permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>]

LBSALTZMAN@aol.com wrote:
> Do this Google search and you will find a lot of material:
> "termites mounds plant fertility"
>  
> You appear to be on to something.

So the crux of the article below is this:
"Termite mound soils had higher concentrations of all elements tested 
than soils from woodlands, and termite mounds differed from woodland 
plots in terms of plant species composition. Trees growing on termite 
mounds had higher concentrations of all nutrients except sodium and 
crude protein, and were subjected to more intense feeding by elephants 
than trees from the surrounding vegetation matrix. Termite mounds may 
play an important role in determining food availability and spatial 
feeding patterns by elephants and other herbivores."


You have to create and account and log in to read the full article;
don't know if there is a fee.

Termite Mounds as Nutrient-Rich Food Patches for Elephants no access
http://www.bioone.org/action/doSearch?fulltext=Termite+Mounds+as+Nutrient-Rich+Food&x=10&y=2
Ricardo M. Holdo and Lee R. McDowell
BIOTROPICA June 2004 : Vol. 36, Issue 2, pg(s) 231-239
click this button to open Abstract
ABSTRACT

This study compared elephant use of woody vegetation on termite mounds 
with surrounding woodlands in western Zimbabwe. Twelve sites consisting 
of paired plots on termite mounds and in woodlands were selected. At 
each site, soil and vegetation samples (leaf and stem) were collected 
for chemical analysis. Both soil and plant samples were analyzed for 
calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and phosphorus, and plant samples 
were also analyzed for crude protein concentration. Two indices of 
elephant feeding damage were computed: the median number of stems and 
branches removed per plant, and the mass of stems and branches removed 
by elephants per unit area. Termite mound soils had higher 
concentrations of all elements tested than soils from woodlands, and 
termite mounds differed from woodland plots in terms of plant species 
composition. Trees growing on termite mounds had higher concentrations 
of all nutrients except sodium and crude protein, and were subjected to 
more intense feeding by elephants than trees from the surrounding 
vegetation matrix. Termite mounds may play an important role in 
determining food availability and spatial feeding patterns by elephants 
and other herbivores.

Abstract & References : Full Text : PDF (148 KB)

<>

Farm Radio International
Soil fertility and climate change: An issue pack
http://www.farmradio.org/english/radio-scripts/89-2script_en.asp

::::
Google search result:
Soil fertility and climate change: An issue pack / Radio Scripts ...
Zambian farmers use termite soil to improve soil fertility: Zambian 
farmers traditionally used soil from termite mounds as a fertilizer. ...
www.farmradio.org/english/radio-scripts/89-2script_en.asp
::::

"But there are many traditional and modern practices which can help 
boost soil fertility, and assist farmers in making their farms more 
resilient and resistant to the changing climate. These include 
micro-dosing of fertilizer, using rather than burning crop residues and 
other organic matter, planting nitrogen-fixing crops and trees, making 
good use of compost and manure, and taking steps to prevent wind and 
water erosion.

A good soil fertility strategy for farmers is to make best use of all 
organic sources of plant nutrients. It is also wise to use practices 
which conserve soil and water, and, when possible, to make careful use 
of small amounts of expensive inorganic fertilizers. Organic sources of 
nutrients include legumes, green manures and cover crops, composts, and 
animal manures. The best practices will vary by region, and will often 
build on local knowledge."

Some more excellent information further down the page (good to have this 
in the list archives, its long but a mother lode of valuable 
information, much of it rarely seen):

"Fertile soil has the following properties:

    * It is rich in the nutrients which are necessary for plant 
nutrition, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K).
    * It contains trace elements which are also critical for plant 
nutrition, but are needed in much smaller quantities than N-P-K. These 
include boron, cobalt, copper, iron and several others.
    * It contains good levels of organic matter, which improves soil 
structure and its ability to hold water.
    * The soil pH (an indicator of acidity or alkalinity) is balanced.
    * It has good soil structure, so it drains well.
    * It contains a range of macro-organisms (earthworms, termites, 
etc.) and micro-organisms (fungi, bacteria, etc.), that help support 
plant growth and health.

