[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Dr. Ingham's May E-Zine



***************************************
Dr. Ingham's Talks on the Soil Foodweb
    ------------------------------
     E-Zine Issue #7    May, 2000
***************************************


*******************************************
NEW CD RELEASE!    READ BELOW FOR DETAILS!
*******************************************



Greetings Folks!


Here's Dr. Ingham's E-zine for May, 2000

Dr. Ingham's been traveling like mad once again...Oh, and
not to mention the all-nighters organizing the ESA Annual Meeting...
been hard to pin her down to get an article for the newsletter
this month...but rather than miss a month entirely, I thought
I'd forward some good information that we've received from our
growing network of folks like you and some great Q&A's which 
cover a wide scope of subjects.  Dr. Ingham will be back next 
month with an article for you.

On with some news from our email inbox!

(Samuel)
www.unisun.org





*************************
Shorts, Clips and Links:
*************************

__________________________________________
1.) Get your Soil Biology Primer...ONLINE!
******************************************
Now THIS is great news!   For all of you who wanted to order
the Soil Primer but missed the latest printing, much of the 
publication is now available online!

http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/survey/SQI/primer/index.htm

For farmers, ranchers, ag professionals, resource specialists, 
conservationists, soil scientists, students and educators.

The Soil Biology Primer is an introduction to the living component 
of soil and how it contributes to agricultural productivity, and 
air and water quality. The Primer includes units describing the
soil food web and its relationship to soil health, and units about
bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, arthropods, and earthworms. 

About this version:
The Soil Biology Primer was originally published as a 52-page booklet.
The on-line version you see here includes all the text of the original
but not all the images of soil organisms. The full story of the soil food
web is more readily understood with the aid of all of the photos and
illustrations in the original. 

How to order: 
The booklet is currently out of stock, but will be reprinted. We will post
ordering information when it is available. To have ordering
information sent to you, send an e-mail request with your phone number and
full address (include NRCS or district office name, if applicable)
to: landcare@swcs.org. 


Soil Biology Primer. NRCS Soil Quality Institute, Ames, IA.

NRCS Soil Quality Institute home page:
http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/survey/SQI/









_________________________________________________
2.)  Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting
*************************************************
The ESA Annual Meeting is coming together nicely and we at SFI and Unisun are
proud to be affiliated with the organization of this year's conference!  It's been 
an interesting and hectic seven months as Unisun Partner Kim Ettaro assisted 
Program Chair Elaine Ingham in organizing nearly 2000 abstracts submitted by scientists 
from all over the world... but the schedule is finally posted!
 
The Annual Meeting is held every August - usually during the first week - in smaller 
cities in the United States and Canada, university towns and, occasionally, at resort
properties. The Annual Meeting provides participants and their guests and family with
a stimulating environment to advance science, explore significant scientific aspects
of the region and forge lasting professional and personal relationships. 

By attending the ESA Annual Meeting, ecological scientists and researchers, graduate and 
post-doctoral students, educators at all levels of academia, administrators and field
scientists from government and non-governmental organizations and members of the media
have the opportunity to interact: to meet and learn from each other; to exchange ideas
and information and to stay on the cutting edge of research and issues in the many disciplines
making up ecological science.

Visit the following site for all information regarding the ESA Annual Meeting.

*******************************
http://esa.sdsc.edu/annual.htm
*******************************

Available is the Program Schedule of Sessions, Author Index, Individually submitted
abstracts, registration information, special events and workshops.
 








__________________
3.)  In Harm's Way
******************
Here's an interesting article that was sent to me by Dr. Ingham....

If you've got anything else to report on this matter, please let
us know about it.



CHEMICAL EXPOSURES LINKED TO DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. HARRISBURG,
Pennsylvania, May 12, 2000 (ENS)

A new national report links chemicals used by industry and at home to 
developmental disabilities, including behavioral and learning disabilities.
These chemicals are toxic to the developing brain and can lead to 
hyperactivity, attention deficit, lower IQ and motor skill impairment. 

The Clean Water Fund and Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) released
the report, "In Harm's Way," on Thursday. Among the chemicals evaluated in
this groundbreaking study are metals including lead, mercury, cadmium, and
manganese; pesticides; dioxins and PCBs; solvents used in gasoline, paints,
glues and cleaning solutions; nicotine and alcohol. The report found that blood 
lead levels in one million U.S. children now exceed the accepted level above which 
lead affects behavior and cognition. 

