Re: [compost_tea] "Micro" nematodes

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 10:40:44 -0700

----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff Lowenfels
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, April 26, 2004 9:58 AM
Subject: Re: [compost_tea] "Micro" nematodes


Ted, Micro and Macro are defined soil biology terms, which explains Dr. Ela=
ine's response.

Jeff:

Of course, you are correct.

I brew with free suspended compost. I think they come from the compost als=
o and I have seen them in sampled compost. However, usually, they do not a=
ppear until I have been brewing for 48 hours if they are not there to begin=
 with.

I am trying to be as precise as I can without misstating and I don't know m=
y audience. Most on this forum, as far as I can tell, don't know a lot abo=
ut microbiology. I didn't either when I started 2 1/2 years ago other than=
 the typical college courses. I try to describe things in ways people can =
relate to who do not have a complex understanding.

I don't know what was being described was "not" compost or any such thing. =
 I simply reported my experience where I thought it might match. As always=
, I defer to Elaine for anything scientific that adds to my understanding. =
 It's pretty easy to get caught up in terminology.

For example trophic zones (levels): I have seen at least two explanation o=
f what they are and how they operate that are similar but different at the =
same time. If I look at the Soil Biology Primer, I see a chart of page 5 c=
alled "The Soil Food Web" and if I look on page 13, I see a chart called "A=
 Complex Food Web". Now, the two are similar and I am almost sure that the=
 columns on page 13 match the trophic levels on page 5. There is a whole d=
ifferent chart of trophic zones on waynesworld.palomar.edu that is similar =
but different and deals with microbiology only.

Here's what get's me. All the terms are the same or used similarily.

Curiously I have seen these "micronematodes" but had not seen microarthropo=
ds. Then one day it dawned on me that maybe I was seeing them but not as I =
thought I should. I was seeing insect parts, not whole insects. So they we=
re there but they were not there.

If we take the Second Trophic level, I am betting that it can be broken dow=
n into several sub-levels just in the bacteria alone. So when we brew, whe=
re in the zone should you be brewing; Primitives or complex? I have been b=
rewing differently depending on application and that is all based on the so=
il food web.

Ted Peterson
EW/SOE



Received on Mon Apr 26 2004 - 14:45:09 EDT

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