How is soil degraded?
When the nutrients which lead to soil fertility are removed and not 
replaced, or when the conditions that support soil fertility are not 
maintained, soil becomes degraded. This leads to poor yields.
African soils are often low in nutrients to begin with. If you add to 
that the combined effects of shorter fallow times and continuous 
cropping, slash-and-burn agriculture, and other factors, soils can 
become seriously degraded or depleted.
Soil degradation can occur through too much tilling of the soil, which 
damages soil structure. Also, overusing inputs such as synthetic 
fertilizers and herbicides can leave residues and buildups that hinder 
the work of microorganisms. A buildup of salt in the soil, often 
associated with irrigation, can deplete fertility and limit crop yields.
Soil which is left bare after burning residues or harvesting crops is 
vulnerable to erosion from wind and rain. The topsoil that is washed or 
blown away contains most of the soil nutrients.

In dry areas, some soils are severely degraded. Some bare and crusted 
soils are virtually “dead.” Yet a project in Burkina Faso showed that 
farmers can achieve good success even with these kinds of soils. The 
farmers applied mulch to attract termites. The termites then broke up 
the hardened soil, which increased water infiltration. The land became 
productive enough to farm within months.

A little soil science

The physical characteristics of the soil determine how much water a soil 
will hold. Soils which hold a good amount of water have many small pores 
which hold water until it can be taken up by plant roots. Soil must also 
be adequately aerated. Air is stored in larger pores in the soil. Soils 
which have been compressed by the constant weight of equipment or 
livestock will not have a good structure, contain little water or air, 
and therefore have poor fertility.

Soil chemistry affects the availability of plant nutrients in the soil. 
The pH level of the soil, together with its aeration, affects the form 
in which nutrients are found in the soil. A measure called CEC (cation 
exchange capacity) indicates the amount and type of clay in soils, as 
well as organic matter content. A good CEC level indicates that a soil 
can hold nutrients in a form which is readily available for uptake by 
plant roots. In general, soils which contain higher amounts of clay 
(rather than sand), and a high percentage of organic matter, have better 
CEC levels.

The biological life in the soil – soil-dwelling macro-organisms and 
micro-organisms – breaks down crop residues into organic matter. A 
healthy biological life in the soil also limits many plant diseases and 
soil-dwelling pests which damage crops.

The level of organic matter in the soil is critical to soil fertility. 
Organic matter levels affect soil structure, cation exchange capacity, 
the amount of water that the soil can hold, and the level of nutrients 
available for plant growth.

Managing soil fertility: principles and practices

A system called integrated plant nutrient management recommends that 
farmers use the following three principles for best soil fertility:

    * Maximize the use of organic sources of fertilizer
    * Minimize the loss of soil nutrients by using soil and water 
conservation practices
    * Carefully use inorganic fertilizers according to need

Using organic matter to fertilize the soil: How it works

Micro-organisms decompose organic materials such as crop residues. This 
decomposition releases nutrients for uptake by plant roots. Nitrogen is 
mineralized by micro-organisms. This means that micro-organisms 
decompose the nitrogen, turning it into forms which are easier for 
plants to use. But micro-organisms themselves consume nutrients such as 
carbon and nitrogen.

All organic materials are made up of about half carbon. But the level of 
nitrogen varies widely between different types of material. In general, 
organic material that is old and tough has a high carbon to nitrogen 
ratio (C:N ratio). So the nitrogen content is low compared to the amount 
of carbon. Young and succulent material generally has a low C: N ratio, 
and thus a higher nitrogen content.

If old and tough organic material (such as straw) is added to the soil 
or to a compost pile, the soil micro-organisms will first need more 
nitrogen than can be released from the straw. So they will absorb not 
only all of the nitrogen that is released from the straw, but also all 
of the nitrogen that is available in the soil. Thus, after straw is 
incorporated into the soil, there is a period of time in which all of 
the available nitrogen in the soil is taken up by the micro-organisms. 
This is called immobilization. Little or no nitrogen is then available 
for the plants. When the straw is completely decomposed, there is no 
longer enough food available for all of the micro-organisms. A large 
proportion of the micro-organisms then die and are themselves 
decomposed. The nitrogen that the micro-organisms had immobilized is 
then available for plants. In warm, moist conditions this cycle occurs 
quickly, and the period of immobilization is short, measured in weeks. 
In drier areas, the period of immobilization is longer, requiring more 
than a growing season.

