About This Project

Small-scale agriculture has the potential to improve crop production methods. Exploring how small-scale agricultural practices impact the structure and function of the soil microbiome is an important step in understanding how agricultural practices impact ecosystem function. This study will use an Epi-Fluorescence Microscope to examine soil to visualize the soil structure and function on-site and in real time, to inform the research and the farmer.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

This project comes from a need to better understand how land stewardship affects (cover cropping, tillage, etc.) the soil microbiome, especially in an agricultural setting. The soil microbiome is a key factor in many ecosystem functions, like nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, pest management, etc. Hermans 2023 describes the soil microbiome as an essential component of regenerative agroecosystems. Emphasising the need for a more holistic understanding of the soil microbiome. There is a need for sustainable agricultural practices, and agroecosystem biodiversity above and below ground plays a significant role in ecosystem functions. We need farmers and ecologists to work together to better understand and enhance agroecosystem functions, to create more sustainable agricutlural practices.

What is the significance of this project?

Understanding how land management decisions affect soil microbiome dynamics is an important part of the path towards sustainable agriculture and land management practices. Observing the soil microbiology in real time allows people to connect and understand the microbial life they are cultivating in an agricultural setting. They can see the impacts of their farming decisions on the microbial community. Microscopy is important for this because it is visual and easier to understand than DNA Analysis or other soil testing reports that need to be sent to a lab. I can visit a farm with this microscope and show the farmer directly the microbial activity around their farm. The power of the immediacy and the visual nature of microscopy have the potential to help farmers choose more ecologically sustainable farming practices.

What are the goals of the project?

The goals of this research project are to purchase a traveling soil microscope kit. The kit includes the basic microscope, as well as all of the needed microscopy accessories and equipment.

For this study, the microscope will travel to around 10 small-scale farms (less than 25 acres in production) across New England that grow with an ecological and sustainable mindset (organic, regenerative, biodynamic). Soil samples will be taken across the farms, in both cultivated and non-cultivated farming areas.

The microbial biodiversity (number of species and estimated quantity of each species) will be recorded three times throughout the season, for each farm. (beginning of the growing season, mid-season, and end of season).

This data will be used to track and monitor how microbial diversity and activity change throughout the season, across the various locations of the farm.