, M., Sangtiean, T. and Stewart, G. R. (2003). Do cluster roots of Hakea actities (Proteaceae) acquire complex organic nitrogen?. Plant and Soil, 248 (1-2), 157-165. doi: 10.1023/A:1022352415728
2003
Journal Article
delta N-15 values of tropical savanna and monsoon forest species reflect root specialisations and soil nitrogen status
Schmidt, S. and Stewart, G. R. (2003). delta N-15 values of tropical savanna and monsoon forest species reflect root specialisations and soil nitrogen status. Oecologia, 134 (4), 569-577. doi: 10.1007/s00442-002-1150-y
2002
Journal Article
Nutrient dynamics in Queensland savannas: Implications for the sustainability of land clearing for pasture production
Schmidt, S. and Lamble, R. E. (2002). Nutrient dynamics in Queensland savannas: Implications for the sustainability of land clearing for pasture production. Rangeland Journal, 24 (1), 96-111. doi: 10.1071/RJ02005
2002
Journal Article
Growth of subtropical ECM fungi with different nitrogen sources using a new floating culture technique
Sangtiean, T. and Schmidt, S. (2002). Growth of subtropical ECM fungi with different nitrogen sources using a new floating culture technique. Mycological Research, 106 (1), 74-85. doi: 10.1017/S0953756201005226
2002
Journal Article
Rapid isolation of total RNA and genomic DNA from Hakea actities
Mason, M. G. and Schmidt, S. (2002). Rapid isolation of total RNA and genomic DNA from Hakea actities. Functional Plant Biology, 29 (8), 1013-1016. doi: 10.1071/PP01151
2002
Journal Article
N-15 natural abundance of fossil peat reflects the influence of animal-derived nitrogen on vegetation
Bergstrom, D. M., Stewart, G. R., Selkirk, P. M. and Schmidt, S. (2002). N-15 natural abundance of fossil peat reflects the influence of animal-derived nitrogen on vegetation. Oecologia, 130 (2), 309-314. doi: 10.1007/s004420100807
2002
Journal Article
Impact of point source pollution on nitrogen isotope signatures (delta N-15) of vegetation in SE Brazil
Stewart, G. R., Aidar, M. P. M., Joly, C. A. and Schmidt, S. (2002). Impact of point source pollution on nitrogen isotope signatures (delta N-15) of vegetation in SE Brazil. Oecologia, 131 (3), 468-472. doi: 10.1007/s00442-002-0906-8
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Susanne Schmidt is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Towards responsible nitrogen use in Oceania
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Renuka Mahadevan
-
Doctor Philosophy
On-ground management of soil nutrients by integrating proximal and remote sensing platforms in northern Australian savannas grazing lands
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Andries Potgieter, Dr Yan Zhao
-
Doctor Philosophy
Bushfoods and native plants of three Indigenous communities in Queensland: A cultural stewardship approach.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Marlize Bekker
-
Master Philosophy
Testing the suitability of biosolids derivates for carbon sequestration into soil and post-mining substrate
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Thierry Bore
-
Doctor Philosophy
Agronomic assessment of Smart Compost Formulations with legume and grain crops
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nicole Robinson, Dr Vijaya Singh
-
Doctor Philosophy
Optimising supply chain and composting techniques to reduce Australia's food waste problem
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Tyron Venn, Associate Professor Renuka Mahadevan
-
Doctor Philosophy
A Zero-waste Sustainable Extraction of Astaxanthin from Australian Microalgae Strain Haematococcus pluvialis to Improve the Antioxidant Capacity and Sun Protection Factor of Edible Cosmetics
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Wildly productive urban landscapes: Exploring the agency of public urban landscapes in creating healthy cities and community engagement
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jonathan Corcoran, Dr Liz Brogden, Dr Silvia Micheli
-
Doctor Philosophy
Costs and benefits of plant-microbe symbioses
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Paul Dennis
-
Doctor Philosophy
Isolation and optimisation of phosphate-solubilising fungi for agricultural applications
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Esteban Marcellin, Dr Axa Gonzalez
-
Doctor Philosophy
Characterising Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Sugarcane
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nicole Robinson
Completed supervision
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Sustainable Agriculture and the Phosphorus Bioeconomy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bronwyn Laycock, Professor Gary Schenk
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Productivity, Profitability and Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Rice Cropping in the Philippines
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Renuka Mahadevan
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
From complex to complicated: Addressing global phosphorus inefficiency with field scale agricultural systems models
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Daniel Rodriguez
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Optimisation and application of microdialysis in monitoring nutrient availability in the soil-plant continuum
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nicole Robinson
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
The role of nitrogen in enhancing the resilience of tropical tree seedlings used for restoration
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nicole Robinson
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Functional response of Triodia species to the Australian arid zone
Principal Advisor
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluating the Efficacy of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria In Australian Agriculture
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nicole Robinson, Associate Professor Paul Dennis
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Soil organic matter turnover over decadal to millennial timescales
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
DEVELOPING SUGARCANE - LEGUME COMPANION CROPPING SYSTEMS TO MINIMISE NITROUS OXIDE EMISSIONS
Principal Advisor
