Nutrients follow carbon & soil processes 

Expanding on carbon being essential to plants, and involved in the transfer of energy, it is the "master nutrient" in soils. The presence of carbon determines soil structure and the ability of soils to hold moisture, the rate at which water will penetrate, the ability of soil to breathe, the resilience of soils to climate extremes, how much nitrogen is available to plants and soil fertility in general, and a host of other functions. Lloyd Dunlop, a sheep and wool advisor recently told producers, "We need to concentrate more on carbon than nitrogen", and this concept was supported by a CSIRO soil scientist.

We cannot see carbon, but we can see when it is present. As carbon levels increase in the soil, then the soil becomes darker.

There is more diversity of life in a teaspoon of soil than a hectare of rainforest. Soil is not just something for standing up plants. A living soil is a fertile healthy soil. The more life in the soil, the more productive the soil is. Rural producers have to manage their pastures so that all the life in the soil is fed. Producers manage a collection of living things, not just domestic animals. Without soil life, topsoil is no different to subsoil. The soil contains the second food chain. If the soil was not alive, then we would not be on this planet. The soil would be sterile and unable to support plants.

The carbon story is a subtle one. It is all about other processes not being complete without carbon. You can purchase nutrients and plough for water infiltration, but try buying all the carbon you need from the local merchant.

To download a PDF version of Chapter 10: Nutrients follow carbon & what else happens in the soil of "Carbon Grazing - the missing link" (file size 1.4 Mb), click on the highlighted chapter heading.

To purchase a hard copy version of "Carbon Grazing - the missing link" click on the highlighted book title.