
Overview
Background
Not only do soils provide humans with 98.8% of our food, they also provide humanity with a broad range of other services such as carbon storage and greenhouse gas regulation. However, soils are also the most complex ecosystem in the world – it is this complexity that forms the basis of Peter's research at The University of Queensland (UQ). As a Soil Scientist, Peter is actively involved in the management and conservation of soil; one of the basic elements which sustain life. Whilst soil takes hundreds or thousands of years to form, it can be destroyed in a matter of years if not managed correctly. The management and conservation of the soil-environment is arguably the biggest challenge we face as we move into the future. We need new ideas to solve the world’s problems.
The aim of Peter's research is to increase plant growth in soils that are degraded and infertile, both in Australia and developing countries. He has a demonstrated ability to lead outstanding research programs across a range of inter-connected themes, spanning in scale from fundamental research to landscape-scale projects, with this demonstrating a unique ability to link industry partners with high quality research. Peter's research spans the areas of agricultural production, water chemistry, and waste disposal, currently focusing on (i) the global development of advanced and novel methodologies for investigation of plants and soils, (ii) behaviour of nutrients, fertilizers, and carbon in soils, and (iii) plant growth in degraded soils.
Peter is Past President of Soil Science Australia (QLD), a former ARC Future Fellow, recipient of the JK Taylor Gold Medal in Soil Science (2018), and recipient of the CG Stephens Award in Soil Science (2005).
Availability
- Professor Peter Kopittke is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
- Postgraduate Diploma, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Behaviour of nutrients, fertilizers, and carbon in soils
My research is providing important insights into the behaviour and cycling of nutrients in soils. This includes the behaviour of fertilizers upon their addition to soils, as well as the long-term effects of agricultural cropping on the cycling and loss of nutrients from soils. For example, my research is currently investigating how to increase farmer’s profitability when using deep-banded P fertilizers in soils of northern Australia. This research is utilizing novel approaches for understanding how P behaves following its addition to a range of soils, including synchrotron-based approaches that are allowing in situ analyses of the P within the soil. Research within my group is also investigating soil organic carbon, with the storage of carbon in soils is vital for maintaining soil fertility for food production. Indeed, soil carbon is the largest pool of terrestrial carbon (ca. 2,000 Gt). My research is combining advanced spectroscopic techniques with conventional approaches to understand the mechanisms influencing the sequestration and degradation of soil organic matter and the cycling of associated nutrients. My group is one of the first in the world to utilize high-flux synchrotron radiation to examine the speciation and distribution of carbon in soil micro-aggregates.
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Plant growth in degraded soils
Plant-ion interactions underlie many problems currently facing Australia’s environmental and agricultural systems. My research aims to improve our understanding of plant-ion interactions, including: (i) managing saline soils and acid soils, in which either salts or Al toxicity reduce agricultural yields, (ii) regulation and management of sites contaminated with trace metals at levels which are potentially toxic to plants, and (iii) improving nutrient use efficiency in order to reduce nutrient losses and water pollution. In addition, the beneficial of wastes (or potential wastes) can potentially result in improved environmental, agronomic, and social outcomes. However, the addition of these resources should not result in significant net change in the environment beyond acceptable limits. Thus, for waste-disposal systems, there is a need to identify how potentially limiting factors (such as excess salt or nutrients) impact upon the soil-plant-animal continuum and hence ecosystem functioning. My research is leading studies of the environmental sustainability of the land-disposal of a variety of wastes.
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Leadership of the global development of advanced and novel methodologies for investigation of plants and soils
My international leadership in the development of spectroscopic techniques has led to important advances in the study of various elements in soils and plants. Indeed, I have led the development of novel and technically-advanced methods to examine ion distribution and speciation within plants and soils, including synchrotron-based techniques, NanoSIMS, and analytical electron microscopy. My leadership in this area is internationally-recognised, with this being evident from the international synchrotron facilities that I have utilised, being in the USA, Canada, France, Italy, and Thailand. Collaborating with Prof Enzo Lombi (University of South Australia), we were the first in the world to obtain a tomogram showing metal distribution in fresh, hydrated plant roots. We were also the first in the world to obtain laterally-resolved speciation of metal(loid)s in situ within hydrated plant tissues. These approaches have facilitated several important discoveries, including the identification of an underlying mechanism which accounts for the toxicities of a range of trace metals. I was the first to conclusively demonstrate the primary lesion of toxic Al – this being the primary limiting factor in the 40% of worldwide arable soils that are acidic. Our data showed that Al reduces root growth within 5 min by binding to the cell wall and inhibiting loosening in the elongation zone. I was also one of the first to use NanoSIMS for the investigation of soil organic carbon (SOC) in soil systems, with this providing novel insights into how C and N are stabilized within soils.
