Soil Health Basics/Biology
The continued capacity of the soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals and humans.
What is the definition of soil health?
The most common cool season grass cover crop in Iowa.
What is cereal rye?
These infrastructure needs are the most common challenge for rotational grazing systems.
What is fencing and water?
This practice reduces nitrogen loss.
What are cover crops?
High C:N cover crop species.
What is a grass?
A clump of sand, silt, clay held together by biological glues.
What is an aggregate?
The most flexible application method for cover crop seeding but lacks seed to soil contact.
What is aerial or drone seeding?
This disturbance mines the soil of carbon and other important minerals even though there are living roots year around.
What is haying?
2.5% of the producers willing to try any new practice.
What are innovators?
____% of inorganic fertilizer is directly used by plants.
What is 30-55%?
This resource concern restricts root growth.
What is compaction?
Cool and warm season grasses, broadleaves and legumes.
What are functional groups?
This grazing style can allow the import of fertility from outside sources.
What is bale grazing?
Implementing soil health systems decrease soil erosion by ____.
What is 90%?
Plan for this type of cover crop before a nitrogen dependent crop.
What is a legume?
This principle conserves soil moisture.
What is maximize soil cover?
Name the warm season legumes.
This grazing system is flexible and uses a feedback loop to adjust management.
What is adaptive grazing mangement?
Long term no-tills who use cover crops report cutting herbicide costs by ____.
What is 33%?
This practice can offer endless cover crop options if implemented into an operation.
What is adding a small grain into the rotation?
Name the 5 biological hotspots.
What are litter layer, pore spaces, earthworm and root channels, rhizosphere or root zone, aggregate surfaces
The ideal microbial C:N ratio.
What is 24:1?
Name the four dimensions of disturbance.
What is timing, frequency, intensity, and duration?
The individual stages of adopting a practice.
Important to integrate this method into a no-till operation in order to deliver uniform crop breakdown.
What is spread the residue?