Digging Deep: Soil-Plant Relationships
July 14, 2010 by nathan
Filed under composting
By Jan Allen
The other day I marveled at the number of self help books at a local bookstore. Volumes of reference books showed me how to neatly dissect my relationships with my spouse, children, parents, food, environment, colleagues, and self, not to mention my dog.
Forget self help; we need soil help.
One of the least understood mechanisms in the soil-plant relationship is that vegetation and its cycle of growth and decay is the essential feedstock for the creation of organic matter. Organic matter is so important in the soil matrix that it is commonly cited as the source of both nutrients and the microbial population that facilitates nutrient transfer to plants. In this relationship the plant and soil system are interrelated. Plants put 60-80% of their energy back into the soil, about half of it in the form of exudates that feed the soil food web. Microbes and fungi rely on these plant exudates as their basic food source, and the plants rely on the microbes and fungi to make enzymes (which the plants cannot make themselves) to convert nutrients into plant-usable form. In a functioning soil system, this cycle continuously repeats, where the plant debris is allowed to fall to the soil surface, or where compost is applied to replace the plant debris.
The soil universe is much more complex than the animal world in which we live. Where an animal ecosystem may have two or three trophic levels (e.g., where one species eats another), soil can easily have seven trophic levels (e.g., bacteria, flagellates, amoebae, ciliates, nematodes, mites, and earthworms). In a typical garden soil there are tens of thousands of different organisms within these various trophic levels. The density and vitality of the microbial population depends on the return of decayed vegetative matter to the soil to replenish organic matter that has been lost or consumed. As the amount of organic matter decreases, so does permeability, water retention, nutrient retention, and other characteristics of properly functioning soils.
Amazingly there were people writing about this before we were breathing (437 years ago; AD 1573; Thomas Tusser; Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry. Seventy-two years ago, a thick volume titled “Soils and Men – Yearbook of Agriculture – 1938” was written. After reading the summary I was captivated. This book seemed prophetic. It talks about viewing organic matter as a fuel in the soil, hydrology and rural-urban economic balances. It talks about the loss of organic matter and its restoration, and the nature and use of organic amendments. Is this cool or what?
Self help or soil help, I contend that all of our relationships are rooted in the health of our soil. Even my dog’s. She loves to put her muzzle deep into the soil just for fun.
Globe 2010: World-renowned sustainability experts
March 25, 2010 by Eric Brown
Filed under Events & Happenings
GLOBE 2010 is one of the world’s largest and longest-running events dedicated to the business of the environment. Every two years, over 10,000 professionals from 70+ countries come together at GLOBE for three days of thought-leading sessions presented by world-renowned sustainability experts; to survey leading-edge environmental innovations; and to participate in unparalleled global networking opportunities.
The Harvest Power Team will be in attendance of this event as well on Thursday and Friday, Look us up if you are around!
Well recognized as the world’s most influential and prestigious international environment industry event, GLOBE brings people together to discuss current trends and to showcase innovative technology solutions for the world’s environmental problems. Every two years, over 10,000 participants from over 80 countries gather in Vancouver, generating over $400 million in new environmental business.
Government decisions makers, corporate executives, and environmental technology innovators engage in high-level dialogues about pressing environmental issues such as corporate sustainability, energy and climate change, finance, and building better cities. We have brought in a host of well-respected individuals to help make the business case for eco-efficiency, including HRH Prince Philippe of Belgium, former Prime Minister Paul Martin, Maurice Strong, Klaus Töepfer, John Prescott, Mark Moody-Stuart, Amory Lovins and Ray Anderson.
GLOBE
Series events have been used to preview innovative ideas and major multilateral processes for corporate and industry leaders from around the world in advance of major international gatherings such as the Rio and Johannesburg World Summits.
Scotland Takes Action: Waste No More for Anaerobic Digestion Output
March 14, 2010 by Eric Brown
Filed under Waste Management, renewable energy
From SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency)
Scotland’s environment watchdog has confirmed that anaerobic digestion output that is certified under the new PAS110 quality assurance scheme and that satisfies prescribed production and usage criteria will not be subject to waste regulatory controls. Anaerobic digestion is becoming an increasingly popular treatment method for biowastes, including food waste. It produces a biogas, which can be used to produce renewable heat or power, and digestate, which can be used to return organic matter to soils.
Kenny Boag, SEPA head of Waste Policy, said:
“There is significant and growing interest in the use of anaerobic digestion technology in Scotland. It is a technology that can help maximize the recovery of value and resource from source segregated biodegradable wastes, principally through the recovery of biogas and high quality soil improvers.
“SEPA is aware that sometimes regulation can be perceived as involving requirements that are not commensurate with the environmental risk attached to the particular operation. By adopting this regulatory position on PAS 110 certified digestates SEPA is satisfied that we may secure the necessary level of protection of the environment and human health in a way that will encourage development and investment in anaerobic digestion technology as a means of dealing with source segregated wastes.”
Iain Gulland, Director of Zero Waste Scotland, said:
“Anaerobic digestion has a major role to play in delivering a Zero Waste Scotland.
“Returning nutrients from food and other organic materials to the soil, so they can improve soil quality and support food production, is the kind of closed-loop approach we need.
“We welcome SEPA’s decision to take this regulatory position for PAS110-certified digestate. It will help to provide a vote of confidence in an important and burgeoning industry, and we will continue to work with producers to further build confidence in digestate.”