Works
Search Professor Peter Kopittke’s works on UQ eSpace
2015
Conference Publication
Aluminium rhizotoxicity in solution culture: the past and the present
Kopittke, Peter M., Menzies, Neal W. and Blamey, F. P. C. (2015). Aluminium rhizotoxicity in solution culture: the past and the present. The Eleventh Keele Meeting on Aluminium, Lille, France, 1-4 March 2015.
2015
Conference Publication
Root elongation responses of a drought tolerant shrub species Acacia chisholmii to elevated concentrations of cobalt and nickel in solution
Kabas, Sebla, Huang, Longbin and Kopittke, Peter M. (2015). Root elongation responses of a drought tolerant shrub species Acacia chisholmii to elevated concentrations of cobalt and nickel in solution. Rhizosphere-4, Maastricht, Netherlands, 21-25 June 2015.
2015
Conference Publication
Using synchrotron-based µ-XRF and XAS studies to examine plants differing in tolerance to toxic Mn
Blamey, F. P. C., Hernandez-Soriano, M. C., Cheng, M., Paterson, D. J., Lombi, E., Scheckel, Kirk, Tang, Caixian and Kopittke, Peter M. (2015). Using synchrotron-based µ-XRF and XAS studies to examine plants differing in tolerance to toxic Mn. 13th International Conference on the Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements, Fukuoka, Japan, 12-16 July 2015.
2015
Conference Publication
Synchrotron-based Infrared-microspectroscopy reveals the impact of land management on carbon storage in soil micro-aggregates
Hernandez-Soriano, M. C., Dalal, R. C., Menzies, N. W, and Kopittke, P. M. (2015). Synchrotron-based Infrared-microspectroscopy reveals the impact of land management on carbon storage in soil micro-aggregates. European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2015, Vienna AUSTRIA, 12-17 April 2015.
2015
Conference Publication
Synchrotron-based methods for investigation of trace elements in soils and plants
Kopittke, Peter M., Wang, Peng, Blamey, F.P.C. and Lombi, Enzo (2015). Synchrotron-based methods for investigation of trace elements in soils and plants. 13th International Conference on the Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements, Fukuoka, Japan, 12-16 July 2015.
2015
Journal Article
Silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag2S-NPs) are taken up by plants and are phytotoxic
Wang, P., Menzies, N. W., Lombi, E., Sekine, R., Blamey, F. P. C., Hernandez-Soriano, M. C., Cheng, M., Kappen, P., Peijnenburg, W., Caixian, T. and Kopittke, P. M. (2015). Silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag2S-NPs) are taken up by plants and are phytotoxic. Nanotoxicology, 9 (8), 1041-1049. doi: 10.3109/17435390.2014.999139
2014
Other Outputs
Understanding the movement of fluoride from soils into the broader ecosystem. Santos Ltd.
Wehr, Johannes B., Kopittke, Peter M., Scholz, Lisa and Menzies, Neal W. (2014). Understanding the movement of fluoride from soils into the broader ecosystem. Santos Ltd.. Brisbane, Australia:
2014
Other Outputs
Understanding the movement of fluoride from soils into the broader ecosystem - Final Report
Wehr, J. Bernhard, Kopittke, Peter M., Scholz, Lisa and Menzies, Neal W. (2014). Understanding the movement of fluoride from soils into the broader ecosystem - Final Report. Uniquest Project No: 00767 St Lucia, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences.
2014
Other Outputs
An assessment of the potential impacts of the overhead irrigation of saline and alkaline water on plant foliage. Santos Ltd.
