Fire and Fungi Experiment

Biodiversity effect from the addition of compost tea and cover crop in post high temperature fire in western sierra foothills

The Concow Meadows Research Station

October 2020

Background

• Natural history of the area

• Traditional role of fire in ecosystem

• How fire suppression affects the ecological system

• The possibility of human impact leading to improved ecological function (ecosystem restoration)

• Our critique of mainstream approaches to ecological restoration (overlooks soil biology)

• Proposal to integrate soil microbiology restoration

Which leads to our question/hypothesis………..

Question

How does compost tea and cover crop support plant and soil communities in a post hot burning fire ecosystem in the western sierra foothills?

Hypothesis

The addition of compost tea made of a local culture and cover crops will increase biological diversity and robustness.

Methods

Plot

On a south east facing hill 1 plot was divided in 4 sections of 15’ by 15’ with approximately 10’ between each section. A ‘chop and drop’ treatment was given to foliage at the plot with the exception of vegetation which would provide wind protection for transplants. 

In each section cedar trees were planted and various treatments were applied:

Section 1: no added compost tea or cover crops 

Section 2: only cover crop

Section 3: only compost tea

Section 4: compost tea and cover crop

Planting

The following describes our planting process:

1. Clear area of debris

2. Dig hole

3. Add 2.5 gal water or compost tea (depending on plot)  to hole and allow water or compost tea to completely seep into hole

4. Plant trees making a berm on the downhill side

5. Water or compost tea in with an additional 2.5 gal 

6. Add soaked (5 to 15 minutes) (water or compost tea depending on the section) cover crop seed in 8 to 24 inch ring around tree

7. Mulch 24 to 36 inches around tree

Irrigation

Add an additional 4 gal compost tea or water (depending on plot) to each tree 1 x week for 4 weeks, then add that same amount every other week for 4 additional weeks

Materials

Compost tea

Compost tea was brewed over the course of 28 hours in a food grade 55 gal tank utilizing a TeaLab bubbler and (xxxxx) air pump. Tea ingredients were put in a brewer sack and hung by string towards the top of the brew. The brew ingredients included:

6 cups native comport from Megelia (2300 ft)\

6 cups topsoil and natural leaf compost from under cedar from Cohasit (2850 ft)

4 oz composted chicken menure

2 rainbow trout carcusses from n fork feather river

2 tbsp fish meal

2 tbsp kelp meal

2 tbsp humic acid

1 psychoactive mushroom along with the words from the elder of the land

--4 hours before completion--   

1 tbsp molasses

2 tbsp worm castings

Cover crop

For our experiment we used the following cover crop: (xxxxxxxx)

Data

(xxxxxxx) -> link to google doc spreadsheet

Discussion

• Compost tea recipe rationale

  • Compost- native microbiology

  • Fish- restore nutrients and microbial community which mimic predatory behavior

  • Fish meal- restore nutrients and microbial community which mimic predatory behavior

  • Fish meal- food source for microbiology

  • Kelp meal- micro and macro nutrients, root stimulation hormones, mimicking aquatic environmental inputs 

  • Magic mushroom- ceremonial intention setter

  • Molasses- bacterial food, mimic root exudates

  • Mimic late decomposition forest litter, stimulates forest soil decomposition

• Fun theories that emerged through discussions we were having throughout the week:

  • Microbiologic theory of stakeholder inoculation

    • When working in successions towards a regenerated ecosystem we believe that introducing microbiological elements from such the various succession phases supports the ecosystem and successionary capacity of the system. For example, the addition of fish carcass to the compost tea introduces the same microbial community related to a discarded fish from a predator. 

  • theory of the role of anaerobic ferments in soil development

    • Just as fire creates a mosaic of diverse ecological systems in a landscape it is our theory that anaerobic ferments can have a similar effect on a healthy soil. Once there is a healthy community of mycorrhizae in the soil community anaerobic ferments can be utilized to break up the connections which promotes the strengthening of nodes in the soil system.

Limitation of Experiment

• We don’t have the tools or resources to run soil biodiversity tests

• Did not have resources to develop native cover crop

• Did not have resources to provide swale cover above the entire experimental plot

Future Studies

• Utilizing native seed cover crop mix

• Comparing compost tea recipes

• Comparing compost tea with su-johnson bio reactor preps.

• Inoculation of biochar