UC Spark

Associate Professor Laurence Gerald Greenfield

Biological Sciences

Fields of Research

  • Antarctic biology
  • Degradation of natural and synthetic compounds
  • Microbial ecology
  • Soil fertility

Researcher Summary

Research interests include soil fertility (soil organic matter and soil organic nitrogen in mull and mor soil systems; soil microbial ecology, soil biology and biochemistry mycorrhiza, soil animals including earthworms, nutrient cycling), soil chemistry (the origin and nature of soil organic nitrogen), decomposition of soil organic matter, mobilization of soil organic nitrogen, decomposition, biodegradation and utilization of industrial wastes, bioremediation of oil polluted soils), and polar biology (Antarctic and Arctic terrestrial ecosystems, endolithic ecosystems, nitrogen transformations, foams and terrestrial clonization), nitrogen budgets in Adelie penguin colonies decomposition and nutrient cycling at low temperatures, biology of extreme environments.

Subject Area: Disciplines

Research Groups

Affiliations

Publications


  • Dennis, P.G., Sparrow, A.D., Gregorich, E.G., Novis, P.M., Elberling, B., Greenfield, L.G. and Hopkins, D.W. (2013) Microbial responses to carbon and nitrogen supplementation in an Antarctic dry valley soil. Antarctic Science 25(1): 55-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0954102012000855. (Journal Article)
  • Curtin, D., Beare, M.H., Chantigny, M.H. and Greenfield, L.G. (2011) Controls on the extractability of soil organic matter in water over the 20 to 80°C temperature range. Soil Science Society of America Journal 75(4): 1423-1430. http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2010.0401. (Journal Article)
  • Gielen, G.J.H.P., Clinton, P.W., van den Heuvel, M.R., Kimberley, M.O. and Greenfield, L.G. (2011) Influence of sewage and pharmaceuticals on soil microbial function. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 30(5): 1086-1095. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/etc.487. (Journal Article)
  • Sparrow, A.D., Gregorich, E.G., Hopkins, D.W., Novis, P., Elberling, B. and Greenfield, L.G. (2011) Resource limitations on soil microbial activity in an Antarctic dry valley. Soil Science Society of America Journal 75(6): 2188-2197. http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2010.0303. (Journal Article)
  • Feng, X., Simpson, A.J., Gregorich, E.G., Elberling, B., Hopkins, D.W., Sparrow, A.D., Novis, P.M., Greenfield, L.G. and Simpson, M.J. (2010) Chemical characterization of microbial-dominated soil organic matter in the Garwood Valley, Antarctica. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 74(22): 6485-6498. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2010.08.019. (Journal Article)
  • Chantigny, M.H., Curtin, D., Beare, M.H. and Greenfield, L.G. (2010) Influence of temperature on water-extractable organic matter and ammonium production in mineral soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal 74(2): 517-524. http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2008.0347. (Journal Article)
  • Smaill, S.J., Clinton, P.W. and Greenfield, L.G. (2010) Legacies of organic matter removal: decreased microbial biomass nitrogen and net N mineralization in New Zealand Pinus radiata plantations. Biology and Fertility of Soils 46(4): 309-316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00374-009-0427-2. (Journal Article)
  • Gielen, G.J.H.P., van den Jeuvel, M.R., Clinton, P.W. and Greenfield, L.G. (2009) Factors impacting on pharmaceutical leaching following sewage application to land. Chemosphere 74(4): 537-542. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2008.09.048. (Journal Article)
  • Hopkins, D., Sparrow, A., Gregorich, E., Elberling, B., Novis, P., Fraser, F., Scrimgeour, C., Dennis, P., Meier-Augenstein, W. and Greenfield, L.G. (2009) Isotopic evidence for the provenance and turnover of organic carbon by soil microorganisms in the Antarctic dry valleys. Environmental Microbiology 11(3): 597-608. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01830.x. (Journal Article)
  • Hopkins, D.W., Sparrow, A.D., Shillam, L.L., English, L.C., Dennis, P.G., Novis, P., Elberling, B., Gregorich, E.G. and Greenfield, L.G. (2008) Enzymatic activities and microbial communities in an Antarctic dry valley soil: Responses to C and N supplementation. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 40(9): 2130-2136. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2008.03.022. (Journal Article)
