John E Leake

Prof. Dr. John E Leake

University of Adelaide
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

20Years (2007-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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16 November 2007 in Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture
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Journal Article
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KMKenneth B. Marcum
Kenneth B. Marcum
NYNicholas P. Yensen
Nicholas P. Yensen
John E LeakeJohn E Leake
John E Leake
Water quantity and quality issues are accelerating the search for alternative xeriphytic and halophytic turf species. Growth and physiological responses to salinity of eight Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene genotypes were observed to elucidate salinity tolerance mechanisms operating in the species. Accession 1043 was superior in salinity tolerance to other genotypes, as indicated by percentage canopy green leaf area, relative (to control) shoot growth, relative root growth, and rooting depth, when exposed to increasing salinity up to 1.0 mol/L NaCl. Salinity tolerance was associated with complete, though minimal, shoot osmotic adjustment, maintenance of low shoot saline ion levels, and high shoot K+/Na+ ratios, all of which were facilitated by high leaf salt gland ion excretion rates.

11 February 2022 in Earth
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Journal Article
Open access
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John E LeakeJohn E Leake
John E Leake
Victor SquiresVictor Squires
Victor Squires
Sergey ShabalaSergey Shabala
Sergey Shabala
Soil salinity is a major threat to the sustainability of agricultural production systems and has defeated civilisations whenever the cost of remediation exceeded the benefits. Among the reasons for this is the complexity of the plant-water-soil nexus and that the causes of salinity are often separated from the damage in time and space. There have been many activities to address salinity, and while good progress has occurred in commercially attractive irrigation areas, many apparently successful techniques, such as intercropping obligate halophytes with conventional crops, processing halophyte meals for human consumption and new uses for saline waters, have not been taken up, although the benefit in ecological terms is understood. There are limited payments available for some ecosystem services, but these are not yet a very recognised market for land users, whose agency is essential for long term success and addressing this requires institutional evolution. We conclude, from Australian experience, that a more concerted effort, perhaps initiated by a philanthropist, is needed to show merchants and agencies how a range of payments for ecosystem services can be turned into true markets in an aggregate way so the ‘knowledge of what can be done can be transformed into benefit’.


3 February 2021 in Land
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Journal Article
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John E LeakeJohn E Leake
John E Leake
Environmental services of biodiversity, clean water, etc., have been considered byproducts of farming and grazing, but population pressures and a move from rural to peri-urban areas are changing land use practices, reducing these services and increasing land degradation. A range of ecosystem markets have been reversing this damage, but these are not widely institutionalized, so land managers do not see them as “real” in the way they do for traditional food and fiber products. There are difficulties defining and monitoring non-food/fiber ecosystem services so they can be reliably marketed, and those markets that do operate usually do so in a piecemeal single product way in the interest of simplicity for the buyer, and seldom adequately regulate or compensate land managers for non-market benefits. New profitable uses of degraded water and regenerating land are emerging, but they require technology transfer or supply chain development to facilitate adoption. There is a need for a transformational change in the way land and water are used to promote a broader approach, so environmental services become a mainstream activity for land managers. A far-sighted Philanthropist is required to support an International institution to take up the challenge of institutionalizing such a ‘brokerage’ system to operate globally.


11 October 2012
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Book Chapter
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John E LeakeJohn E Leake
John E Leake