Adjunct Associate Professor
Clemens Scheer
Faculty of Science,
School of Biology & Environmental Science
Biography
Dr Clemens Scheer is a senior research scientist and group leader at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. His expertise lies in the impact of land-use change and agricultural management on the biosphere-atmosphere exchange of environmental important trace gases (N2O, CH4, CO2) and the identification and characterization of microbial processes involved in the consumption and production of C- and N- trace gases in soils. From 2009-2019 he worked as researcher at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. During this time, he was principal investigator of several projects in the Australian Nitrous Oxide Research Program and investigated soil denitrification losses and nitrogen use efficiency for different industries. His current research is focusing on the application of biogeochemical models to improve greenhouse gas inventories from agricultural soils and develop region specific climate-smart management strategies for a sustainable management of global agricultural ecosystems. Currently, he is a Make Our Planet Great Again (MOPGA-GRI) laureate fellow at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU).Research interest
· Reactive nitrogen requirements for global food security
· Biogeochemistry of plant-soil-microbe interactions in agro-ecosystems
· Soil microbial C and N turnover andtrace gas exchange in agro-ecosystems
· Process oriented modelling of carbon/ nitrogen turnover in terrestrial ecosystems
· Stable Isotopes in Environmental Sciences
Grants Received over $6,000,000 in research funding since 2010
Selected projects (as PI)
Climate change, reactive nitrogen, denitrification and N2O: Identifying sustainable solutions for the globe Funding Source: Franco-German Fellowship Programme on Climate, Energy and Earth System Research “Make Our Planet Great Again –German Research Initiative (MOPGA-GRI)”. Amount: Euro 1,349,694; Period: 2019-2022: https://mopga.imk-ifu.kit.edu/project
Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Sugarcane Soils: Strategies for Increasing NUE and Reducing Environmental Pollution. Funding Source: Sugar Research Australia (SRA) Research and Development Projects. Amount (AUD): $815,693; Period: 2018-2021
Increasing Profitability through Improved Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Reducing Gaseous Losses of Nitrogen. Funding Source: Australian Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC). Amount: $395,590; Period: 2014-2018
Management strategies for improved productivity and reduced nitrous oxide emissions. Funding Source: Australian Department of Agriculture-Carbon Farming Futures. Amount: $214,200; Period: 2013-2017
Can advances in mid-term weather forecasts reduce emissions from nitrogen fertilizer? Funding Source: Department of Agriculture-Carbon Farming Futures. Amount: $762,144; Period: 2013-2016
The fate of aboveground carbon inputs: a key process that is poorly understood. Funding Source: Department of Agriculture-Carbon Farming Futures. Amount: $378,161; Period: 2012-2015
Selected Publications
Mitchell E, Scheer C, Rowlings D, Cotrufo F, Conant RT, Grace P. Important constraints on soil organic carbon formation efficiency in subtropical and tropical grasslands. Global Change Biology. 2021 Jul 20.
Friedl J, Scheer C, De Rosa D, Müller C, Grace P, Rowlings DW. Sources of nitrous oxide from intensively managed pasture soils: the hole in the pipe. Environmental Research Letters 2021 16(6), p.065004.
Scheer C, Fuchs K, Pelster DE, Butterbach-Bahl K. Estimating global terrestrial denitrification from measured N2O:(N2O+ N2) product ratios. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 2020 Dec 1;47:72-80.
Friedl, J., Scheer, C., Rowlings, D.W., Deltedesco, E., Gorfer, M., De Rosa, D., Grace, P.R., Müller, C. and Keiblinger, K.M., 2020. Effect of the nitrification inhibitor 3, 4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) on N-turnover, the N2O reductase-gene nosZ and N2O: N2 partitioning from agricultural soils. Nature Scientific Reports, 10(1), pp.1-11
Kanter DR, Del Grosso S, Scheer C, Pelster DE, Galloway JN. Why future nitrogen research needs the social sciences. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 2020 Dec 1;47:54-60.
Ogle SM, Butterbach-Bahl K, Cardenas L, Skiba U, Scheer C. From research to policy: optimizing the design of a national monitoring system to mitigate soil nitrous oxide emissions. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 2020 Dec 1;47:28-36.
Warner DI, Scheer C, Friedl J, Rowlings DW, Brunk C, Grace PR,. Mobile continuous-flow isotope-ratio mass spectrometer system for automated measurements of N2 and N2O fluxes in fertilized cropping systems. Nature Scientific Reports 2019, 9, 11097.
Scheer C, Rowlings D, Firrell M, Deuter P, Morris S, Riches D, Porter I, Grace P. Nitrification inhibitors can increase post-harvest nitrous oxide emissions in an intensive vegetable production system. Nature Scientific Reports. 2017 ;7(1):1-9.
Scheer, C, Del Grosso, SJ, Parton, WJ., Rowlings, DW, & Grace, PR. Modeling nitrous oxide emissions from irrigated agriculture: testing DayCent with high-frequency measurements. Ecological Applications, 2014 24(3), 528-538.
Scheer C, Wassmann R, Kienzler K, Ibragimov N, Lamers JP, Martius C. Methane and nitrous oxide fluxes in annual and perennial land‐use systems of the irrigated areas in the Aral Sea Basin. Global Change Biology. 2008 Oct;14(10):2454-68.
Personal details
Positions
- Adjunct Associate Professor
Faculty of Science,
School of Biology & Environmental Science
Research field
Agriculture, land and farm management, Environmental management, Soil sciences
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2020
Qualifications
- PhD (University of Bonn)
Publications
- Mumford, M., Rowlings, D., Scheer, C., De Rosa, D. & Grace, P. (2019). Effect of irrigation scheduling on nitrous oxide emissions in intensively managed pastures. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 272, 126–134. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/126938
- Mitchell, E., Scheer, C., Rowlings, D., Conant, R., Cotrufo, M. & Grace, P. (2018). Amount and incorporation of plant residue inputs modify residue stabilisation dynamics in soil organic matter fractions. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 256, 82–91. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/126951
- De Rosa, D., Rowlings, D., Grace, P., Muller, C., Scheer, C. & Friedl, J. (2018). Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), not denitrification dominates nitrate reduction in subtropical pasture soils upon rewetting. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 125, 340–349. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/126940
- Van Delden, L., Rowlings, D., Scheer, C., De Rosa, D. & Grace, P. (2018). Effect of urbanization on soil methane and nitrous oxide fluxes in subtropical Australia. Global Change Biology, 24(12), 5695–5707. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/126941
- Scheer, C., Rowlings, D., Firrell, M., Deuter, P., Morris, S., Riches, D., Porter, I. & Grace, P. (2017). Nitrification inhibitors can increase post-harvest nitrous oxide emissions in an intensive vegetable production system. Scientific Reports, 7, 1–9. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/108678
- Friedl, J., Scheer, C., Rowlings, D., Mumford, M. & Grace, P. (2017). The nitrification inhibitor DMPP (3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate) reduces N2 emissions from intensively managed pastures in subtropical Australia. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 108, 55–64. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/108680
- Scheer, C., Meier, R., Bruggemann, N., Grace, P. & Dannenmann, M. (2016). An improved 15N tracer approach to study denitrification and nitrogen turnover in soil incubations. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 30(18), 2017–2026. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/98684
- Friedl, J., Scheer, C., Rowlings, D., Mcintosh, H., Strazzabosco, A., Warner, D. & Grace, P. (2016). Denitrification losses from an intensively managed sub-tropical pasture - Impact of soil moisture on the partitioning of N2 and N2O emissions. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 92, 58–66. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/93886
- Scheer, C., Rowlings, D., De Antoni Migliorati, M., Lester, D., Bell, M. & Grace, P. (2016). Effect of enhanced efficiency fertilisers on nitrous oxide emissions in a sub-tropical cereal cropping system. Soil Research, 54(5), 544–551. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/98692
- Mitchell, E., Scheer, C., Rowlings, D., Conant, R., Cotrufo, M., Van Delden, L. & Grace, P. (2016). The influence of above-ground residue input and incorporation on GHG fluxes and stable SOM formation in a sandy soil. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 101, 104–113. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/98681
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Clemens, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).
