Yin CHAN

Research interests

• Soil structure, soil physical fertility and organic carbon of NSW soils
• Impact of tillage practices and conservation tillage on soil structure and soil physical fertility
• Beneficial effects of recycled organics on soils
• Soil organic carbon dynamics and soil management

Background

Yin Chan has been a principal research scientist of Department of Primary Industries since 1996 carrying out research in the area of soil physics, soil structure, soil physical fertility. He joined NSW Agriculture* in 1979 and has undertaken state-wide research on identifying and amelioration of soil physical problems of agricultural soils of the NSW, working closely with agronomists in the Department.

Research projects taken include: understanding the processes of soil structural degradation, identification of physical limiting factors limiting crop production in NSW soils, their amelioration with the use of gypsum, lime, and improved management practices in terms of more suitable tillage practices, better rotation, incorporation of pasture phase, conservation tillage, ecology of earthworm and role in agroecosystems

As many of the soil physical constraints are directly related to declining soil organic carbon levels of many NSW soils, Yin Chan's current research projects - which involve farming system experiments in different parts of the State - concern the effect of management practices on (i) soil organic carbon dynamics and sequestration mechanisms (quantity & quality i.e. different carbon fractions); (ii) soil structure and soil organic carbon relationship (iii) improvement of soil  biological activities, particularly the earthworms (iv) beneficial use of recycled organics in agriculture.  

*NSW Department of Primary Industries was formed on July 1, 2004 through an amalgamation of NSW Agriculture, NSW Fisheries, State Forests of NSW and the NSW Department of Mineral Resources.

Qualifications

• B.Sc. (Hons) University of Hong Kong 1973
• Dip.Nat.Res. University of New England 1975
• Ph.D.  University of Sydney 1979

Current projects

• Use of recycled organics (composts, mulches, biosolids, biochars) in agricultural systems on soil quality
• Soil carbon dynamics under different tillage, stubble and rotation
• Soil compaction and canola
• Development of conservation agriculture on the Loess Plateau of China

Recent Publications

Chan KY (2007) ' Subsoil Sodicity' in Encyclopaedia of Soil Science, Marcel Dekker, New York

Chan KY, Van Zwieten L, Meszaros I, Downie A, Joseph S (2007) Assessing the agronomic values of contrasting char materials on Australian hardsetting soil. International Char Initiative Conference, 30 April- 2 May 2007,Terrigal, NSW, Australia

Chan KY, Oates A, Swan AD, Hayes RC, Dear BS, Peoples MB (2006) Agronomic consequences of  tractor wheel  compaction on a clay soil. Soil & Tillage Research 89, 13-21

Chan KY and Heenan DP (2006) Decline of earthworm population under conservation tillage. Australian Journal of Soil Research.  44,425-431

Chan KY and Heenan DP (2005) The effect of stubble burning and tillage on soil carbon sequestration and crop productivity in south-eastern Australia. Soil Use and Management 21, 427-431.

Chan KY (2004) Impact of tillage practices and burrows of a native Australian anecic earthworm on soil hydrology. Applied Soil Ecology 27, 89-96.

Chan KY, Heenan DP and So HB (2003) Sequestration of carbon and changes in soil quality under conservation tillage on lighter- textured soils in Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 325-334.

Chan KY, Heenan DP and Oates A (2002) Soil carbon fractions and relationships to soil quality under different tillage and stubble management. Soil & Tillage Research 63, 133-139.

Chan KY, Bowman AM and Oates A (2001) Oxidisible organic carbon fractions and soil quality changes in an Oxic Paleustalf  under different pasture leys. Soil Science 166 : 61-67.

Chan KY (2001) Soil particulate organic carbon  under different land use and management. Soil and Land Use Management 17: 217-221.

Professional associations and activities

• Leading (Stage 3) Professional Soil Scientist as recognised by Australian Soil Science Society
• Member of Editorial Board of 
  Soil & Tillage Research
  Agriculture, Ecosystem and the Environment
  Canadian Journal of Soil Science

Fields of Research

• 050305 Soil Physics 
• 050205 Environmental Management
• 050207 Environemtnal Rehabilitation (excl. Bioremediation)

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Soil structure
• soil organic carbon
• soil physical properties
• earthworms

Contact details