Dr Budiman Minasny

Research interests

My research has been concerned with advancing the theory of soil spatial variation by creating novel methodologies that cover both mechanistic and empirical approaches. The mechanistic approach formulates theoretical and physical models to quantify soil-formation processes, while the empirical approach utilises modern mathematical and statistical techniques to understand the complexity 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. Specifically:

• I established novel methods for analysing soil attribute data to better understand the intricacy of soil spatial variation. I developed a methodology for mapping soil properties along with their uncertainties. These techniques are used to in the GlobalSoilMap.net project, which will supply the global demand for soil data for food security assessment.
• I devised mechanistic models to study and gain knowledge on the formation of soil in the landscape over millennial time scales. This model improves the theoretical understanding of soil genesis and soil functional properties and how they interact with other components of the ecosystem.
• I have contributed to the use of field and laboratory measurements for accurate prediction of soil properties. I established empirical models to predict soil hydraulic properties for Australian soils. This work addresses an Australian high priority research to monitor and make sound investments in the country’s environmental assets.

The importance of these research fields have been recognised by successful funding applications to the Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery and Linkage projects.

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 awarded the QEII fellowship from the Australian Research Council. I currently co-supervise 3 postgraduate students, all working in ARC funded projects.

Recent publications

• Stockmann, U., Minasny, B., McBratney, 2011. Quantifying processes of pedogenesis. Advances in Agronomy 113 (In Press)
• Minasny, B., Vrugt, J.A., McBratney, A.B., 2011. Confronting uncertainty in model-based geostatistics using Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation. Geoderma 163, 150-162.
• Minasny, B., Hartemink, A.E., 2011. Predicting soil properties in the tropics. Earth Science Reviews 106, 52-62.
• Minasny, B., Sulaeman, Y., McBratney, A.B. Is soil carbon disappearing? The dynamics of soil organic carbon in Java. Global Change Biology 17, 1917-1924.
• Tranter, G., Minasny, B., McBratney, A.B., 2010. Estimating pedotransfer function prediction limits using fuzzy k-means with extragrades. Soil Science Society of America Journal 74, 1967-1975.
• Malone, B., McBratney, A.B., Minasny, B. 2009. Mapping continuous depth functions of soil carbon storage and available water capacity. Geoderma 154, 138-152.
• Miklos, M., Short, M.G., McBratney, A.B., Minasny, B., 2010. Mapping and comparing the distribution of soil carbon under cropping and grazing management practices in Narrabri, NW NSW. Australian Journal of Soil Research 48, 248–257.
• Minasny, B., McBratney, A.B., Hartemink, A.E. 2010. Global pedodiversity, taxonomic distance, and the World Reference Base. Geoderma 155, 132-139.
• Zhu, Z.L., Minasny, B., Field, D.J., 2009. Measurement of aggregate bond energy using ultrasonic dispersion. European Journal of Soil Science 60, 695-705.
• Malamoud, K., McBratney, A.B., Minasny, B., Field, D.J., 2009. Modelling how carbon affects soil structure. Geoderma 149, 19-26.

View research publications: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/B-4744-2011

Contact

Email: