by Colette Georgii

Created on: May 01, 2008   Last Updated: April 04, 2009

Effective soil management for a sustainable agro-ecosystem

Widespread soil erosion, groundwater contamination, and the depletion of our natural resources makes it especially important that agricultural systems during this 21st century make vital changes in soil management.

Good soil contains a natural ecosystem that is at work at all times keeping soil healthy. Normal healthy topsoil contains vital organisms that are vital for the replenishment of the soil.

* bacteria

* fungi

* protozoa

* root systems

Earthworms alone are responsible for aerating soil and water. Synthetic chemicals used in modern farming practices not only kill insect predators, but these beneficial organisms as well along with contaminating the soil and groundwater. Contaminated earth and groundwater can take years to heal and get back to a healthy state.

Soil erosion and the drying up of soil causes the drying up of

* wetlands

* aquifers

* groundwater

Wetlands are vital to wildlife ecosystems and to humans. The aquifers and groundwater are vital to humans and wildlife and supply the earth and the wetlands with pure fresh water. Aquifers, the wetlands, and groundwater exist everywhere in good soil systems.

Essential elements in good soil management consist of

* crop rotation

* less tilling of the soil

* keeping the soil covered in plants

* keeping the soil aerated through the use of earthworms and all the other organisms in topsoil

Proper crop rotation eliminates weeds, plant pathogens, and insect predators. It is important to test your soil to see what vital nutrients may be missing and then to design a specific type of sustainable soil management for your particular soil.

Composting is an excellent method to help soil maintain its mix of vital organisms and nutrients. Manure is an excellent natural fertilizer. Vegetation mixed with manure, earth, and earthworms provides a good natural compost.

Including animals on the farm will always supply a good natural manure for use as fertilizer and in composting. Plant crops can be rotated with animal grazing crops. Feeding the animals appropriate grazing materials will provide a better manure that gives a healthier nutrient mix to the soil.

Diversity in plant life is the key to maintaining a balance of nutrients in the soil - use of many different cover crops and rotation of crops is vital. Grazing grasses and plants such as clovers, alfalfa, buckwheat, and rye are excellent plant covers that will provide nutrients to the soil and nutrients for the animals. These can be rotated for optimal sustainable agro-ecosystem efficiency, while also providing healthy forage for the animals.

In conclusion it is absolutely essential in today's world of global warming and other threats to our environment to adopt an effective and sustainable soil management system that provides top soil nutrients such as nitrogen to our soil; protects the topsoil ecosystem of vital nutrient and soil replenishing organisms; and protects our rivers, streams, groundwater, wetlands, aquifers, and wildlife ecosystems.

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