Compost Soil Interactions: Nutrient Availability, Organic Matter, and Phosphorus Solutions
Composting transforms organic waste into biologically active amendments that enhance nutrient availability and soil health. This session aims to explore compost influence carbon and phosphorus dynamics, including the breakdown of materials and their interaction with the soil they are applied to. We’ll look at how compost contributes to soil organic matter pools and how it can increase phosphorus bioavailability, especially in systems without synthetic inputs. The session concludes with insights from ongoing research using rapid composting and co-composting with recycled phosphorus sources like struvite to address soil fertility challenges in organic agriculture.
Amanda Desrocher
Amanda is a Master’s student in Soil Science at the University of Manitoba with a background in biology and regenerative farming. Her research with Dr Inoka Amarakoon and Dr. Joanne Thiessen Martens with the Organic Science Cluster 4 focuses on creating enriched composts using recycled phosphorus to close nutrient loops in organic agriculture. She is passionate about bridging soil and human health, growing nutrient-dense food, and building resilient systems that restore and optimize soil health.
Winter Webinar Series
This is the third webinar in a series being held by Organic Alberta. Our monthly Zoom meetings bring in different speakers on activities going on in the organic farming world.