The report also found that over 80 percent of adults and 90
percent of U.S. children have residues of one or more harmful
("Registered") pesticides in their bodies. "It is critical that we
understand and, as a matter of public policy, address the impact of these
neurotoxic chemicals on developmental and learning disabilities," said Dr.
Ted Schettler, a practicing physician and one of the report's co-authors.

"The urgency of this issue is underscored by the fact that between 5 and 10
percent of school children in America have learning disabilities and at
least an equivalent amount have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder)." 

Robert Wendelgass, Pennsylvania director of Clean Water Fund,
recommended "passing state legislation that would reduce the use of
pesticides in our schools, making sure that the school environment doesn't
put our children in harm's way." The report is available at:

******************************
http://www.preventingharm.org  
******************************











_______________________
4.)  Some Good Reading
***********************
There are a few articles regarding Dr. Ingham and her research in The
New York Times, The Australian Farm Journal and Acres U.S.A.



Ann Raver, Garden Features writer for the NYTIMES conducted an interview
with Dr. Ingham and published a brief piece in the Sunday, May 21st issue
of the widely-read publication.   To read the article, follow this link:

********************************************************************
http://www.nytimes.com/00/05/21/news/style/garden-column-adv21.html
********************************************************************



The Australian Farm Journal doesn't have the article available online,
however, they do have a website that gives information on how to get
their magazine:
***********************************************
http://www.rpl.com.au/ruralpress/agdiv/afj.html
***********************************************



Acres isn't available online either, but this very indepth and intersting
article is well worth a special order!  Here's their website where you can
order back issues and subscribe:
********************************
http://www.acresusa.com/original
********************************











___________________________
5.)  Speaking of Australia!
***************************

The good Doctor is making another trip to see our friends Down-Under!

>From their Website:

Resource Consulting Services is hosting Dr. Ingham this time around.   RCS will be 
holding another round of workshops when Elaine Ingham returns from the US in June. 
These will introduce the Bio-BusinessFarming School with an outline of some of the
latest advances commercial farmers in the US are using to improve the ecology of the
their farming systems. Dr Elaine Ingham, President of the Soil Foodweb Inc. Laboratory
in Oregon, is a world authority on monitoring and evaluating soil micro-organisms for
improved crop production. Dr Ingham has established clear correlations between different
cultural practices (fertilisation, chemical usage, etc), micro-organism populations
and plant growth.

For more information and to register online:
**********************************************
http://www.rcs.au.com/products/bbf/SFW_WS.html
**********************************************












***************************
6.)  Speaking of Speaking!
***************************

Unisun Communications is launching an interesting new "Talk" venture.....it's an internet-based
talk show called "The Green Wave" and we're actively searching for interesting guests to take part
in our first few productions.    The show will be launched in June and will hosted by Randy Cox 
and Samuel Ettaro of Unisun Communications from our studio on a 34 acre farm just outside of Sweet
Home, Oregon.   Randy has recently joined Unisun Communications as a full-partner and is extremely
excited about the coming talk projects.  He has a Ph.D. in Psychology and 28 years experience in public 
education and is looking forward to using his talents to help Unisun continue publishing the fine works of
people such as Dr. Ingham.  Welcome aboard, Randy!

This show will be of varying lengths and cover various topics all orbiting around the topic of 
"sustainable living".   We believe that there is indeed an enormous groundswell of positive growth
happening and that this movement is growing at a very rapid rate.   There is exciting and incredible
news and information available to the public from an increasingly diverse group of growers, educators
and researchers from all over the world.  We will conduct a monologue regarding a specific topic on
each issue, then move into "guest interviews" (either live in our studio or over the telephone) and
then open the conversation to people wishing to call in and be heard.   We will be able to handle calls 
on several incoming lines, professionally mix the various voices, and record it to computer hard disk for
conversion into Real Audio format which will be streamed over the internet.  The show will not be available
live as of yet, but will be available "on-demand".   The Green Wave will be a new feature of www.unisun.org and
will be actively promoted through Unisun and SFI's Ezine lists and websites.  

If you feel that you have something of substance to contribute and would like to be a guest or even if
you just have an interesting idea for a show please contact the show's producer, Samuel Ettaro, at
541-367-8980 or sam@unisun.org
 











********************
7.) Long Lost CD #2
********************

Okay, okay, okay... I know it's been almost a full year but we've finally
put the finishing touches on the next double CD set of Dr. Elaine Ingham's
"Talks on the Soil Foodweb" lecture series!  It's in final post production
and up on the website awaiting your order right now!

