Quote:
Originally Posted by Lindalana
So then question remains why organic matter disappear so fast that it needs to be constantly resupplied? If most of tomato plant except tomato of course returned and then added value/ energy taken by tomato fruit itself should not soil balance it out?
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There are basically 2 cycles pertaining to this issue. One is the short term carbon cycle, the other is the long term carbon cycle.
Basically if you want to increase carbon in the soil you need to remove it from the short term carbon cycle and put it in the long term...sequestered in the soil. Every time you either break the ground or till the soil....ie expose sequestered carbon to excess oxygen, it oxidizes, produces CO2, and enters the short term carbon cycle ie atmosphere ---->Photosynthesis---->Plant biomass----->Decay----->humus---->oxidation---->atmosphere again and the cycle repeats with you having to work very hard for minimal returns. In this respect Composter is absolutely correct.
However, there is a long term carbon cycle to the soil as well. It requires no tillage and no bare soil. The soil must be always covered and preferably with living photosynthesis active plants as long as climate allows. That means including winter adapted plants where possible. In this deep carbon cycle it is slightly different.
You still have the short term carbon cycle as above atmosphere ---->Photosynthesis---->Plant biomass----->Decay----->humus---->oxidation
---->atmosphere again
But you also have a significant % that follows this cycle deeper in the soil
Rhizosphere zone where there is less oxygen: atmosphere ---->Photosynthesis
---->Plant biomass----->Decay----->humus---->sequestered up to 1,000s of years or more in stable form in the soil, never returning to the atmosphere.
This way it is possible to use biomimicry to let the biological activity work for you instead of fighting against biological forces. This is one of the primary philosophical and practical keys to permaculture.