Wehr, Johannes B., Menzies, Neal W., Steenhauer, Michiel and Kopittke, Peter M. (2014). An assessment of the potential impacts of the overhead irrigation of saline and alkaline water on plant foliage. Santos Ltd.. Brisbane, Australia:
2014
Other Outputs
Final Report - UQ Land conditioning intact soil core study
Wehr, Johannes B., Kopittke, Peter M. and Menzies, Neal W. (2014). Final Report - UQ Land conditioning intact soil core study. St Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences.
2014
Other Outputs
Milestone report 7: UQ land conditioning intact soil core study
Wehr, Bernhard, Kopittke, Peter and Menzies, Neal (2014). Milestone report 7: UQ land conditioning intact soil core study. Not available:
2014
Journal Article
Kinetics and mechanisms of cowpea root adaptation to changes in solution calcium
Blamey, F. Pax C., Wehr, J. Bernhard, Wang, Peng, Menzies, Neal W. and Kopittke, Peter M. (2014). Kinetics and mechanisms of cowpea root adaptation to changes in solution calcium. Plant and Soil, 379 (1-2), 301-314. doi: 10.1007/s11104-014-2065-1
2014
Other Outputs
Managing environmental risk of fluoride in coal seam water irrigation systems: final report
Wehr, Johannes B., Kopittke, Peter M., Scholz, Lisa and Menzies, Neal W. (2014). Managing environmental risk of fluoride in coal seam water irrigation systems: final report. Not available:
2014
Conference Publication
Arsenic in soils and plants: understanding its movement and risk
Kopittke, Peter M., Wang, Peng, Lombi, Enzo, Menzies, Neal W., de Jonge, Martin, Howard, Daryl and Paterson, David (2014). Arsenic in soils and plants: understanding its movement and risk. International Conference on X-ray Microscopy, Melbourne, Australia, 26-31 October 2014.
2014
Conference Publication
Environmental fate of fluoride applied to soil and plants
Wehr, J. Bernhard, Scholz, Lisa, Kopittke, Peter M. , Blamey, F. Pax C., Zhou, Ya-Feng, Macfarlane, David C. , Dalzell, Scott A. and Menzies, Neal W. (2014). Environmental fate of fluoride applied to soil and plants. World Congress of Soil Science, Jeju, Korea, 8-13 June 2014.
2014
Journal Article
Laterally resolved speciation of arsenic in roots of wheat and rice using fluorescence-XANES imaging
Kopittke, Peter M., de Jonge, Martin D., Wang, Peng, McKenna, Brigid A., Lombi, Enzo, Paterson, David J., Howard, Daryl L., James, Simon A., Spiers, Kathryn M., Ryan, Chris G., Johnson, Alexander A. T. and Menzies, Neal W. (2014). Laterally resolved speciation of arsenic in roots of wheat and rice using fluorescence-XANES imaging. New Phytologist, 201 (4), 1251-1262. doi: 10.1111/nph.12595
2014
Conference Publication
Distribution of aluminium in plant roots: Understanding its toxicity through correlative microscopy
Kopittke, Peter M., Moore, Katie L., Lombi, Enzo, Blamey, F.P.C., Menzies, Neal W. and Gianoncelli, Alessandra (2014). Distribution of aluminium in plant roots: Understanding its toxicity through correlative microscopy. ANSTO User Meeting 2014, Clayton, VIC, Australia, 20-21 November 2014.
2014
Conference Publication
Carbon biochemical fingerprints can outline the dynamics of soil organic matter as a natural capital
Hernandez-Soriano, Maria C., Dalal, Ram, Menzies, Neal and Kopittke, Peter (2014). Carbon biochemical fingerprints can outline the dynamics of soil organic matter as a natural capital. National Soil Science Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 23-27 November 2014. Warragul, VIC, Australia: Australian Society of Soil Science Incorporated.