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
A microdialysis perspective of soil nitrogen availability
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Paul Dennis
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Effect of soil amendments on greenhouse gas emissions from subtropical soils
Principal Advisor
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Restoration of soil microbes and organic matter through tropical reforestation
Principal Advisor
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Conditional up-regulation of cytokinin status increases growth and survival of sugarcane in water-limited conditions
Principal Advisor
-
2014
Doctor Philosophy
Microbial processes in sugarcane soils in context of nitrogen and carbon cycles
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nicole Robinson
-
2012
Doctor Philosophy
Predicting growth in mixed-species tree plantations: An Australian Wet Tropics case study
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jim Hanan
-
-
2009
Doctor Philosophy
Carbon sequestration and soil fertility of tropical tree plantations and secondary forests in Vietnam
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Erskine
-
-
2008
Doctor Philosophy
Nitrous oxide and methane fluxes from subtropical mangrove sediments and sugar cane soils in coastal Queensland
Principal Advisor
-
2008
Doctor Philosophy
Interactions between tree species composition and nutrient relations in tropical and subtropical forest recovery
Principal Advisor
-
2007
Doctor Philosophy
CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN NATIVE RAINFOREST TREE PLANTATIONS
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM
-
2003
Doctor Philosophy
Nitrogen and Carbon cycling in Macadamia integrifolia
Principal Advisor
-
2003
Doctor Philosophy
THE INFLUENCE OF LIGHT ON NITROGEN METABOLISM
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jimmy Botella
-
2002
Master Science
Development of biomonitoring indicators for evaluating the sustainability of mine site revegetation
Principal Advisor
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Effects of fire and grazing management on the diversity and potential function of biocrust microbiomes
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jiarui Sun, Associate Professor Paul Dennis
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Assigning function to the core bacterial microbiome of Musa spp.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jiarui Sun, Associate Professor Paul Dennis
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
The Influence of Soil pH on Microbial Community Structure and Function
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Paul Dennis
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
The ecology of Macrozamia lucida L.A.S.Johnson cycads with special reference to the environmental requirements of the most sensitive life cycle transitions.
Associate Advisor
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Water use of tropical trees: plant traits and water isotope relationships
Associate Advisor
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
The development of green microalgae as a biofertiliser and biostimulant to improve Spinacia oleracea crop quality and yield.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Juliane Wolf, Professor Ben Hankamer
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
The Roots of Blue Carbon: Effects of physical soil properties on root growth and carbon sequestration in mangrove forests.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Catherine Lovelock
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
The journey of nitrate from source to sink in Sorghum bicolor: Uncovering the physiology and gene expression of nitrate storage, mobilisation, assimilation and remobilisation in sorghum
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Emma Mace, Professor Ian Godwin
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring the physiological flexibility of reef-building corals in a changing environment
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
-
2017
Master Philosophy
Genome wide analysis and allele mining of diverse sorghum genes involved in nitrogen use efficiency
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Emma Mace, Professor Ian Godwin
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of root and associated soil microbiomes of sugarcane and other plants
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Phil Hugenholtz
-
2014
Master Philosophy
An investigation of sustainable spinifex-harvesting and knowledge revival: A case study in northwest Queensland
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Ian Lilley
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
Biogeography of the Australian Monsoon Flora, with emphasis on the broad-leaved paper barks (Melaleuca leucadendra species complex)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Lyn Cook
-
2011
Doctor Philosophy
The Ecology of Cycads: Living Representatives of an Ancient Plant Lineage and their Interactions with Animals.
Associate Advisor
-
2010
Doctor Philosophy
Relating resource availability and herbivore escape opportunity to plant community invasibility: Creating integrated strategies to manage Alternanthera philoxeroides and Phyla canescens
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Catherine Lovelock
-
2009
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the mechanisms behind invasion to improve the efficacy of control strategies
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham
-
2007
Doctor Philosophy
Comparative ecophysiology of Graptophyllum species in Australia
Associate Advisor
-
2005
Doctor Philosophy
DEVELOPMENT OF PASSIVE AIR SAMPLERS FOR SEMIVOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller
-
2004
Doctor Philosophy
ANALYSES OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STABLE ISOTOPE SIGNATURES, LEAF EPIDERMAL MORPHOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Susanne Schmidt directly for media enquiries about:
- bioeconomy
- circular nutrient economy
- climate change mitigation
- compost
- next-generation fertilisers
- Plant nutrition
- soil restoration and recarbonisation
- sustainable farming
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: