"Wee Beasties" and other "Critters" in TP

[Michaelangelica]

Thanks CE

this is the transcript from an ABC radio show. Not really on soil bugs but. .

You can listen to the show for the next few weeks or just read the transcript

 

Anyway Giselle, what's your ambit; what beasties do you include in your swag of little things?

 

Giselle Walker: There are creatures which don't have cells,

• which are viruses
  
• and there are reproducing molecules that don't have cells, which are prions, but they're fairly easy to distinguish from things that
  
• are cellular which include bacteria, eukaryotes and archaea.
  

So archaea basically look like bacteria but they live in weird places and they run on weird chemistry.

Bacteria are the things that everyone's familiar with, things like E. coli and staph aureus.

Eukaryotes we're all familiar with but people probably don't realise what they are; they're cells that have their DNA stuffed inside a nucleus.

 

Robyn Williams: That's us, isn't it?

 

Giselle Walker: That's us, that's plants, algae, protozoa and slime moulds and about 95% of the eukaryotes are single celled which points out that animals in general are a tiny, tiny blip of diversity both in terms of abundance and in terms of cellular diversity or genetic diversity.

And so what I work on is basically the rest of the eukaryotes, minus the plants and minus the fungi because there again, they're a bit big for me to look at.

. . .

. . .

Robyn Williams: It's interesting. Now when it comes to becoming multicellular, I'm always fascinated by that creature called the slime mould, in fact Dictyostelium is one of my favourites, which goes around as a bunch of unicells in the earth and then somehow a signal comes and they all get together and they form a slug-like object with a back and a front end, almost like a snail and go off and reproduce. I mean is that the kind of beginning of multicellularism where it's optional or is that a weird off shoot?

 

Giselle Walker: Interestingly that has happened in a whole bunch of different groups. You can divide the eukaryotes up into six major groups.

• One group includes the animals and fungi;
  
• another group includes amoebae and things like Dictyostelium.
  
• Another group includes plants and red algae;
  
• another group includes weird stuff like Giardia
  

and in this group that contains weird stuff like Giardia is the organism that I work on, which also does slime mould morphology. It's called Acrasis rosea and so it crawls around as a set of amoebae in the earth most of the time and then occasionally when you have a particular pattern of dark-light cycles it decides to make a little tree and some spores and disperse. And you can induce this in the lab

. . .

In terms of us versus these squillion other things living in our guts, yes, there are a lot.

I tend to work on the things that live in termite guts rather than in our guts, so I'm looking at convergent evolution in termite flagellates which are the things that termites use to digest their cellulose.

So these little unicells that live inside the guts of termites seem to have relatively similar morphologies no matter which set of termites they live in or indeed if they live in a cockroach.

And this appears to be something to do with the physical constraints of living inside a cockroach or a termite rather than actually being to do with the relationships between these different organisms

. . .

. . .

So something I'm doing at the moment is looking at convergence of these different hydrogenosomes and trying to characterise the organelles in one particular type in an organism called Breviata anathema, which I studied during my PhD.

 

Robyn Williams: Anathema.

 

Giselle Walker: Anathema. There is a time honoured tradition in taxonomy of trying to get silly names into the literature. I'm definitely not the best exponent of it but the lab I was in in Sydney was known for this and so anathema was my best effort so far. There have been many other taxa like fornicata and Massisteria marina and Euglena viagra, which is also quite a good one.

 

Robyn Williams: Mike Archer got I think Montypythonoides turned down at one stage for some weird fossil. :hihi:

[Michaelangelica]

The researchers traced the path of the carbon by replacing the normal carbon dioxide in the air around the plants with a version made with C-13, a natural, non-radioactive form of carbon that is slightly heavier than the usual kind. Within hours, microbes in the roots were feeding on sugars laden with C-13 and using it to build their own cells.

 

The newly-made molecules of DNA and RNA produced by the microbes could be separated from pre-existing ones because the C13 made them heavier. DNA and RNA are large molecules that carry genetic information about the organisms that made them, so it was possible to identify the microbes that made those heavy molecules. These were the ‘greedy’ ones that were consuming the largest share of the sugars provided by the plant.

 

Professor Young said: "There are rich communities of microbes growing in or around the roots of all plants growing in normal soil. Most do no harm to the plant, and some are very beneficial to it. We looked at two sorts of microbe: bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi."