  • Gielen, G., van den Heuvel, M., Clinton, P. and Greenfield, L.G. (2008) Impact of land application design on removal of sewage derived pharmaceuticals. Queenstown, New Zealand: New Zealand Land Treatment Collective, 16-18 Apr 2008. In Proceedings of the 2008 Annual Conference 97-102. (Conference Contribution - Paper in published proceedings)
  • Smaill, S.J., Clinton, P.W. and Greenfield, L.G. (2008) Nitrogen fertiliser effects on litter fall, FH layer and mineral soil characteristics in New Zealand Pinus radiata plantations. Forest Ecology and Management 256(4): 564-569. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2008.05.026. (Journal Article)
  • Smaill, S.J., Clinton, P.W. and Greenfield, L.G. (2008) Postharvest organic matter removal effects on FH layer and mineral soil characteristics in four New Zealand Pinus radiata plantations. Forest Ecology and Management 256(4): 558-563. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2008.05.001. (Journal Article)
  • Hopkins, D.W., Sparrow, A.D., Gregorich, E.G., Novis, P., Elberling, B. and Greenfield, L.G. (2008) Redistributed lacustrine detritus as a spatial subsidy of biologial resources for soils in an Antarctic dry valley. Geoderma 144(1-2): 86-92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2007.10.016. (Journal Article)
  • Novis, P.M., Whitehead, D., Gregorich, E.G., Hunt, J.E., Sparrow, A.D., Hopkins, D.W., Elberling, B. and Greenfield, L.G. (2007) Annual carbon fixation in terrestrial populations of Nostoc commune (Cyanobacteria) from an Antarctic dry valley is driven by temperature regime. Global Change Biology 13(6): 1224-1237. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2007.01354.x. (Journal Article)
  • Greenfield, L.G. (2007) Comments on "Need for a Soil-based Approach in Managing Nitrogen Fertilizers for Profitable Corn Production" and "Soil Organic Nitrogen Enrichment Following Soybean in an Iowa Corn-Soybean Rotation". Soil Science Society of America Journal 71(1): 254. http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2006.0286l. (Journal Article)
  • Gielen, G., Clinton, P., van den Heuvel, M. and Greenfield, L.G. (2007) Land application of sewage-derived pharmaceuticals as a treatment technology. Canberra, Australia: 2nd Australian Symposium on Ecological Risk Assessment and Management of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in the Australasian Environment, 21-22 Nov 2007. (Conference Contribution - Oral presentation)
  • Weijtmans, K., Davis, M., Clinton, P., Kuyper, T. and Greenfield, L. (2007) Occurrence of arbuscular mycorrhiza and ectomycorrhiza on Leptospermum scoparium from the Rakaia catchment, Canterbury. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 31(2): 255-260. http://www.nzes.org.nz/nzje/free_issues/NZJEcol31_2_255.pdf. (Journal Article)
  • Gielen, G., Clinton, P., van den Heuvel, M. and Greenfield, L.G. (2007) Pharmaceuticals in sewage effluent - how much is applied to land? Rotorua, New Zealand: New Zealand Land Treatment Collective 2007 Annual Conference, 14-16 Mar 2007. (Conference Contribution - Oral presentation)
  • Hopkins, D.W., Sparrow, A.D., Elberling, B., Gregorich, E.G., Novis, P., Greenfield, L.G. and Tilston, E.L. (2006) Carbon, nitrogen and temperature controls on microbial activity in soils from an Antarctic dry valley. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 38(10): 3130-3140. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2006.01.012. (Journal Article)
  • Orwin, K.H., Wardle, D.A. and Greenfield, L.G. (2006) Context-dependent changes in the resistance and resilience of soil microbes to an experimental disturbance for three primary plant chronosequences. Oikos 112(1): 196-208. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0030-1299.2006.13813.x. (Journal Article)
  • Hopkins, D.W., Sparrow, A., Gregorich, E., Elberling, B., Greenfield, L.G. and Novis, P.M. (2006) Controls on Biological Activity in Soils from Antarctic Dry Valleys. Philadelphia, PA, USA: 18th World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS), 9-15 Jul 2006. http://iuss.colostate.edu/18wcss/index.html. (Conference Contribution - Poster presentation)
  • Hopkins, D.W., Sparrow, A.D., Novis, P.M., Gregorich, E.G., Elberling, B. and Greenfield, L.G. (2006) Controls on the distribution of productivity and organic resources in Antarctic dry valley soils. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 273(1602): 2687-2695. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2006.3595. (Journal Article)