2014
Journal Article
The rhizotoxicity of metal cations is related to their strength of binding to hard ligands
Kopittke, Peter M., Menzies, Neal W., Wang, Peng, McKenna, Brigid A., Wehr, J. Bernhard, Lombi, Enzo, Kinraide, Thomas B. and Blamey, F. Pax C. (2014). The rhizotoxicity of metal cations is related to their strength of binding to hard ligands. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 33 (2), 268-277. doi: 10.1002/etc.2435
2014
Conference Publication
Long‐term impact of land management: understanding carbon build‐up by linking biological functions to dissolved organic carbon fingerprint
Hernandez-Soriano, Maria C., Dalal, Ram C., Menzies, Neal W. and Kopittke, Peter M. (2014). Long‐term impact of land management: understanding carbon build‐up by linking biological functions to dissolved organic carbon fingerprint. 20WCSS: 20th World Congress of Soil Science, Jeju, South Korea, 8-13 June, 2014.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Peter Kopittke is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Phosphorus in soils: Understanding changes in speciation and availability
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Brigid McKenna, Dr Chelsea Janke
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the mechanisms of general disease suppressiveness in organic fields
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the mechanisms of general disease suppressiveness in organic fields
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM
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Doctor Philosophy
Exploring the influence of long-term land use change on the chemical speciation of C, S and P in SOM fractions isolated using density and physical fractionation
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Brigid McKenna, Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM, Dr Tim McLaren
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the mechanisms of general disease suppressiveness in organic fields
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding fertiliser interactions with soil
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Brigid McKenna, Dr Chelsea Janke
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Doctor Philosophy
Dynamics of Soil Organic Matter: Storage, Composition, and Responses to Land Use Change
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM, Dr Han Weng
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Doctor Philosophy
Dynamics of Soil Organic Matter: Storage, Composition, and Responses to Land Use Change
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM, Dr Han Weng
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the mechanisms of general disease suppressiveness in organic fields
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM
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Doctor Philosophy
Mechanisms driving the persistence of soil organic matter
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM
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Doctor Philosophy
Microbial diversity and function along a pH gradient
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jiarui Sun, Associate Professor Paul Dennis
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Doctor Philosophy
Genotypic responses of capsicum to copper toxicity
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stephen Harper
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Doctor Philosophy
Copper contamination and the response of vegetable species
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stephen Harper
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Doctor Philosophy
Impact of metal ions on acidic vegetable production soils.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stephen Harper
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Doctor Philosophy
Soil fertility constraints to vegetable production on tropical upland acidic soils
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stephen Harper
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Doctor Philosophy
A mechanistic view of how phosphorus and carbon is sequestered in soil organic matter
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Tim McLaren
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Doctor Philosophy
Genotypic variation in Capsicum root growth to key constraints associated with acidic soils: Responses to H¿, Al³¿, and Ca²¿ in solution culture.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stephen Harper
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Doctor Philosophy
Quantifying fertiliser phosphorus use efficiency in Vertosols across the Northern Region
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Michael Bell, Dr Tim McLaren
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Doctor Philosophy
The chemical composition and dynamics of organic amendments to supply phosphorus for improved crop production
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Tim McLaren
Completed supervision
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding phosphorus behaviour in soils
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the importance of the binding of toxic metals to plant cell walls
Principal Advisor
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Physiology of sensitivity and tolerance of crop plants to high manganese availability in the root environment
Principal Advisor
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2016
Master Philosophy
Revegetation of a highly saline-sodic evaporation pond soil
Principal Advisor
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Fate and behaviour of silver nanoparticles in terrestrial ecosystems
Joint Principal Advisor
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Effects of pesticides, nitrification inhibitors, lime, and copper on soil N transformations and nitrous oxide emissions
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Yash Dang, Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
The amelioration of sodic soils with gypsum and organic amendments
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Ram Dalal AM, Dr Bernhard Wehr
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Using within-field variability to assess the impact of soil sodicity on wheat yield in the northern grains-growing region of Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Yash Dang
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Effects of engineered nanomaterials on soil microbial diversity
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Paul Dennis
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
The role of primary producers in surface evolution of iron-rich duricrust (canga)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gordon Southam
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the physiological basis for improved wheat seedling growth on dispersive sodic soils
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Yash Dang
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Tailoring Hydroxyapatite (HA) Nanoparticles as a Phosphorus (P) Fertiliser in Soils
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Longbin Huang
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2013
Master Philosophy
Nitrogen use efficiency of tomato: Role of root system morphological traits
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stephen Harper
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Peter Kopittke directly for media enquiries about:
- Acid soils
- Agricultural food production
- Plant nutrition
- Soil chemistry
- Soil Science
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