Legume crops

Legumes add nitrogen to the soil, mostly through falling leaves, but 
also when their roots and nitrogen-rich root nodules decompose 
underground. The organic matter produced by legumes is rich in nitrogen, 
decomposes quickly and is a good source of nitrogen for other plants. 
Herbaceous (non-woody) green manure legumes (often called cover crops) 
and fast-growing leguminous trees are excellent ways to improve soil 
fertility. Cover crops also provide a dense soil cover that can prevent 
soil erosion, evaporation of water, and suppress weeds.

But legumes need good conditions to grow and farmers may have to improve 
the soil first, so that legumes can contribute to soil fertility. The 
most common problem is a shortage of phosphorus. In highly acid soils, 
liming or adding animal manure can raise the pH and increase the 
availability of phosphorus. In most soils, however, the only option is 
to add phosphorus. As phosphorus fertilizers are not normally affordable 
for African farmers, a good strategy is to use rock phosphates. A farmer 
should be careful to obtain sources of rock phosphate that are effective 
at providing nutrients for his or her crops. Sources of rock phosphate 
may be obtained through extension officers or district agricultural 
offices.
Some soil fertility practices are indigenous to particular regions. For 
example, in the Usambara Mountains in north-western Tanzania, farmers 
use a local plant called Tighutu to increase soil fertility (see 
resource 17). In central India, farmers spread groundnut shells on 
cattle bedding and remove them when they are soaked with urine, then mix 
them with dung (see resource 18). In areas near Lake Victoria and 
elsewhere, water hyacinth is used as a base for making compost (see 
resource 19).

Farmer science – tests for determining the best way to use different 
kinds of organic materials to fertilize the soil

Scientists analyze the quality of crop residues in a laboratory. They 
use equipment to conduct tests which measure the amount of nitrogen, 
carbon, lignin and other substances in the residues.

But tests can also be conducted by farmers. For example, nitrogen levels 
in leaves and other material can be estimated simply on the basis of 
colour. Dark green leaves are higher in nitrogen, and make good 
fertilizer. Yellow leaves are lower in nitrogen and do not, by 
themselves, make good fertilizer.

Using this simple nitrogen test and simple tests for two substances – 
lignin and polyphenols – results in the following guidelines for use of 
organic materials:

    * Dark green leaves low in lignin but which have an astringent 
(bitter) taste should not be incorporated directly, but can be mixed 
with purchased fertilizers or high quality organic matter for later 
application to the soil.
    * Dark green leaves, which tear easily, are low in lignin. Dark 
green leaves low in lignin and which do not have an astringent (bitter) 
taste (from polyphenols) make the best fertilizer and can be 
incorporated directly with annual crops.
    * Leaves which are low in nitrogen (yellowish, rather than dark 
green) and which tear easily (are low in lignin) can also be mixed with 
fertilizer or added to compost.
    * Leaves which are low in nitrogen and which do not tear easily are 
best used as surface applications for water and erosion control (as mulch).

Using these kinds of tests and guidelines at a farmer field school in 
Kenya, farmers picked fresh green leaves of hedgerow plants and 
incorporated them into compost heaps to speed up decay. Nitrogen-rich 
organic residues were in very short supply for these farmers. These 
materials were mostly used to fertilize high-value tomatoes and 
cabbages. Maize stover was used as fuel for cooking, particularly by 
poorer households. Farmers with lots of poor-quality organic materials 
used it as bedding for cattle, and eventually added it to the manure 
heap, or used it as mulch to assist in soil conservation. The farmers 
learned that more succulent and fibrous leaves or material such as sisal 
and Euphorbia decayed slowly, were hard to crush, difficult to compost 
and of little use for nutrient management."

Documents

    * CTA Rural Radio Pack on soil fertility: Technical information, 
pack usage details, resources and full scripts. Word document available 
at http://ruralradio.cta.int/SoilFertility.htm
    * Farm Radio International scripts on soil fertilization at 
http://www.farmradio.org/english/radio-scripts/fertilization.asp
    * Patrick Mwalukisa. Changing attitudes to night-soil in Tanzania. 
LEISA, Volume 24, Number 2, June 2008, pages 26-27. 
http://www.leisa.info/index.php?url=getblob.php&o_id=209105&a_id=211&a_seq=0 

