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Lecture 5 addresses how we got here, with regard to current problems and crises in farming (and ecology), and considers a brief history of agriculture and agricultural practices. An examination of the movement of materials, organisms, water, air, etc., through the Soil Horizons. Dr. Elaine’s™ Soil Food Web Approach to fertility, based not on Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium values or concentration of organic matter, but based on the Fungal:Bacterial ratio and associated predators.
As usual, here is a video for the Cannabis community discussing the subjects on the topics discussed with this lecture!
Tilling using a plow and then beginning of the 19th century, tractors was what destroyed the biology in soils before chemicals were introduced. Even in 1000 BC they would plow once a year but would still destroy the life in the soils even with minimal tillage. Eventually organic matter would be depleted. As the organic matter starts to be depleted, the food to feed the micro-organisms were is lost and the soil life decreases. The only thing left is Bacteria. The bacteria will multiple rapidly in this instance.
Bacteria will blow off carbon dioxide. Bacteria are inefficient because they do not need the carbon. The bacteria needs 30:1 C:N ratios and not 5:1 ratio for food sources. This will deplete the food sources for fungi.
Manure and poorly composted compost would be applied to help this process in the past through out human history. However, manure from animals is mineral heavy and salts will build up. Soil would compact and weeds would become abundant. Through out history civilizations would collapse due to inability to produce food.
Mechanical tractors allowed for more acres to be tilled more often. They believed they were controlling weeds but created more and more weeds. inorganic fertilizers were applied as a result.
The beneficial organisms were destroyed already in the soils from tillage, toxic chemicals and inorganic fertilizers.
All inorganic fertilizers are salts. Extra moisture and water is needed to break down the salts. Salt is anything that has a - and + charge. Water will be come ineffective when brought into contact of the salts. Example is when humans drink salt water.
If you see an instant response from an inorganic fertilizer, the nutrient cycling system is broken.
O1 Horizon- Recognizable plant debris
OH Horizon- Dark brown humus (OM organism)
A Horizon- Add sand, silt clay to OM, organisms; color and depth depends on how much humus moves into top layer of soil
B Horizon- Less humus movement by water, fewer organisms, roots
C Horizon- Much less OM, but is this sterile?
Each time we tilled we created compaction layers. So over time we thought we needed to till deeper and deeper over time.
1940-1950 - 4 - 6 inches
Late 1970's - 12- 18 inches
1994 - 4 feet
Tillage equipment should only be used in extreme conditions.
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