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Copyright © Community Dynamics, South Africa

Soil Improvement

By

Ian Mitchell-Innes

Water Cycle

Mineral Cycle

• Tools• Testing Guidelines• Planning Procedures• Monitor

Holistic Goal

Whole Under Management

Energy Flow

Community Dynamics

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FINANCIAL WEAK LINK

IF3

The Whole

Soil

Grass

Animal

Animal performance

Slide 3

IF3 Ian Mitchell-Innes, 10/1/2009

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THE SOIL

THE ANIMALTHE GRAZING

ANIMAL PERFORMANCE

God’s creation

The closer we work with NatureThe better the chance we have

of succeeding

God’s Creation

• Large herds

• Predator Prey relationship

• Density

• Animal impact

• Selection

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All wealth comes from the Sun

•ENERGY is MONEY

•MONEY is ENERGY

•TIME is MONEY•And

•WATER is MONEY

Oxygen Productionfrom Carbon Dioxide (CO2) & Water (H2O)

The Plant

H2O

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Soil Food Web Structure

through SuccessionIncreasing

Productivity

F:B = .01F:B = 0.1

F:B = 0.3 to 0.5

F:B = 0.75

F:B = 1.1F:B = 2.1 to 5.1

F:B = 5.1 to 100.1

F:B = 100.1 to 1000.1

Bare Parent Material100% Bacterial

CyanobacteriaTrue BacteriaProtozoaFungiNematodes

“Weeds”- High Nitrates- Lack of Oxygen

Early Grasses

Mid-GrassesVegetables

Late SuccessionalGrasses & Row Crops

Shrubs, Vines, Bushes, Cotton

Deciduous Trees

Coniferous TreesOld-Growth Forests

Electric fence

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Inclusion Zone

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©2008 Rodale instituteSource: Conservation Research Institute

Oxygen? Disease? Microbes?

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COMMUNITY DYNAMICS (Succession)

65

SIMPLE COMMUNITYGREAT FLUCTUATION

BARE SOIL

SOIL SURFACE

COMPLEX COMMUNITYSTABILITY

Degree of variation in populations

SOIL SURFACE CONDITION IS KEY

COVERED SOIL

• PLANT VOLUME & HEIGHT INCREASES

• MICRO-ORGANISMS BUILD SOIL STRUCTURE & DEPTH

• AGE STRUCTURE IS MORE BALANCED

Copyright © Community Dynamics, South Africa

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BIOCHEMICAL SEQUENCE OF NUTRITION IN PLANTS

PERIODIC

TABLE

1

2

3

4

5 6

7

8

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Soil Food Web Structure

through SuccessionIncreasing

Productivity

F:B = .01F:B = 0.1

F:B = 0.3 to 0.5

F:B = 0.75

F:B = 1.1F:B = 2.1 to 5.1

F:B = 5.1 to 100.1

F:B = 100.1 to 1000.1

Bare Parent Material100% Bacterial

CyanobacteriaTrue BacteriaProtozoaFungiNematodes

“Weeds”- High Nitrates- Lack of Oxygen

Early Grasses

Mid-GrassesVegetables

Late SuccessionalGrasses & Row Crops

Shrubs, Vines, Bushes, Cotton

Deciduous Trees

Coniferous TreesOld-Growth Forests

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