During that time, the farm used a variety of different soil nitrogen management practices, including no fertilizer, chemical fertilizer, and manure/compost fertilizer. The results are published in the Soil Science Society of America Journal.
Dr. Ganga Hettiarachchi, professor of soil and environmental chemistry at Kansas State University, said:
"We were trying to understand what the mechanisms are behind increasing soil carbon storage using certain management practices. We were looking at not just soil carbon, but other soil minerals that are going to help store carbon."As has been shown in other studies, the K-state researchers found that the soil enhanced (treated) with manure or compost fertilizer stores more carbon than soil that received either chemical fertilizer or no fertilizer. More exciting though, says Hettiarachchi, the ultrabright synchrotron light enabled them to see how the carbon gets stored: they found that it was preserved in pores and some carbon had attached itself to minerals in the soil.
The team also found that the soil treated with manure or compost contained more microbial carbon, an indication that these enhancements support more microorganisms and their activities in the soil. In addition, they identified special minerals in the soil, evidence Hettiarachchi says, that the treatments contribute to active chemical and biological processes.
"To my knowledge, this is the first direct evidence of mechanisms through which organic enhancements improve soil health, microbial diversity, and carbon sequestration."Because synchrotron imaging is non-destructive, the K-state researchers were able to observe what was going on in soil aggregate (clumps) without having to break up the soil; essentially, they were looking at the carbon chemistry in its natural state.
Hettiarachchi stated:
"Collectively, studies like this are going to help us to move forward to more sustainable, more regenerative agriculture practices that will protect our soils and environment as well as help feed growing populations. As well, understanding the role of the different minerals, chemicals, and microbes involved will help improve models for predicting how different farming practices affect soil carbon storage."
Reader Comments
Fungi is the living internet for plants ,insects and microbes in general.
When a tree is short on a chemical it cannot make for itself it seeks these from the fungal network that underlies all life, including us. The Tree pays with chemicals that it has in abundance which in turn get passed onto other trees.
Can trees survive the idiots so wanton with their chainsaws? I hope so.
Sequestrate carbon in new Forests ,trees eat CO2.
Absolutely. Fungal network can be compared to a neural network, allowing communication between plants as well as nutrient transport and all sorts of interesting phenomenon. [Link]
I worked on Amish and Mennonite farms in PA through the 70's as a pre-teen and teen. The practice at that time was organic fertilizers, manure especially, and a rotation of crop locations in the field as certain crops deplete specific minerals and microbes that others replenish. Mono-culture farming was Never used as common knowledge knew it was foolish. The livestock would graze certain fields that were resting that year, and it would rotate. The current system is not only unhealthy for the soils, but equally provides an inferior product. Calculate in the carbon procuced in producing chemical ferlilizers...
I'm tired of the shit. Let's find a better way to use it.