Ross Monaghan is a soil scientist in the Land & Environmental group, based on the Invermay campus near Mosgiel. Ross has a B Agric. Sci. (Hons 1) from Lincoln University and a PhD in Soil Science from Reading University (UK). 

Ross' broad focus of research is the management of pastoral land to achieve desired levels of water quality and farm business profitability. Much of his current research focuses on quantifying N and P losses to water and assisting end user groups with policy development and/or management guidelines that can reduce these losses. He currently co-leads the national Dairy Catchments study, an industry-led initiative that aims to benchmark soil and water quality in five contrasting catchments located in the country’s key dairy regions. 

He is also heavily involved in a wide range of Dairy Industry-funded research projects that seek to develop on-farm mitigation practices, such as improved effluent management systems and nitrification inhibitors, which allow for profitable dairy farming whilst meeting regionally-based targets for water quality.

Recent publications

Monaghan, R.M., Smith, L.C. and Ledgard, S.F. (2009). The effectiveness of a granular formulation of dicyandiamide (DCD) in limiting nitrate leaching from a grazed dairy pasture. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 52: 145-159.

Monaghan, R.M., Carey, P.L., Wilcock, R.J., Drewry, J.J., Houlbrooke, D.J., Quinn, J.M. and Thorrold, B.S. (2009). Linkages between land management activities and stream water quality in a border dyke-irrigated pastoral catchment. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 129:201-211.

Monaghan, R.M., de Klein, C.A.M. and Muirhead, R.W. (2008).  Prioritisation of farm scale remediation efforts for reducing losses of nutrients and faecal indicator organisms to waterways: A case study of New Zealand dairy farming. Journal of Environmental Management,87: 609-622.

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