Soil conservation and health for wildlife gardeners

There is an old gardening adage that says “feed the soil, not the plant,” which is an important illustration of how important the health of your soil is. But understanding soil biology is sometimes pretty hard. Who can remember if pH 8 is acid or alkaline? And it’s chemistry and when was the last time you had a chemistry course? The following references will take away any confusion you may have about soil ecology and get you well on your way to healthy soil.

Life in the Soil: A Guide for Naturalists and Gardeners, by James Nardi. This is the best book I have seen for taking the complexities of soil chemistry and writing in an accessible way for gardeners and naturalists. A very worthy and meaningful introduction to the soil biota and their unique ecosystem. Coverage of the living forms is comprehensive, with fine graphics showing the diversity of major taxa that inhabit soils. Furthermore, naturalists as well as educators and their students will benefit from the descriptions and illustrations of collection and observation chambers that can be used for live animals to initiate research such as population, behavioral or life history studies. Finally, the techniques for composting provide important information on the functional roles of the decomposer microcommunities of soil biota in the actual compost production. Composting presented here as a partnership between soil organisms and humans provides a vital message regarding waste reduction and recycling. Those who are environmentally inclined should read this book to acquire an understanding of our terrestrial ecosystem and the well being of the soils of the earth.

The Biology of Soil: A Community and Ecosystem Approach, by Richard D. Bardgett. This book is unique in providing a comprehensive, up-to-date synthesis of what is known about soil biodiversity and the factors that regulate its distribution, as well as the functional significance of below-ground biodiversity for ecosystem form and function. It describes the vast diversity of biota that live in the soil environment – the most complex habitat on Earth – and discusses the factors that act as determinants of this diversity across different spatial and temporal scales. The Biology of Soil also considers how biotic interactions in soil influence the important soil processes of decomposition and nutrient cycling . It demonstrates how interactions and feedbacks between diverse plant and soil communities act as important drivers of ecosystem form and function. The importance of these relationships for understanding how ecosystems respond to global change phenomena, including climate change, is discussed in depth.

Ecology for Gardeners, Steven B. Carroll and Steven D. Salt. Even a relatively small garden is a miniature ecosystem. It includes a surprising diversity of organisms that interact in a myriad of ways. Some are permanent residents, others come and go in search of a meal or a mate. An insect feeding on a garden plant is simultaneously hunted by predators and weakened by parasites; it competes with other herbivores for choice food plants; it is hindered in its feeding by the plants’ chemical and physical defenses; and it challenges other members of its species for the best mates and locations for egg-laying. Ecologists Carroll and Salt argue that the more completely we understand these interactions, the better gardeners we become.

Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web, by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis. Teaming With Microbes enlightens readers in two important ways. First, in clear, straightforward language, it describes the activities of the organisms that make up the soil food web, from the simplest of single-cell organisms to more familiar multicellular animals such as insects, worms, and mammals. Second, the book explains how to foster and cultivate the life of the soil through the use of compost, mulches, and compost teas. By eschewing jargon, the authors make the text accessible to a wide audience, from devotees of organic gardening techniques to weekend gardeners who simply want to grow healthy, vigorous plants without resorting to chemicals.