Here are some updated worksheets showing the change in soil biology in our Oak woodlands over time. Looks to me like most numbers go down significantly as soil moisture is reduced through the drier time of year. It’ll be interesting to continue tracking changes into next fall and winter.
Below is a spreadsheet showing what data we have thus far for seasonally monitoring the biology of our Oak trial plots.
During the oak trials, we had three blocks with six plots in each block. The white plot in each was the control, which received no tea or compost or foods.
For our seasonal data collection, we have been taking a sample from each of the three white plots on the same day of each month to see how the soil biology changes through the year. The spreadsheet shows the average of the three samples for each date we have so far.
Seems like in the last three months, the protozoa are down overall, as are the total fungi. Normal seasonal pattern?
The week of December 17 SMI set up an oak nursery, planting approximately 400 acorns collected from the SMI property. See the picture below of the initial set-up. Upon returning from the holiday, I was curious to check in on the acorns…to find it had taken a beating by the heavy rains as well as scavenged by the local squirrels.
Next step, harvest more acorns (hopefully we can find more this time of year) and reseed. This time we will cover the planters with screens.
Tree Experiment Background:
In June of 2006, Sonoma Mountain Institute (SMI) began a replicated study on the effects of five different biological treatments for improving the health of diseased oak woodlands.
The experiment treatments (outlined below) were applied to three separate blocks of six plots each on the SMI property, and replicated in another block of six plots at the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center (OAEC).
The treatment applications were:
• White Plot: Control / Water
• Red Plot: Water plus 1 unit of fungal food
• Green Plot: ACT (Aerated Compost Tea)
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