Moonlit soil sampling

Sometimes magic just happens.I was visiting friends holidaying a little way out in the country. We met for supper and a game of skittles. Getting back to work the following day meant leaving well before sunrise. Something drew me out into the garden.Not just the full moon.Into the kitchen first, to find a tea spoonContinue reading “Moonlit soil sampling”

Nematode extractions

Why do a nematode extraction? Diversity assessment:To figure out what nematode diversity is in the soil or compost.Within the first 24-48h the free living, free swimming nematodes will be extracted. Root feeding nematodes are bound to the root environment, move much shorter distance and won’t generally cover the distances within this early time span.Keep theContinue reading “Nematode extractions”

Biodiverse soil ecosystems: Nematodes and their feeding habits

Meet a compex soil ecosystem, with nematodes from different trophic levels.
Reflections on methodology of the microscopic soil food web assessments in biodiversity rich vs empoverished soils.

A Christmas puzzle

Do you ever get soil samples and have no idea what the plants were like, what health concerns there might be, what the growing conditions would have been?

What can we glean from just a soil sample and the soil food web in it?

What questions does this pose, and can we judge from the soil alone which plants grew best?