Soil Biology Links by Kent Hervey

[Brian Gallimore]

from https://www.facebook.com/groups/NorthTexasVegetableGardeners/10152007164714852/

Soil Biology

I (K. Hervey) assembled these links for my own personal learning related to gardening.  I shared it out with some people I thought might be interested.

Soil Testing
http://www.texasplantandsoillab.com/


Soil Food Web
http://www.soilfoodweb.com/
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/soil_food_web.html
http://www.energybulletin.net/node/23428
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/soil/SoilBiology/soil_biology_primer.htm
http://www.rain.org/~sals/ingham.html
http://www.sweet-soil.com/technology/sweetsoil-technology/soil-biology/


Soil Science
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_science
www.pedosphere.com/volume01/pdf/Section_01.pdf
soils.usda.gov/sqi/publications/files/soil_biology_edu.doc
http://www.agron.iastate.edu/~loynachan/mov/
This one is really nice--multiple videos of the tiny critters
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_life
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/cropsystems/dc7403.html
http://www.soil2soul.co.nz/Pasture%20Management
The better the minerals and biology are balanced and active, the better the soluble solids level (Brix) of the crop plants/ pasture will be, so more sugars are exuded through the plant roots to feed the soil biology.  The biology then feeds the plant as and when it needs nutrients. The more sugars there are in the upper part of the plant, the better the formulation of high quality complex proteins that improve flavour, production and health.  All this adds up to better profit for YOU!
http://newfarm.rodaleinstitute.org/features/2006/0906/nematodes/kimbleevans_print.shtml
Microscopic organisms in your soil could be key to increasing your yields and improving your farmland for years to come. So how do you manage something you can't even see?

Amendments
Humus--Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humic_acid
Zeolite
http://www.zeoponix.com/zeolite.htm
http://www.bearriverzeolite.com/soil_amendment.htm

Sugars
http://www.thesoilguy.com/SG/Molasses


Some buzzwords
per·ma·cul·ture
noun /ˈpərməˌkəlCHər/
The development of agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient
Nitrogen Fixation
Nitrogen fixation is the process of nitrogen gas from the air being turned into a compound in the soil by bacteria that live in the root nodules of certain plants (legumes).

The tiny critters
Termites--Nematodes
Termite control
Bacteria seem to be the most numerous critters in soil
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteria
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/bacteria.html
http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/E/Eubacteria.html
http://www.bacteriamuseum.org/cms/bacteria/what-are-bacteria.html
http://www.yeastinfectionadvisor.com/probioticsforyeast.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/bacterium/
http://www.aquaculturestore.com/info/nematodes.html


Using “natural remedies in and around houses”
Responding to a question about sugar, she also talks about "home remedies"




Because Howard Garrett loves to talk about mycorrhizal fungi I have included some links below
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycorrhiza

Fireplace/Wood ashes:
http://permaculturenews.org/2012/04/21/domestic-uses-for-wood-ash/
http://www.conngardener.com/questions.html
http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2012/12/a-christmas-present-for-nature.html
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTARD/927371-1112696905204/20434336/knowyoursoil.pdf
http://www.carbon-negative.us/CarbonFarming/CarbonFarming.pdf
http://www.extension.org/pages/18565/organic-soil-fertility
Wood ash (0–1–3) contains P and K, is a good source for micronutrients and acts as a liming agent.
Commonly used in gardens; avoid over-application which can cause alkalinity and salt build up; avoid ash from treated wood or from the burning of manure.