As a certified Laboratory Technician via Dr. Elaine Ingham's Soil Food Web School, Anne and her trusty microscope will take a peek at your soil to see which functional groups of the microbial soil food web are present, and which aren't. We can then see if your soil has the bacterial and fungal biomass ratios (along with other information) that support what you want to grow.
Located in Nova Scotia's Musquodoboit Valley
902.203.7696
SoilINsightNovaScotia@gmail.com
If you are too far away for Anne to collect the soil samples herself, she will provide clear and concise instructions on how to take samples, how many samples to take, and (very importantly) where the samples should be taken from. You will also learn how to store the samples for shipment, and how to ship the samples to Soil Insight's lab.
Using a compound light microscope with 400x magnification, Anne will identify and quantify the functional groups of soil food web microbes that are present--both beneficial and detrimental. Results will be described in a Soil Biology Report. The Report will include a fungal to bacteria biomass ratio (different ratios support certain types of plant species) as well as the number of beneficial protozoa and nematodes per gram of soil. Detrimental microbes will also be measured per gram of soil. Notes will be made of any microbes indicating the presence of pathogens.
A crucial element of the Soil Biology Report is the interpretation of the data and truly understanding what the numbers mean in relation to what you are trying to grow. Accurate interpretation of the data underpins successful soil restoration efforts.
Soil Insight's Director, Anne Warburton, is an award-winning orator and long-time natural resource educator who is happy to provide presentations about the Soil Food Web. Simply use the contact information below. We'd be happy to hear from you.
