M3.1 pdc+++ M3.1 pdc+++ We could say that the destructo-culture, based on industrialized agriculture, carries a basic dysfunction, which is to see the soil as an inanimate thing, a resource to be exploited, & even something that can be seen as 'property' of human beings. This paradigm has to change because it is at the base of great injustices & of the destruction of the most important base for life on Earth. In this class we meet the soil as a living being, an organism of enormous complexity & importance, studying how it works in detail, from the microscopic to the global level. To know soil intimately is fundamental for any sustainable design & to have a direct & vital relationship with this great organism helps us re-connect, del M3.1 SOIL An integral exploration PDC + + +
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M3.1 pdc+++M3.1 pdc+++
We could say that the destructo-culture, based on industrialized agriculture, carries a basic dysfunction, which is to see the soil as an inanimate thing, a resource to be exploited, & even something that can
be seen as 'property' of human beings.This paradigm has to change because it is at the base of great injustices & of the destruction of the most
important base for life on Earth.In this class we meet the soil as a living being, an organism of enormous complexity & importance,
studying how it works in detail, from the microscopic to the global level.To know soil intimately is fundamental for any sustainable design & to have a direct & vital relationship
with this great organism helps us re-connect, physically as well as emotionally, with the Planet.
Nutrients Nutrients LowLow HighHigh Lots of Lots of CalciumCalcium
ClayClay
SandySandy
retains water and nutrientsretains water and nutrients
many possibilities many possibilities for improvementfor improvement
Lack of oxigenLack of oxigen
ColdColdWarmWarmmore gaseous more gaseous
exchangeexchangerapidrapid
decompositiondecompositionmany macropores, do not retain moisture many macropores, do not retain moisture
nor nutrientsnor nutrients
almost only micropores almost only micropores easily waterloggedeasily waterlogged
A0 Leaf Litter
A superficial (accumulates humus, and materials are washed down into B)
B accumulation of materials that come from A
C1 disaggregated Bedrock
C2 Bedrock
Soil Profiles
1818
Good to know what we have before starting in Good to know what we have before starting in order to make adjustmentsorder to make adjustments
pHpH
AcidicAcidic BasicBasicNeutralNeutral
The optimum pH for most vegetables is 6.8 (or The optimum pH for most vegetables is 6.8 (or 6 to 7)6 to 7)
pH= - log[H+]
o
pH= log (1/log [H+])
M3.1 SOIL
• Geology & Ecology
• Agriculture
• Biology
• History & Culture
• Psychology
• PermaCulture
an integral exploration
according to ...
Ecology is concerned about the erosion (disappearance) of soils and biodiversity
eg. U.S.A loses more eg. U.S.A loses more than 1,000 tons of than 1,000 tons of
soil / year, equiv. To soil / year, equiv. To 300,000 Has300,000 Has
about 100 million about 100 million hectares are hectares are affected by affected by
chemical chemical degradation and degradation and
saltssalts
It is a huge problemIt is a huge problem
'stable soils' (fertile) in orange - largely under the ice!
“Deserts are the footprint of Civilization”
External Actions Result External Actions Result ResourceResource
Elimination of weed floraElimination of weed flora Excessive and too deep tillageExcessive and too deep tillage None return of Organic MatterNone return of Organic Matter Burning Crop residue Burning Crop residue
OvergrazingOvergrazing Irrigation with brackish waterIrrigation with brackish water Pesticide applicationPesticide application and industrial fertilizersand industrial fertilizers
Excessive and too deep tillageExcessive and too deep tillage None return of organic matterNone return of organic matter Burning crop residue Burning crop residue Pesticide applicationPesticide application and industrial fertilizersand industrial fertilizers
Hydric and EolicHydric and EolicErosionErosion
chemical degradationchemical degradationand salt excessand salt excess
Biological and Physical Biological and Physical degradationdegradation
(elimination of(elimination of beneficial microbial life)beneficial microbial life)
of many types they have in common: they produce a lot of biomass, many seeds, prefer (they are “invited by”) anaerobic compacted and poor soils with Nitrogen surges ups and downs
are "volunteers" and are called "Adventitious Flora"
their job is to cover the ground, BRING UP minerals from the sub-soil, HARVEST water and seeds , CREATE BIOMASS to create humus. THEY CREATE SOIL!
