Microbiology of Vermicomposting

Smithma · November 21, 2013

This study seems to imply that worms will reduce microbes during their feeding. I mean really you read where microbes are good to have in the soil for better nutrient uptake by plants and worms are good in the garden for their castings and soil loosing.
I would rather be tending crops than winter reading. Sorry for not having the link working from iPad..

http://webs.uvigo.es/jdguez/wp-conte...composting.pdf

bower · November 22, 2013

hmm, I think that result is explained in the text - the experiment was composting plain manure (low carbon, high nitrogen) instead of a balanced mix of stuff, and carbon is limiting for both earthworms and microbes, so the micros got consumed instead. I notice that the opposite was stated in their introduction - earthworms increase surface area for microbes by breaking up coarse material like old leaves etc, the trouble is, there was no carbon-rich material to break up in the experiment.

So the conclusions were a bit too general IMHO, should have been qualified by explaining that carbon was limiting or that the result refers to manure-only vermicompost process.

I notice that the process reduced coliform bacteria, so that's a plus for the manure-only process in any case.

I'd rather be tending crops too

Doug9345 · November 22, 2013

What I took from it was that it was quite likely that the reduction in microbes was do to the earthworms speeding the whole process up. As Bower wrote, once the food (carbon) is gone the process is going to wind down. That is not a bad thing.

Ten worms in 5 oz of manure sounded like a lot to me.

November 21, 2013	#1
Smithma Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 67	Microbiology of Vermicomposting This study seems to imply that worms will reduce microbes during their feeding. I mean really you read where microbes are good to have in the soil for better nutrient uptake by plants and worms are good in the garden for their castings and soil loosing. I would rather be tending crops than winter reading. Sorry for not having the link working from iPad.. http://webs.uvigo.es/jdguez/wp-conte...composting.pdf

November 22, 2013	#2
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	hmm, I think that result is explained in the text - the experiment was composting plain manure (low carbon, high nitrogen) instead of a balanced mix of stuff, and carbon is limiting for both earthworms and microbes, so the micros got consumed instead. I notice that the opposite was stated in their introduction - earthworms increase surface area for microbes by breaking up coarse material like old leaves etc, the trouble is, there was no carbon-rich material to break up in the experiment. So the conclusions were a bit too general IMHO, should have been qualified by explaining that carbon was limiting or that the result refers to manure-only vermicompost process. I notice that the process reduced coliform bacteria, so that's a plus for the manure-only process in any case. I'd rather be tending crops too Last edited by bower; November 22, 2013 at 05:47 PM. Reason: added

November 22, 2013	#3
Doug9345 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Durhamville,NY Posts: 2,706	What I took from it was that it was quite likely that the reduction in microbes was do to the earthworms speeding the whole process up. As Bower wrote, once the food (carbon) is gone the process is going to wind down. That is not a bad thing. Ten worms in 5 oz of manure sounded like a lot to me.