Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

This is part of our series supporting the role of high organic matter in=
 food gardening for nutrition and profitability. This relates directly to=
 successful fossil fuel-free growing for the home and local marketing.

paul, tradingpost@riseup.net
---------------

Organic matter, microbes, and plant health
from Organic Agriculture: The Challenge of Sustaining Food Production, United
Nations Sub-Group Meeting on Wildlife, Biodiversity and Organic Agriculture,
Ankara, Turkey, 15-16 April 2003
http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/AD090E/AD090E00.HTM

"Soil organisms contribute a wide range of essential services to the 
sustainable
functioning of all ecosystems. They act as the primary driving agents of:
nutrient cycling, regulating the dynamics of soil organic matter, soil carbon
sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions; modifying soil physical structure
and water regimes; enhancing the amount and efficiency of nutrient acquisition
by the vegetation; and enhancing plant health. These services are not only
critical to the functioning of natural ecosystems but constitute an important
resource for sustainable agricultural systems."

"Each type of soil organism occupies a different niche in the web of life and
favours a different substrate and nutrient source. Most soil organisms rely on
organic matter for food; thus a rich supply and varied source of organic 
matter
will generally support a wider variety of organisms."

"Building of soil fertility is the cornerstone of organic agriculture. Organic
practices create suitable conditions for soil biotic and abiotic resources
through: manipulation of crop rotations and strip-cropping; green manuring and
organic fertilization (animal manure, compost, crop residues); minimum 
tillage;
and avoidance of pesticides and herbicides use. Scientific research in Europe
has demonstrated that organically-managed soils significantly increase
biological activity and total density and diversity of soil micro-organisms.
Such biodiversity enhances nutrients recycling and soil structure."

from Organic Agriculture: The Challenge of Sustaining Food Production, United
Nations Sub-Group Meeting on Wildlife, Biodiversity and Organic Agriculture,
Ankara, Turkey, 15-16 April 2003
http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/AD090E/AD090E00.HTM