Visit this link to listen to a substantial FREE Real Audio Sample:

*******************************************
http://www.soilfoodweb.com/multimedia.html
*******************************************

Dr. Ingham explores the effect chemically intensive agriculture has had on soil life, 
why pesticides are effective initially, but with continued use, result in the destruction
of beneficial soil life, with direct negative impacts on sustainable agriculture. 

Includes a Slide Presentation of selected images that will
play in any Windows or Mac browser! 


We're also finishing up the second run of Dr. Ingham's Multi-Media slide collection...  We found
that the first short run had some problems... So, we're re-issuing the new and improved version in June.
Back orders will be filled then.   We're not taking any more orders on this product until we sort out
the past issues and get fresh stock.   When we have product ready to ship, we'll let you know!   There's 
some information for you on the multimedia page above on this project.




***************************************************************************************************************




That's it for me this month... As always, you have our full permission to 
forward this E-Zine and spread it around as you see fit.

And yet again, thanks for listening!



Peace,
Samuel A. Ettaro II
Unisun Communications
Dr. Ingham/SFI Publisher
http://www.unisun.org
sam@unisun.org
(541)367-8980











*********
May Q&A
*********


***************************************************************************

Here is a response to a question sent to Dr. Ingham over the "Compost List Digest"


Hello Digest Members....

One of your readers sent a question about anaerobic/aerobic conditions in
compost, and asked a question about decomposition of geneetically
engineered organisms in the compost heap. I thought I'd answer them.

We discuss aerobic/anaerobic conditions in the compost foodweb section on
the website. Our web address is http://www.soilfoodweb.com. Check the table of
contents on the left hand side of the page, and click on "Compost Foodweb".
 Have fun learning about the microbiology of compost. Learn how to detect
"putrifying organic matter" which should never be confused with compost!

We also get into the aerobic/anaerobic consideration even more in the
Growing Solutions Compost Tea Manual available from GSI,
htp://www.growingsolutions.com

We have even more work on aerobic/anaerobic conditions that will come out
in the next version (1.2) of the Compost Tea Manual, due out in about a
month.

On the second topic, since my program at OSU was involved in the early days
of genetically engineered organism testing, and I helped initiate and write
the Biosafety Manual (available from the Edmonds Institute, WA), I have
some experience on what happens to genetically engineered organisms in
compost piles.    Let me comment.

First, you can't make blanket statements about genetically engineered
organisms. Each one is unique, the genes that are added to the organisms
make those organisms do different things. If we put a gene to make you
produce nasty poisons in your body, no one will decompose you. If you put
a gene in you to make easy-to-degrade materials, then you'll easily be
decomposed. So, the first answer is always, it depends. Then, you have to
know what the new genetic material is designed to do, and THEN you have to
know WHAT IT REALLY DOES!

Just because you add a gene to make alcohol does not mean that's the only
change in the engineered organism. Where are the nutrients going to come
from to make that alcohol? It changes the physiology of the engineered
organism to make a new product. So, how does that affect everything else
the plant does? We MUST test to find out!

But let's take an example - plants into which a gene for production of BT
toxin were placed. BT-potato, for example. Each cell within the body of
that plant now produces BT protein. OK, protein - should be easy to
decompose, right? That's what Monsanto scientists say - proteins are
decomposed within minutes of getting near a bacterium, so why worry about
the amount of BT protein being made? It's gone in 15 minutes.....

Notice how it's referred to as a protein in this context? Proteins are
harmless, right? Wrong. Consider snake venom, that's a mixture of
proteins. Is that harmless? Not in your bloodstream. It'll kill you in
minutes. Is BT protein that harmful? Yep, if you are an insect. If it is
to be effective as a pesticide, that protein better cause harm. What does
BT do to people? It probably kills us too, if we eat enough of it. And
the BT toxin is in the potato tubers we eat. Ah, but Monsanto says, don't
worry, if you cook the potato the protein will be denatured and will be
inactivated. I sure would like someone other than Monsanto, or somone paid
by Monsanto, to do that study.....

What effect does BT protein, or toxin, as Monsanto refers to it when they
are trying to convince you to kill pests with it, have on other organisms? 

BT in the potato leaves kill beneficial fungi in your soil. That work was
done by the EPA back in the late 1980's and even reported in EPA
literature, in a conference in Baltimore back in, oh, 1991 or so. But did
anyone do anything about it? No. 