 

The researchers found a high diversity of both types of microbe inside the roots of grass or clover plants growing in a pasture, but the ‘heavy’ label revealed that some of these were growing much more actively than others.

 

Professor Young added: "It is these active organisms that are important because they are turning sugar back into carbon dioxide, which is released into the atmosphere. We were astonished at the wide variety of active bacteria that we discovered. Many of them had not been seen in plant roots before, and we have no idea how they may affect plant growth."

 

The role of mycorrhizal fungi is better known.

Hungry Microbes Share Out The Carbon In The Roots Of Plants

Need to cite this story in your essay, paper, or report? Use one of the following formats:

APA

 

MLA

University of York (2007, October 21). Hungry Microbes Share Out The Carbon In The Roots Of Plants. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.sciencedaily.com* /releases/2007/10/071018123523.htm

[erich]

From Michael's Posting on the TP Bioenergy List;

 

"Classifying, naming, describing, all soil micro flora/fauna in all climes is probably beyond anyone's reach. Apart from the difficulty of growing soil micro flora in lab conditions.

Their dynamic interactions with each other and plants are only poorly understood

We would need a NASA type budget even to have a chance of discovering what life lives under our feet on this planet.

SEE

http://hypography.com/forums/environmental-studies/11569-we-need-trillion-more-indoor-plants-8.html#post194993

for more discussion and posts about this very important aspect of Terra preta

 

We still don't know if it is a unique suite of Amazonian micro-organisms that make TP work as well as it does there. "

 

 

 

To this end I have been researching Metagenomic work with soils. Way over my head, sending emails to convince these guys to support a Metagenomic Project for Terra Preta Soil Technology.

 

I sent off my TP post & links to all the contacts on the soils studies on this list ;

http://www.genomesonline.org/gold.cgi?want=Metagenomes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Mann, in the May issue of National Geographic, reminds us of the Columbian Exchange's profound reuniting of life on earth. Earth & Blood worms as invasive species?! ...WOW.

 

Our agriculture has already stirred the weebeastie pot, and over 10,000 years pumped a majority of GHG

to the atmosphere.

 

Carbon back to the soils is the only road home.

 

All of us thrive with good infrastructure, char goes way beyond the old saw of "Feed the soil not the plant" to feeding, clothing, housing, transport, utilities and health care to the soil.

 

The small steps being taken now by many diverse folks on the list, academia, and private sector to develop protocols should show us if there will be any runaway problems with opportunistic bugs or fungi in building these soil communities.

 

We have been groping in the microbial dark for a very long time, now with tools like Metagenomics, we will see the light of our symbiotic relationships with weebeasties in our health as well as our soils.

 

 

 

P. S.

Yesterday I was contacted by a journalist for the New York Times, wanting to do a carbon to the soil story. She was crest fallen when I told her that SCIAM did a Terra Preta article in May, she wanted an exclusive. I sent her all my links and she will be pitching the story to her editor for a full assignment. I comforted her by saying that no major paper had done a TP story and that hardly anyone but academics read Nature and SCIAM.

 

CROSS YOUR FINGERS.........This could start balls rolling.........NYT; Circulation 1,120,420 Daily

1,627,062 Sunday

 

 

 

 

Erich J. Knight

Shenandoah Gardens

1047 Dave Berry Rd.

McGaheysville, VA. 22840

(540) 289-9750

[email protected]

[Michaelangelica]

Understanding Compost Tea

Soil Foodweb Inc. about us

 

ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service: organic farming, sustainable ag, publications, newsletters

[Michaelangelica]

SEE

Recovering degraded soils

from "trees & water" thread

Let’s summarize the play by naming and rewarding the main actors and actresses (not all of them, a too long list):

 

Seeds:

Brachiaria brizantha cv. marandu, Albizia guachapele, Digitaria

swazilandensis, Canavalia ensiformis, Mucuna deeringiana, Crotalaria juncea,

Cajanus cajan, Stilozobium aterrimum, Leucaena leucocephala, Gliricidia

sepium, Acacia mangium, Erythrina verna, Goldmania paraguensis, Mimosa

caesalapinefolia, Senna siamea, Andropogon gayanus, Setaria sphacelata

cv. Kazungula

 

The main cast - microorganisms (“And the Oscar goes to...”):

N2 fixing: Rhizobium spp and a dozen others specific Rhizobia

inoculum.

