Dr Budiman Minasny

Research interests

My interest is to link soil observations with process-based and to develop empirical models to allow greater understanding of soil variation in space and time. Modelling soil processes coupled with functional prediction of soil properties enable us to unravel the intricacy of soil.

My particular interest is in modelling soil process and creating novel methodologies to predict soil properties. The methodologies can be broadly categorised into mechanistic and empirical approaches. The mechanistic approach formulates physical model to quantify and gain knowledge on soil formation processes, while the empirical approach utilises modern mathematical and statistical techniques to model and understand soil spatial variation. Specifically:

• Devising a mechanistic model to study the formation of soil in the landscape by identifying major processes in a continuity equation to model soil thickness as a function of bedrock weathering and erosion processes. This model was able to simulate soil development in a landscape realistically, and has been applied to predict the spatial distribution of soil in a complex agricultural landscape at fine spatial and temporal scales.
• Establishing novel methods in analysing soil attributes data and developed new models for predicting soil properties in a spatial and non-spatial context. I developed a suite of advanced spatial prediction methods utilising modern numerical methods and geostatistics, which results in improved accuracy of the prediction. Other aspects include developing new algorithms for soil sampling, soil class prediction, and numerical soil classification with fuzzy clustering. In a non-spatial context, I developed neural networks model that enable prediction of soil hydraulic properties from basic soil properties. These are reported in a series of papers on soil inference systems and pedotransfer functions predicting soil hydraulic properties for Australian soil.

Background

I have an undergraduate degree from Universitas Sumatera Utara in Indonesia and a MAgr and PhD degrees in soil science from the University of Sydney. I have been working at the University of Sydney for the last 10 years. I was recently awarded the QEII fellowship from the Australian research Council. I hold several ARC funded projects. I currently co-supervise 3 postgraduate students, all working in ARC funded projects.

Recent publications

• Minasny, B., McBratney, A.B., Field, D.J., Tranter, G., McKenzie, N.J., Brough, D.M, 2007. Relationships between field texture and particle-size distribution and their implications. Australian Journal of Soil Research 45, 428-437. doi:10.1071/SR07051
• McBratney, A.B., Minasny, B, 2007. On measuring pedodiversity. Geoderma 141, 149-154.
• Minasny, B, McBratney, A.B., 2007. Incorporating taxonomic distance into spatial prediction and digital mapping of soil classes. Geoderma 142, 285-293.
• Salvador-Blanes, S., Minasny, B., McBratney, A.B., 2007. Modelling long term in-situ soil profile evolution - application to the genesis of soil profiles containing stone layers. European Journal of Soil Science 58, 1535-1547.
• Odgers, N.P., McBratney, A.B., Minasny, B., 2008. Generation of kth-order random toposequences. Computers and Geosciences 34, 479-490.
• Minasny, B, McBratney, A.B., Salvador-Blanes, S., 2008. Quantitative models for pedogenesis - A Review. Geoderma 144, 140-157.
• Minasny, B., McBratney, A.B., 2008. Regression rules as a tool for predicting soil properties from infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems 94, 72-79.
• Tranter, G., Minasny, B., McBratney, A.B., Viscarra Rossel, R., Murphy, B. 2008. Comparing spectral soil inference systems and mid-infrared spectroscopy predictions of soil volumetric moisture retention. Soil Science Society of America Journal 72, 1394-1400.
• Minasny, B., McBratney, A.B., Tranter, G., Murphy, B. 2008. Using soil knowledge for the evaluation of mid-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for predicting soil physical and mechanical properties. European Journal of Soil Science 59, 960-971.
• Malamoud, K., McBratney, A.B., Minasny, B., Field, D.J., 2008. Modelling how carbon affects soil structure. Geoderma 149, 19-26.

Contact

Email:
Website: www.usyd.edu.au/su/agric/acpa/people/budi