When BT-potato plant leaf material fell to the surface of the soil, it
killed beneficial fungi in the soil. But, the "answer" was, don't worry,
we have chemicals that take care of the diseases controlled by those
beneficial fungi. 
So, it doesn't matter that those beneficial fungi are killed by the BT
toxin accumulating in the litter under the BT-potato plants. 

What effect will BT plant litter have in your compost heap? I'm
extrapolating here, but I think you can follow the logic easily enough - it
will kill the beneficial fungi in your compost, and reduce the
disease-suppressive characterisitics of your compost. How long until the
BT-toxin is decomposed? Well, it's not minutes, as Monsanto scientists
would have you believe is all it takes any protein to be decomposed. BT
protein is a nasty toxin. There aren't that many organisms that can
decompose it. 

Can we get an inoculum of organisms in the compost pile that will decompose
BT in the leaf material? Probably and think, it's yet another product
Monsanto can sell you! 

But why give ourselves the problem to begin with? Why do you need a
BT-plant? Use GOOD, aerobic compost instead, get the organisms that
prevent potato beetle from being a problem back in your system and you
don't have to pay for BT-seed every year! 

That's just BT-plants. What about Round-up ready plants? How was the
plant's physiology changed by expression of that material? What are the
effects on organisms in your compost heap? We don't know, no one has
assessed that. At least that I'm aware. I'd keep an eye on Applied Soil
Ecology for that information, but who would fund that research? 

If you have specific questions about different engineered organisms, go
ahead and ask me. If the question can get forwarded to me, I'll send the
answer back here.

Elaine Ingham
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
Department of Forest Science, Oregon State University


***************************************************************************


Q-2.)  

Dear Elaine,
 
 Do you have any information comparing the foliar food web between
 conventionally grown plants (food or ornamental) and organically grown
 plants? We have over 20,000 acres of wine grape vineyards in Santa
 Barbara county (approximately 130 vineyards) and only two are organic.
 Right now they are spraying approximately every two weeks as a
 prophylactic treatment for fungus.  
 
 I am currently taking the Vineyard IPM class and am also in contact with
 our local Vintner Association. We are all interested in information for
 safer and self-sustaining farming practices which will build and
 maintain the plants natural health and immune systems so that the plants
 are not susceptible to bacterial and fungal diseases or insect problems.
 
 Our local Environmental Information Services group greatly appreciated
 all your and Unison's work and programs in helping people understand the
 soil foodweb information and how it works. I will be participating in
 an alumni "Professor for a Day" program at Cal Poly Pomona and will be
 telling the students and faculty about Elaine, the webcasts, the CDs and
 other services.
 
 Thanks so much...
 
 Deb Robinson




A-2.)  

Hi Deb 
Get them to stop, and use tea instead!  Much less detrimental to life. And
just as effective, well, really more effective,  at controlling disease.

We know that any pesticide applications have impacts, typically reduction
in bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes, on foliar organisms. The exact
reduction depends on many things - temperature, moisture, time of day, and
the kind of pesticide used. But we have yet to encounter a chemcial
application that does not negatively impact the set of organsms on plant
surfaces.

Sulfur applications in organic systems can be just as adverse as any other
pesticide. Dry application is less detrimental, but it still has impacts -
both on disease fungi as well as beneficial and neutral fungi.

Dust, air pollution and fertilizer applications also negatively impact the
set of organisms on foliage. Air pollution is by far and away the biggest
problem with respect to killing the set of foliar organisms that should be
present.

 
Thank you Deb, for helping to educate people about healthy plants and soils!

Elaine





***************************************************************************



Q-3.)  

Dr Ingham,

Can you tell me whether there has been any research done by SFI on "oak
wilt" or "live oak decline"?  I was reading the introductory e-zine and what
spurred me to ask this question is the part on bacteria vs. fungal dominated
soils, the latter being proper to forrests. I have a ranch in Texas with many
live oaks and other oaks, but many are dying as a result of "oak wilt". So far as I
know, no one (e.g. TX A&M Univ.) even knows what causes this disease, whether
its bacteria, virus or fungus--it is highly disputed.

Could it be that there is simply not enough fungal activity (for whatever
reason) to produce enough ammonia, and if so, would watering the affected
trees with a diluted ammonia solution help restore the proper fungi to the
soil and end the problem?

I would appreciate your input on this.

Sincerely,

 Chris 




A-3.)  

Hello Chris- 

Oak wilt, at least in other parts of the country, seems to be an
Armillaria-caused disease, although it's probably actually a "community" of
root-rot fungi that do the attacking. 