Mycorryzal fungii: Glomus clarum - Gigaspora margarita

 

Best Supporting Actors:

Trichoderma spp ; EM4 (these are 71 different guys dividing one only

statuette)

 

The Theater: Your small but very efficient NURSERY.

[erich]

Soil Biology Movies

Soil Biology Movies

[Michaelangelica]

Soil Biology Movies

Soil Biology Movies

 

Erich I have dial up and am resisting broadband

Can you send it to me as an attachment please?

[erich]

Michael,

 

The web page has a dial-up option, plus I'm not sure how to send it as an attachment

 

Dial-Up Option;

Soil Biology Movies

[freeztar]

The web page has a dial-up option, plus I'm not sure how to send it as an attachment

 

Well Michaelangelica, because I like you <awwww>, I'll PM you soon with the videos linked from my website. :)

(please note that I am American* and am acting in a kind and generous manner :) ;) )

 

If anyone else has the same dilemma, let me know and I'll PM you the links.

 

And thanks Erich for posting these! :)

 

 

 

*Just givin' ya a hard time mate. :)

[Michaelangelica]

Bokashi

:D

It can be used as a soil amendment to increase the nutrient level and microbial diversity of the soil. (See product details for application examples and instruction on how to make bokashi)

 

Suggested Use: Traditional uses include as a 1) compost starter, 2) fermentation starter, 3) soil conditioner and as a 4) beneficial microbial inoculate.

 

Bokashi is a Japanese word that means "fermented organic matter and is made by fermenting wheat bran with molasses and EM (see below for specific instructions) and has been traditionally used by Japanese farmers as a soil amendment to increase the nutrient level and microbial diversity of the soil.

NaturEmporium - Bokashi

also at

EM Bokashi

[diazotrophicus]

NaturEmporium - Bokashi

also at

EM Bokashi

 

Hi,

just found a nice site about a working project in Belize where it seems they found a way to emulate those ancient forest dwellers making terra preta.

diazotrophicus

STAND Center- Organic Farm and Environmental Education Center

Stacked Polyculture

[erich]

New Soils Book;

 

Nardi, a scientist at the University of Illinois, writes in his newly published book, "Life in the Soil," that a square meter of healthy garden soil is home to 10 trillion bacteria, 10 billion protozoa, 5 million nematodes, 100,000 mites, 50,000 springtails, 10,000 creatures called rotifers and tardigrades, 5,000 insects and arachnids, 3,000 worms and 100 snails and slugs. Throw in the occasional mammal such as a chipmunk or a mole, and a salamander or two, and you get the idea that you don't have to travel to the Brazilian rain forest to luxuriate in the biodiversity at our feet.

 

washingtonpost.com - nation, world, technology and Washington area news and headlines

 

 

Of course I have sent Dr. Nardi and Ms. Higgins a note on TP

 

Erich

[Michaelangelica]

New Soils Book;

 

Nardi, a scientist at the University of Illinois, writes in his newly published book, "Life in the Soil," that a square meter of healthy garden soil is home to 10 trillion bacteria, 10 billion protozoa, 5 million nematodes, 100,000 mites, 50,000 springtails, 10,000 creatures called rotifers and tardigrades, 5,000 insects and arachnids, 3,000 worms and 100 snails and slugs. Throw in the occasional mammal such as a chipmunk or a mole, and a salamander or two, and you get the idea that you don't have to travel to the Brazilian rain forest to luxuriate in the biodiversity at our feet.

 

washingtonpost.com - nation, world, technology and Washington area news and headlines

 

 

Of course I have sent Dr. Nardi and Ms. Higgins a note on TP

 

Erich

It is bloody amazing erich

So feed the soil not the plants!

(Last night I killed 137 snails. In Buddhist Karma I am coming back as a nematode!)

:eek: :eek2:

Is this for real or just a concept or crazy idea?

I'll start off with something of an oddity - an indoor worm farm called a "digestive table" (or as Futurismic called it "table that eats"). A construction diagram for this contraption is available here.

 

A living ecosystem of worms, sowbugs and bacteria are invited to this table. They are a part of the digestive system that starts with a person discarding food leftovers and shredded paper into the portal at the top. The bacteria and sowbugs begin breaking down the waste and the worms soon join in to further digest it into a rich compost that sprinkles out of the bottom of the fabric bag that hangs beneath the table. This compost is used as a fertilizer for plants, such as those at the base of the table.

