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  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] More robust plant growth around termite mounds.
  • Date: Wed, 26 May 2010 12:26:52 -0400

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.




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