Typically the things that help root rot fungi are high levels of nitrate
and reduced oxygen in the soil, such as in compacted soil. So,improve soil
structure - don't compact - and the root rot will be reduced.

If you apply ammonium in a bacterial-dominated soil, the nitrifying
bacteria will convert the ammonium to nitrate before you can say
Nitrosomonas. And then the root rots will thank you for helping them out.

So, I wouldn't go for N in any form as a treatment for oak wilt. Probably
the problem is N deposition from atmospheric sources of pollution, much as
they have experienced in Europe. We're just starting to see these impacts
here in the States.

The thing to do for too high N is to add sugar, and get the bacteria and
fungi to tie-up the excess nitrate in soil organic matter. this would help
combat the disease, in that the selective factor for the root rots is high
nitrate, and reducing high nitrate would select against the disease. But
be careful with adding too much sugar. Add too much, and the bacteria
tie-up ALL your N, and the trees die. Optimal is the important point here.

Or, get a good grass-oak leaf mulch down around the trees, and use a
compost tea to inoculate the beneficial organisms that should combat the
disease problems on the roots. Harry Hoitink has suggested that the
organisms in a good compost can give you systemic acquired resistance,
which would combat the root rot fungi most likely causing oak wilt. 

But, it sure would be nice to have the funding to do the detailed work to
determine what the problem is for certain. 

Elaine




*****************
End of Main Body
*****************

****************************************************************
To Unsubscribe from this Newsletter List:

Place "no SFI" in the Subject field of an email and...

mailto: sam@unisun.org   You will be automatically deleted.
****************************************************************









*******************************************
NEW CD RELEASE!    READ BELOW FOR DETAILS!
*******************************************


Unisun Communications is proud to announce the release of....

Dr. Elaine Ingham Talks on the Soil Foodweb---An audio CD Lecture Series.

The first two double CD Sets in the series of 8 lectures are now 
available!  We hope you decide to purchase these wonderful products and
continue to learn about the Soil Foodweb.  If you have an interest in helping
us distribute this line of products we'd love to chat with you further... 

Please read on!


********************************************
DR. ELAINE INGHAM's CURRENT PUBLISHED WORKS
********************************************

These are not live recordings.  All of the CD's are recording in a state
of the art digital recording studio and are of the highest quality.
Diagrams accompany the CD on the inside jacket.


*****************************************************************
CD Series #1--"An Introduction to the Soil Foodweb" NOW AVAILABLE
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Compact Disc:   Dr. Ingham Talks on the Soil Foodweb Series
Speaker:        Dr. Elaine Ingham
Publisher:    	Unisun Communications
Format:         Double CD Set (Audio Only)

Dr. Elaine Ingham discusses the important functional groups of organisms
that live in soil, how and why they enhance plant growth and production.
This is the introductory talk about the Soil Foodweb. All other CD's assume
an understanding of this introductory material.

Included in this Double CD set:
        -The seven benefits of a beneficial soil foodweb.
        -Who starts the process? Soil organisms or plants?
        -Disease suppression: Working together.
        -Nutrient retention: Bacteria and Fungi
        -Production of plant available nutrients: Protozoa, nematodes
         and microarthropods
        -Getting rid of toxic compounds.
        -Soil structure: Bacterial bricks, fungal walls, protozoan,
         nematode and microarthropod engineers.
        -Some considerations about plant health




*****************************************************************
CD Series #2--"A Plant Production Overview" NOW AVAILABLE
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Compact Disc:   Dr. Ingham Talks on the Soil Foodweb Series
Speaker:        Dr. Elaine Ingham
Publisher:    	Unisun Communications
Format:         Double CD Set (Mixed Media)
 
Dr. Ingham explores the effect chemically intensive agriculture has had on soil life, 
why pesticides are effective initially, but with continued use, result in the destruction
of beneficial soil life, with direct negative impacts on sustainable agriculture. 

Includes a Slide Presentation of selected images that will
play in any Windows or Mac browser! 

 
*******************************************************************************
For more information, to order, and to even PREVIEW these CD's for FREE please
visit http://www.soilfoodweb.com/multimedia.html
*******************************************************************************



If you wish more to get information on distribution, wholesale/reseller
pricing, and press opportunities with Dr. Ingham and other Unisun Communications
please let us know and we'll give you a direct phone call!

Peace,

Samuel Anthony Ettaro II
Unisun Communications
http://www.unisun.org
(541)367-8980