 

The human plays an important part at the table by eating, feeding the food waste to the worms, feeding the resulting fertilizer to the plants, or by simply sitting and appreciating the living ecosystem she/he is a part of. A cross-section of the activity inside the top 9 inches of the compost is made visible using an infrared security camera connected to an LCD screen built into the table. On the screen, viewers can see the live movements of the worms and sowbugs inside.

 

Vermicomposting - The hand-made composting bag is based on a

 

http://accad.osu.edu/~ayoungs/imgs/digestive01.jpg

 

[Alec Bauserman]

I am amazed and so thankful for all the information, links, pictures, movies, stories, etc that you guys are sharing with everyone here. Thanks so much! As a teacher, gardener, conservationist, and bio-philist I am glad to know there are people like you out there.

[diazotrophicus]

I am amazed and so thankful for all the information, links, pictures, movies, stories, etc that you guys are sharing with everyone here. Thanks so much! As a teacher, gardener, conservationist, and bio-philist I am glad to know there are people like you out there.

 

Hi,

here is some more info by Dr. Reddy, just came in today on the stoves list.

diazotrophicus

Terra Preta - Roof top Experiments: Terra Preta NUGGETS

[erich]

Hey Folks, you too can experience the warm glow I get when I recieve replies like this;

 

Jim Nardi to me;

 

Dear Erich, Thank you for calling my attention to the Terra Preta technology. Yes, it is definitely of interest to me - and I readily inferred its vast promise from just my cursory reading . I shall continue looking over the vast amount of fascinating information you sent me and hope that I may speak with you about certain details after I learn more.

 

With much gratitude for sharing this information on Terra Preta, Jim Nardi

 

 

And I thank Alec for the same feeling.

 

So..Ya'll ...get posting......

 

I cover; The Washington Post

MIT Technology Review

SCIAM

Popular Science

 

My GooGle filters cover; Terra Preta

Agrichar

Biochar

Agricultural charcoal

 

Please Report all sucesses to the "Lobby for Terra Preta" thread

 

Cheers,

Erich

[Michaelangelica]

Goodness, a "wee beasties" newsletter

University of Kentucky Wee Beasties Newsletter Spring 2002

not 'wee' enough methinks

 

Why?

 

One of the reasons that Dr. Lehmann recommends caution in the use of biochar can be seen in the paper recently published by Christoph Steiner et al., mentioned in previous messages.

He did get excellent plant growth responses to adding biochar - as long as mineral fertilizer was also used.

When you look at plant growth in the biochar only treatment, growth was worse than doing nothing at all (check plots).

In the nutrient-poor and highly leached soils of the tropics, the added biochar likely bound whatever nutrients were present in the soil solution and these became unavailable for plant uptake.

These results should make you cautious as well. How fertile a soil needs to be for biochar not to reduce plant growth or exactly how much fertilizer and/or compost should be added to be sure there is good, sustained release of nutrients, will likely vary soil to soil and we simply do not have these data available at present to make proper recommendations. . .

 

As to the 'wee beasties' or 'critters' as I like to call them, we have made progress on this front over the last several years. Brendan O'Neill and Julie Grossman in my laboratory, Sui Mai Tsai, our Brazilian collaborator at CENA and the University of Sao Paulo, and Biqing Liang, and many others in Johannes Lehmann's laboratory have been characterizing microbial populations in three different terra preta soils and comparing these to the adjacent, unmodified soils near by to them.

Brendan found that populations of culturable bacteria and fungi are higher in the terra preta soils, as compared to the unmodified soils, in all cases.

Yet, Biqing found that the respiratory activity of these populations is lower (see Liang et al., 2006), even when fresh organic matter is added.

This alone means that the turnover of organic matter is slower in the terra preta soils - suggesting that the presence of black C in the terra pretas is helping to stabilize labile organic matter and is itself not turning over in the short term.

All good news for C sequestration.

However, since the respiratory activity is lower (slower decomposition), this may lead to slower release of other mineral nutrient associated with the fresh organic inputs.

In some circumstances this is a good thing (maintaining nutrient release over the growing season),

in other circumstances (more immobilization), perhaps not.

We need more work on this to understand the implications of these results more fully.

More at:-

Muck and Mystery: Feed Me