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The lab measuring the life in your soil

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formsSample submission forms Use the submission forms on these lab pages to send samples.

formsUse this Sample Submission Checklist to take you through the process.

SFI Consultant Phone Line
Rate $25 per 1/4 hour
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What tests to order
Protozoa

Assess whether the sample is aerobic, or anaerobic.

Protozoa are single celled organisms that mostly eat bacteria, although some prefer to consume pathogenic, disease-causing fungi. Protozoa are very important in recycling the nitrogen and other nutrients locked up inside the bacteria.

Some protozoa also attack nematodes and some will attack fungi. All in all, having good populations of the right kinds of protozoa makes for a balanced soil.

Protozoa come in three major groups, the ciliates, flagellates, and the amoebae. The relative numbers of these groups assess whether the sample is aerobic, or anaerobic.

what tests to order >
Useful information
Information given by each test

Active Bacteria/Active Fungi
measure the numbers and biomass of bacteria and fungi that are actively feeding and reproducing

Total Bacteria/Total Fungi
measures the total amount of bacteria and fungi, including the active populations differentiated in the previous tests

Morphological Species Diversity
a significant improvement over plate counts

Nematode Numbers and Community Structure
count and identify nematodes and report numbers of nematodes per gram dry soil

Protozoa
Assess whether the sample is aerobic, or anaerobic

Mycorrhizal fungi (VAM)
The kind and amount of beneficial mycorrhizal colonization on the roots

Beneficial Organism Package
Are the desirable beneficial organisms in your soil, compost or compost tea? Find Out! Build Soil Health!

Microarthropods
Provides information on the numbers and identification to major group of the visible soil critters

Foliage Assay
Determination of the area of leaf surface occupied by microorganisms

Total Foodweb Assay
There is a discount for running all these assays instead of each individual one

© 2005 Soil Foodweb, Inc.