Alpine Ecosystems Research Institute
Soil Biology Research for Landowners
There are many benefits to fostering the soil biology on your land, such as improved soil fertility, increased water retention, improved aeration, and much more. By including yourself in our research programs, you and your community will learn to to work with nature, rather than against her.
Why do research?
great question.
By working with us, you will gain access to a new layer of understanding about soil remediation. Here at AERI, we strive to make scientific research accessible to the public and available for community and educational benefit. Our goal is to make it possible for everyone to learn how to monitor their own soils and make their own management decisions for the plants that they grow.
Why you?
we are better together.
By allowing us to research your property, you are providing added value for your property, as well as for your neighbors and community members who live in a context similar to you. Improving the soil biology has many benefits, including increasing plant health, reducing pest and disease pressure, decompacting and aerating our soils, and increasing water capacity. However, the solutions for improving soil biology won't come from a product you can buy at the store, or some other quick fix. It will come from dedicated, local practitioners who learn the tricks of the trade for their region.
What do you need to commit?
community involvement /educational benefit
Our mission is to research and educate the public about mountainous ecosystems and about humanity's role in the past, present, and future of conservation in these places. We provide a range of options for landowners who wish to improve and learn more about their soil.
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Community involvement
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Educational benefit to nearby communities
The soil food web dance
The complex relationships that live in the earth's skin
Soil microbes do so much for our ecosystems, but much of it goes unnoticed because these organisms are invisible to our eyes. Bacteria and fungi break down dead and dying organic material, reorganize soil structure to create pore spaces, increase aeration, increase water retention, and begin the process of nutrient cycling. They even produce glues to hold the soil structure together, reducing erosion. But the story doesn't end with them. Predators must be present...
Much like elk and deer in the wilds of Yellowstone, bacteria and fungi must have predators present in the system to release the nutrients back into the system in a plant-available form. In the same way that farmers spread manure on their crops to increase fertility, the predators of the soil microbiota do the same.
Interestingly, different plant species and varieties release slightly different compounds to attract the bacteria and fungi species that they prefer. So, one way to think about it is that plants have been farming themselves since the beginning of time, only their methods involved attracting the prey for the predator who spreads the manure right where the plant needs it—next to the roots.
Pictured above: (top) A pocket gopher hole provides aeration and disturbance for spring beauties, a significant food staple for humans and rodents who inhabit high elevation locations in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. (middle) A deer grazes on grouse berries at high elevation in the GYE. (lower) Amoebae crawling across the microscope slide at 400x total magnification in real time. Amoebae are bacterial predators and excellent nutrient cyclers.
Soil Biology Blog
$25/year
If you are interested in supporting our research and learning more about the benefits of soil microbes and soil restoration practices in southwest Montana, please consider joining our membership for access to our Soil Biology Blog! You can also gain access to all blog posts for free by signing up for a 1-month free trial.
