Connecting science to the theory and practice of soil regeneration.
The Soil Lab was created with two purposes in mind: to use science to improve soil health for land stewards and to help educate everyone about the importance of soil regeneration.
Our scientific research supports better results in the field. We identify methods that regenerate degraded soil and increase crop yields, leading to better ecological and economic results for local farmers, foresters, vintners, and workers in the field of agroecology.
The Soil Lab also engages in a variety of other activities to support ecosystem restoration efforts in our local area and bioregion, including work in the field, citizen science programs, and education for regeneration for youth as well as adults.
Scientists and practitioners come together to make a difference.
The Soil Lab leverages the combined efforts of trained scientists and experienced practitioners of regeneration and ecosystem regeneration to conduct its research and activities.
Dr. Elodie da Silva
Chief Scientist
Dr. da Silva leads the efforts of the Soil Lab at Mud Valley Institute. She is responsible for setting up and executing tests and experiments, academic research, monitoring and evaluation of soil-related metrics at Quinta Vale da Lama, and creating new content and services for the Soil Lab. She holds a PhD in Soil Sciences, Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC), with extensive research and working experience in soil quality, monitoring, and evaluation in Brazil and Portugal. She is passionate about sharing soil and compost topics in different educational contexts and programs.
What we do at the Soil Lab
The Soil Lab at Mud Valley Institute engages in a variety of activities to support soil regeneration and ecosystem restoration efforts in our local bioregion.
Conduct scientific research
We set up and conduct scientific research related to improving soil quality and how to apply it to real world contexts. We also share our results freely, so that others may use the information.
For example, in late 2023 we ran a 6-week field experiment to show how the addition of good soil microbes through worm castings extracts can improve agricultural production. You can read more about it here.
We also coordinate and work with local universities as a part of our research efforts.
Monitor and take action on soil quality metrics
We set up and conduct measurement exercises and plots at our Quinta Vale da Lama location to understand how healthy the soil is in different locations around the farm. We use 12 metrics from the Ecosystem Restoration Communitites Soil Framework to assess and categorize soil health, and established a baseline in Spring 2024. These areas will be monitored for the next few years to understand the change in soil health. We also support other local farms with this type of work.
Aggregate soil, water, and biodiversity data
A part of our role as a Bioregional Learning Center is to serve as a centralized resource to collect, analyze, and disseminate regeneration-related data and findings. We will do that by being a repository not just for data from our Qunita Vale da Lama location, but other participating farms and locations within the region. This will enable us to serve as a hub for knowledge sharing. Searchable, shareable databases that anyone can access will be developed in the near future, as we gather a sufficient quantity of data.
Create educational content and citizen science programs
A critical part of our work is to educate, inspire, and encourage our local communities to learn about the importance of supporting living soil in ecosystem restoration. Therefore, we are developing materials, activities, and programs for local schools, groups, and nonprofits, as well as the community at large, focused on soil health and improvement.
Offer soil assessment and improvement services
We are expanding our work beyond the walls of Quinta Vale da Lama to assist other local farmers and land stewards in their soil health improvement efforts. By developing a service offering consisting of onsite testing, baseline establishment, and improvement implementation support, we can work to increase our overall impact in the bioregion.
Measurement and analysis
We leverage the Ecosystem Restoration Communities Soil Framework as the basis for our soil health Monitoring and Evaluation efforts. It includes numerous ecological indicators and cost-effective methodologies inspired in citizen science to assess soil health. Specifically, we measure the following context- and site-level indicators.
Soil texture
The proportion of clay, silt and sand in soil. This is key to understanding the retention of water and nutrients in the soil.
Soil structure/Aggregate stability
Soil structure and aggregate stability tend to be correlated with the ability of a soil to provide water and air for roots and soil biota. Soil structure regulates soil aeration and gaseous exchange rates, movement and storage of water, soil temperature, root penetration and development, nutrient cycling and resistance to structural degradation and erosion.
Topsoil depth
The thickness of the topsoil layer, and its growth or loss, gives insight into a soil’s ability to sustain multiple plant and animal species.
Decomposition rate
Assessing how ‘litter’ decomposes in soils is a common method used to analyse soil functions such as decomposition of organic matter and nutrient cycling. The ‘Teacomposition test’ we use is a simple, cheap, and standardized method that uses commercially available (green and rooibos) tea bags as pre-made ‘litterbags’. The bags are buried in various sites and their weights are analyzed at various points in time post-burial.
Soil compaction
Soil compaction greatly restricts the ability of plants to grow as their roots struggle to penetrate into the ground. It is caused by the removal of vegetation from the land and is a major cause of desertification.
Water infiltration
Soil moisture is the basis for photosynthesis and ecosystem functioning. Healthy soils hold and infiltrate water, unhealthy soils don’t, and so we seek to understand and improve an area’s abillity to retain water.
pH
Establishing the acidity/alkalinity of soil leads to useful insights about its needs and potential of growing healthy plants, vegetables, and trees. Most plants need a pH between 6 and 7.5 to grow well, but some prefer more acidic or alkaline soils.
Soil biological activity
Biological activity in the soil is an essential component of building soil, cycling nutrients, fertility, and much more. The number of earthworms present in soil is a proxy indicator for soil biological activity. These important creatures help with breakdown of organic residue and create channels that improve infiltration and aggregation, due to their burrowing. The amount of earthworms present in a sample site gives an indication of the level of ecological functions.
Fauna diversity
We examine the diversity of fauna both in the soil and in the external (i.e. above ground) ecosystem itself, as increased diversity and numbers of animal life tend to be indicative of healthier ecosystems.
Flora diversity
Plant diversity and density, and changes in their levels over time, are key indicators of ecosystem health, resilience, and complexity.
Soil organic matter and carbon
Soil organic matter is a complex component of the soil made up of microbial, plant, and animal tissues in different stages of decomposition, and affects the level of fertility, productivity, and water retention. Healthy soil also stores more carbon.
Get Involved with the Soil Lab
The Soil Lab continues to grow its work, in the field, lab, and classroom, and so we are always looking for additional resources to support those efforts. Whether you are a scientist, farmer, content creator, program presenter, or just someone who wants to get their hands dirty working in the soil, we would love to speak with you about how we can work together! Send an email to info@mudvalleyinstitute.org and we will be in touch!
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