'Weeds' = abundant biomass production
M3.1 SOIL
• Geology & Ecology
• Agriculture
• Biology
• History & Culture
• Psychology
• PermaCulture
an integral exploration
according to ...
As plant support- for human use -
attitude of 'mining' the soil (removing and replace nutrients in a repeated annual cycle)
'takers' have a dietary preference for annual plants - particularly cereals (addictive?)
also crops for animals (especially crazy in a sustainability level)
30
Considerations How much soil is left, what
type and what minerals have and lacks
whether it is flat or not, sunny or shade, if you have water, good access, climate, etc..
cost and legality of the land (private property or rent, security, markets, etc.).
profitability of the operation
M3.1 SOIL
• Geology & Ecology
• Agriculture
• Biology
• History & Culture
• Psychology
• PermaCulture
an integral exploration
according to ...
A healthy soil is a A healthy soil is a live weblive web
In each gram of In each gram of fertile soil there fertile soil there can be a billion can be a billion
micro-organismsmicro-organisms
The Soil Food Web
Edaphic Edaphic Biomass Biomass
of greatestof greatestimportanceimportance
the roots of plantsthe roots of plants
MacroorganismsMacroorganisms
BacteriaBacteria
FungiFungi
AlgaeAlgae
MicroorganismsMicroorganisms
MycorrizaMycorriza
Details on the functions of each in the Details on the functions of each in the e-Book www.PermaCultureScience.come-Book www.PermaCultureScience.com
Annelids, Arthropods, Molluscs
Lombricus terestris(Worms)
• Plants interchange gases between soil & the atmosphere
• Plants & in particular Trees create soils & protect them
• The Roots of Plants go breaking & fragmenting the Mother rock
• Roots open paths through which water & air will circulate later
• Leaves & Fruit that falls + the deposits of animals who come to feed off them are Organic Matter which is added to the soil
• A Soil covered with vegetation is more protected from external erosive agents
Plants & the SoilPlants & the Soil
Marsh plants showcase their hold in the soil on the banks of Boat Meadow Bay in Eastham, Massachusetts. by Mary Schwalm
41
some plants specialize in braking rock
InterdependanceThe Soil is part of the
Digestive System of Plants
Plants are the aerial part of soil
Everything affects everything
Two bugs better than one
Effects of bacteria & bacteria-eating nematodes on the growth of blue grama grass growth
Weed biomasain 77 days
•Are Fungi associated by symbiosis to the Roots of Plants
•These obtain Hydrocarbons & a protected place to live
• in exchange they provide the Plant with a better capacity for absorbtion of Water & Nutrients
• Increase Resistence of the Plant to ...
• pathogens, draught, acid soils
• In some Leguminous plants can increase efficiency of biological fixing of Nitrogen
MycorrizaMycorriza
Actions that destroyMycorriza:
1) dig the soil
2) adding nitrogen
Studies of organic growing with & without mycorrizamore micro-nutrients in those
with mycorriza
Mycorrhizal Fungi
polysaccharides secreted by the plant and fungi bind sand to the root
Endophytes (similar to mycorrhizae)
WormsWorms•• Eat dead vegetable matter which Eat dead vegetable matter which
they degrade into simpler compounds they degrade into simpler compounds > biochemical transformation> biochemical transformation
• • In one He there can be 500 Kg to 2 In one He there can be 500 Kg to 2 Tn of wormsTn of worms
• • There are some 220 different speciesThere are some 220 different species• • They have an effect of activation on They have an effect of activation on
the bacterian metabolismthe bacterian metabolism• • They increase the contribution of They increase the contribution of
Organic Matter Organic Matter • • Diminish with the adding of Diminish with the adding of