    * Elisèe Ouèdraogo, Abdoulaye Mando et Lijbert Brussard. Termites 
and mulch work together to rehabilitate soils. LEISA, Volume 24, Number 
2, June 2008, page 28. 
http://www.ileia.org/index.php?url=getblob.php&o_id=209106&a_id=211&a_seq=0
    * Ken Giller, Michael Misiko et  Pablo Tittonell. Managing organic 
resource for soil amendment.  LEISA, Volume 22, Number 4, December 2006, 
pages 16-17. 
http://www.ileia.org/index.php?url=getblob.php&o_id=87905&a_id=211&a_seq=0
    * John Andrew Siame. Termite mounds as fertilizer. LEISA, Volume 
21, Number 2, June 2005, page 29. 
http://www.leisa.info/index.php?url=article-details.tpl&p[_id]=81303
    * Ken Giller. Kick-starting legumes. LEISA, Volume 19, Number 4, 
December 2003, pages 19-20. 
http://www.ileia.org/index.php?url=getblob.php&o_id=12706&a_id=211&a_seq=0
    * Davies Onduru, Fredrick Muchena, Louis Gachimbi and André de 
Jager. Farmer field school on nutrient management. LEISA, Volume 19, 
Number 4, December 2003, pages 26-27. 
http://www.ileia.org/index.php?url=getblob.php&o_id=12711&a_id=211&a_seq=0
    * Henk Breman.  Integrated Soil Fertility Management: Opportunities 
for smallholders in West Africa. LEISA, Volume 18, Number 3, October 
2002, page 15. 
http://www.leisa.info/index.php?url=getblob.php&o_id=12605&a_id=211&a_seq=0
    * Nelson A.R. Mango. Adaptation of the zero grazing concept by Luo 
farmers in Kenya. LEISA, Volume 18, Number 1, April 2002, pages 18-19. 
 http://www.ileia.org/index.php?url=getblob.php&o_id=12567&a_id=211&a_seq=0
    * Ousmane Hassane, 2003. Strategic Application of Fertilizers 
(Micro-dose) for Small Farmer Prosperity in the Sahel. Poster presented 
at the International Symposium for Sustainable Dryland Agriculture 
Systems, Niamey, Niger, December 2-5, 2003. 
http://www.ciat.cgiar.org/epmr_ciat/pdf/poster_27_epmr07.pdf
    * ICRISAT, no date.  Small fertilizer doses yield big impact in 
sub-Saharan Africa. Available at 
http://www.icrisat.org/New&Events/Smallfertilizer.htm
    * Canon E.N. Savala, Musa N. Omare and Paul L. Woomer, 2003. 
Chapters on Composting Technique, in Organic Resource Management in 
Kenya: Perspectives and Guidelines. Forum for Organic Resource 
Management and Agricultural Technologies (FORMAT), 2003. 
http://www.formatkenya.org/ormbook/Chapters/TOC.htm
    * Drylands Coordination Group, no date. A Promising Practice: 
Integrated Plant Nutrient Management in Mali. 
www.drylands-group.org/noop/file.php?id=523
    * Laura van Schöll and Rienke Nieuwenhuis, 2004. Agrodok 2: Soil 
Fertility Management. http://www.journeytoforever.org/farm_library/AD2.pdf
    * FAO, 2001. Soil fertility management in support of food security 
in Sub-Saharan Africa. ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/foodsec.pdf
    * Wickama and Mwihomeke, 2006. The Role of Indigenous Knowledge in 
Combating Soil Infertility and Poverty. Available for download at 
http://www.impactalliance.org/ev02.php?ID=24516_201&ID2=DO_TOPIC
    * Maruthi and Srinivas, 2006. Transferring an Indigenous Practice 
for Soil Improvement: Cattle Manure with Groundnut Shells. IK Notes, 
#98, 2006. 
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTINDKNOWLEDGE/Resources/iknt98.htm
    * Practical Action, no date. Water Hyacinth. 
http://practicalactionconsulting.org/practicalanswers/product_info.php?products_id=189

>  
> In a message dated 5/25/2010 11:50:29 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
> venaurafarm@bellsouth.net writes:
>
>
> There was news on BBC radio tonight associating termite  mounds,
> where they exist around the world, with more robust growth in  surounding 
> plant and animal populations. Anyone have more information on  this?
>
> I wonder if this also applies to fire ant  mounds?

I like fire ants and their mounds. I just walk around them and they 
don't bother me. Nature's rototillers, turf builders, soil tilthing 
resource. I want more of them out in my fallow fields.
Maybe there is also a soil fertility advantage.