RE: [compost_tea] PH and F:B ratio

From: Pawlett, Mark <m.pawlett_at_cranfield.ac.uk>
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:39:15 +0000

Hi
This might help. Fungi survive quite happily in low pH, and hence their bi=
omass relative to bacteria increases. Bacterial biomass will go down with =
pH, and so there will be less competition for resources for the fungi. How=
ever fungi also survive quite happily through a wide pH range. By increas=
ing fungi you will not automatically have a reduced pH.

Personally, I did some research on Scottish peatlands (acidic), by playing =
with management regimes. One of which was adding lime to increase pH. Whe=
n I did this the fungal (ectos) biomass was not altered. In this instance =
the bacterial community was reduced as the indigenous microbial community w=
as happier in the acidic rather than the neutral pH soil

A reduction in pH in your compost tea would likely be due to products of me=
tabolism. In which case the bacterial community would drop with the pH.

So, in short. Increasing fungi wouldn't necessarily reduce pH unless there=
 are other factors involved. So don't use pH as a method of looking at the=
 fungi:bacterial ratio.

Mark


From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com] On B=
ehalf Of cpp_rj
Sent: 16 February 2011 19:39
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: [compost_tea] PH and F:B ratio



Does the ph of aact reflect the Fungi: Bacterial Ratio? I'm making tea, and=
 expecting the ph to drop with the increase of fungi in the tea... but afte=
r 36 hours of brewing, ph still rises (starting at 6.4 then after 36 hours =
it's at 7.7). Wondering if/ and how long it would take to notice any change=
 based on F:B.





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Received on Thu Feb 17 2011 - 12:53:10 EST

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