From sustag@beta.tricity.wsu.eduMon Jun 10 13:30:19 1996 Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 07:19:38 -0700 (PDT) From: "Tom Hodges (moderated newsgroup)" To: Principles of Sustainable Agriculture Subject: Re: Gypsum Info Wanted- try microbials (fwd) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 9 Jun 1996 09:56:37 -0700 From: Bob Niles To: sustag@beta.tricity.wsu.edu Subject: Re: Gypsum Info Wanted- try microbials (fwd) >>OK, this is interesting -- suggesting that the structure of soil microbial >>communities can be managed to enhance crop productivity. But how do >>determine the unsatisfactory attributes or function of the soil microbes in >>a given field? And how do you measure the benefit of introducing new >>microbes into that field? And exactly what organisms are in these >>microbial products, what do they cost? Are they really more effective than >>applying any labile carbon source? >> --- >> Robert K. Niles >> >>Labile carbon source? Bob you will have to help me out on this phrase. The >dictionary isn't enough help. Normally I refer to carbon as being biogicly >available or unavailable, and humus as in the active state or storage state. >Organic matter is some carbon source that has not been fully worked on by >the biogeny of the soil. Larry Labile -- easily decomposed, such as alfalfa hay vs. Recalcitrant -- resisting decomposition, such as wood chips --- Robert K. Niles Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 80523 office: 970/491-1964 fax: 970/491-1965 email: bobn@nrel.colostate.edu