  • Elberling, B., Gregorich, E.G., Hopkins, D.W., Sparrow, A.D., Novis, P. and Greenfield, L.G. (2006) Distribution and dynamics of soil organic matter in an Antarctic dry valley. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 38(10): 3095-3106. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2005.12.011. (Journal Article)
  • Orwin, K., Wardle, D. and Greenfield, L. (2006) Drivers of soil microbial stability. Wellington, New Zealand: Ecology Across The Tasman 2006, 28 Aug-1 Sep 2006. (Conference Contribution - Poster presentation)
  • Orwin, K.H., Wardle, D.A. and Greenfield, L.G. (2006) Ecological consequences of carbon substrate identity and diversity in a laboratory study. Ecology 87(3): 580-593. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/05-0383. (Journal Article)
  • Gregorich, E.G., Hopkins, D.W., Elberling, B., Sparrow, A.D., Novis, P., Greenfield, L.G. and Rochette, P. (2006) Emission of CO2, CH4 and N2O from lakeshore soils in an Antarctic dry valley. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 38(10): 3120-3129. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2006.01.015. (Journal Article)
  • Gielen, G.J.H.P., Greenfield, L.G., van den Heuvel, M. and Clinton, P. (2006) Soil microbial adaptation to pharmaceuticals following long-term sewage effluent exposure. The Hague, Netherlands: Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Europe 16th Annual Meeting, 7-11 May 2006. 151. http://www.setaceumeeting.org/thehague/index.htm. (Conference Contribution - Poster presentation)
  • Hopkins, D.W., Elberling, B., Greenfield, L.G., Gregorich, E.G., Novis, P., O'Donnell, A.G. and Sparrow, A.D. (2005) Soil micro-organisms in Antarctic dry valleys: Resource supply and utilization. In G.M. Gadd, K.T. Semple and H.M. Lappin-Scott (Ed.), SGM Symposium 65: Micro-organisms and Earth Systems - Advances in Geomicrobiology: 71-84. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (Chapter in Book)
  • McKeown, H., O'Callaghan, M. and Greenfield, L. (2004) Decomposition of nucleic acids in soil. New Zealand Natural Sciences 29: 13-19. (Journal Article)
  • Gielen, G.J.H.P., Palmer, G., Clinton, P.W. and Greenfield, L.G. (2004) Fate and environmental effects of selected pharmaceuticals in New Zealand land treatment systems. Ashburton: New Zealand Land Treatment Collective: Proceedings for the 2004 Annual Conference, 24-26 March 2004. (Conference Contribution - Poster presentation)
  • Kroening, S.J., Greenfield, L.G. and Williamson, W.M. (2004) Variation in and constraints upon the decomposition of woolscour sludge. Journal of Environmental Quality 33: 1018-87. (Journal Article)
  • Gielen, G.J.H.P., Palmer, G., Clinton, P.W. and Greenfield, L.G. (2003) Fate and environmental effects of selected pharmaceuticals in New Zealand land treatment systems. Christchurch: SETAC Asia/Pacific Conference, 28 September - 1 October 2003. 272. (Conference Contribution - Poster presentation)
  • Kroening, S.J. and Greenfield, L.G. (2002) Effects of diesel oil contamination on soil micro-organisms. New Zealand Journal of Natural Science 27: 59-67. (Journal Article)
  • Kroeining, S.J., Greenfield, L.G., Leung, D.W.M. and Galilee, C. (2001) Effects of diesel oil contamination on soil microorganisms. Environment Technology 22: 1113-1117. (Journal Article)
  • Greenfield, L.G. (2001) The origins and nature of organic nitrogen in soil as assessed by acidic and alkaline hydrolysis.. European Journal of Soil Science 2001(52): 575--583. (Journal Article)
  • Williamson, W.M., Greenfield, L.G. and Beare, M.H. (2000) Biological characterisation of a woolscour sludge and a fellmongery sludge. J. Environ. Quality 29: 1998--2006. (Journal Article)
  • Greenfield, L.G. (2000) Some properties of water soluble substances from antarctic and arctic mosses and lichens. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 75: 71--8. (Journal Article)
  • Greenfield, L.G. (2000) The microbial decomposition of seeds. Seed Symposium. Agronomy Society of New Zealand 12: 47-51. (Journal Article)
  • Greenfield, L.G. (1999) Leaching of trapped particulates and microbial growth in precipitation - collecting vessels.. Communications in Soil Sci. and Plant Analysis 30(9//10): 1337--44. (Journal Article)
  • Greenfield, L.G. (1999) Weight loss and release of mineral nitrogen from decomposing plant pollen. Soil Biol. and Biochem 31: 353--63. (Journal Article)
  • Greenfield, L.G. (1998) Nitrogen in soil Nostoc mats: forms, release and implications for nutrient cycling in Antarctica. N.Z.. J. Nat. Sci 23: 101--107. (Journal Article)
  • Greenfield, L.G. (1998) Seed decomposition by soil microbes. Canterbury Bot. Soc. J 33: 42-46. (Journal Article)