Awards
- Type
- Recipient of a Nationally Competitive Research Fellowship
- Reference year
- 2019
- Details
- Germany and France are jointly supporting the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Both countries are leading the way with their laureate fellowship programme to promote research in the areas of climate, energy and the Earth system. Under the French initiative "Make our planet great again", Germany and France are inviting researchers from all over the world to cooperate with German and French partners in advancing research in the following fields of sustainability science:1. Research on climate change: e.g. monitoring, modelling, mitigation and social consequences2. Science for the energy transition: e.g. innovative concepts and technologies for a sustainable large-scale supply of renewable energy connecting different sectors and industries, in particular energy storage and distribution; energy efficiency; systemic approach of research for the energy transition including economic, ecological, and social challenges, the supply of raw materials, and prospective scenario developme
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2017
- Details
- Vice-Chancelor's Performance Award
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2015
- Details
- Vice-Chancelor's Performance Award
- Type
- Editorial Role for an Academic Journal
- Reference year
- 2015
- Details
- editorial board member Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment
- Type
- Editorial Role for an Academic Journal
- Reference year
- 2011
- Details
- editorial board member of Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
Selected research projects
- Title
- Agriculture Based Emission-Reduction Options to Support NDC's in Vietnam and Fiji
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LWR/2017/029
- Start year
- 2018
- Keywords
- Carbon Farming; Climate Change; International Agriculture; Productivity
- Title
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Sugarcane Soils: Strategies for Increasing NUE and Reducing Environmental Pollution
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- CS010
- Start year
- 2018
- Keywords
- Australian Agriculture Soils; Fertiliser; Greenhouse Gas; N2O; Nitrogen
- Title
- Increasing Profitability Through Improved Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Reducing Gaseous Losses of Nitrogen
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 15-16PRP147
- Start year
- 2015
- Keywords
- Title
- Can advances in mid-term forecasts reduce emissions from nitrogen fertiliser?
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- GMX 1194283-127
- Start year
- 2013
- Keywords
- Bom Weather Forecast; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Modelling Soil Moisture; Nitrous Oxide Emissions; Soil Carbon Nitrogen
- Title
- Mitigation of nitrous oxide emissions in the national vegetable industry
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- Start year
- 2013
- Keywords
- Crop Management Practices; Fertiliser; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Mitigation; Nitrogen Use Efficiency
- Title
- Quantifying nitrous oxide losses and nitrogen use efficiency gains cropping systems on clay soils with contrasting soil carbon status and land management
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 01202.004
- Start year
- 2013
- Keywords
- Ghg Emissions; N Fertilizer; N Response Curves; Nitrous Oxide
- Title
- Advanced process level understanding of factors controlling gaseous nitrogen partitioning to reduce N2O losses from Australian agricultural soils
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 01202.030
- Start year
- 2012
- Keywords
- Agricultural Soils; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Nitrogen Use Efficiency; Nitrous Oxide
- Title
- The fate of aboveground carbon inputs: A key process that is poorly understood
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 01203.073
- Start year
- 2012
- Keywords
- Agriculture Soil; Carbon; Greenhouse Gas Emission; Nitrous Oxide
- Title
- Integrated Data and Synthesis Framework for Reducing N20 Emissions from Australian Agricultural Soils
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- QUT00002
- Start year
- 2009
- Keywords
- N20 Emissions; Soil
- Title
- Reducing Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Irrigated Grains-Cotton Farming Systems
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- QUT00003
- Start year
- 2009
- Keywords
- Nitrous Oxide
Projects listed above are funded by Australian Competitive Grants. Projects funded from other sources are not listed due to confidentiality agreements.
Supervision
Completed supervisions (Doctorate)
- Denitrification Losses from Intensively Managed Pastures in the Subtropics - Key Controls and Mitigation (2017)
- Implications of urbanization related land use change on the Carbon and Nitrogen cycle from subtropical soils (2017)
- Optimizing the Use of Organic Amendments in Sub-Tropical Vegetable Cropping Systems for Improved Environmental and Agronomic Outcomes (2017)
- Influence of Organic Amendments on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and N Use Efficiency in Sub-Tropical Cropping Systems (2015)
- Reducing nitrous oxide emissions while supporting subtropical cereal production in Oxisols (2015)
Completed supervisions (Masters by Research)
The supervisions listed above are only a selection.