The soil food web represents the diversity of life that lives in the soil. Earthworm counts can be used as an indicator of the diversity of life that is present in the soil.
A healthy agro-ecosystem contributes both directly and indirectly to agricultural production. More emphasis should be placed on restoring and maintaining healthy agro-ecosystems.
Carbon is one of the indicators that can be used to test for soil health. Soils with higher soil carbon are usually indicative of healthy soil. Those with low carbon indicate the opposite. Watch this simple demonstration showing how to test for carbon in soil.
Water is a precious resource and everything possible should be done to ensure that it is used carefully and efficiently.
The conversation about the negative impacts of nitrogen fertiliser is often focused on the soil, but the broader environmental impact is just as big of a challenge. Watch Dr Craig Galloway explain why in this video.
When dairy effluent is viewed as waste water, it is all about getting rid off it. However when it is viewed as beneficial water, it is all about the opportunity costs of the nutrients.
Good water management practices can significantly contribute to better water use efficiency. This is an economic advantage on farms, contributes to environmental stewardship and is a social responsibility of farmers.
Soil carbon helps with moisture retention and can get you through dry periods. Farm management practices should be wired towards sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere!
As a farmer, you can contribute negatively or positively towards the problem of freshwater pollution. If you want to make a positive contribution, what practices are you implementing to do so?
The soil is more than just a big blob of brown stuff. It has organic matter, mineral particles as well as a variety of microorganisms. The quantity of each of these determines the health of that soil.