Decomposition of Tea Bags As a Soil Health Indicator in Agroecosystems.

The term ‘Soil Health’ has recently become popular due, in large part, to the increased emphasis on the importance of soil biology. However, current biological soil health tests are expensive, highly variable, and difficult to interpret. Here we describe the potential for using decomposition of Lipton tea bags as an indicator of soil health. We buried tea bags in various soils around Iowa under agricultural practices that are thought to increase, or decrease, soil health. A Soil Decomposition Index (SDI) was measured on the following treatments: cover crops vs. no cover crop, monoculture crops vs. extended crop rotations, conventional vs. reduced tillage, synthetic vs. manure applications, and even long-term cultivation vs. native prairie. Here we will focus on experiments comparing addition of a cover crop versus no cover crops. In addition to measuring the effect of management practices on SDI, we will collect soil samples to validate its use as a biological soil health indicator. For validation, we will concurrently collect soils as we bury the tea bags and measure several soil biological characteristics, along with chemical and physical health measurements. These soil biological measurements included: microbial biomass, microbial activity, and plant-available nutrients. Overall, we hope to validate the use of the SDI as a cheap, scientifically-robust method for farmers to assess their soil’s health.