← Elaine Ingham · Research and publications
What changes when we affect one group of soil organisms?
An experiment by Dr Elaine Ingham and colleagues examines interactions within the soil food web.
Study published:
A grassland experiment
The second part of the 1986 study used five biocides in the field to affect different groups of microbes and fauna and examine system responses. [1]
Connections within the community
The authors linked grazing on bacteria or fungi with increases in inorganic nitrogen. They also examined increases in competing groups when another decomposer group declined. [1]
Following the whole community
For ELKEAGE, this approach gives direction to observation: which organisms are present, how are they connected, and how does soil change after an intervention? We want our comparisons to include relationships between groups.
Continuing the research
This presentation accompanies the first part, on seasonal changes and nitrogen. Together they offer two approaches to studying the food web: observation through time and experimental changes to the community.
Sources and references
- Ingham, E. R., Trofymow, J. A., Ames, R. N., Hunt, H. W., Morley, C. R., Moore, J. C. & Coleman, D. C. (1986). Trophic Interactions and Nitrogen Cycling in a Semi-Arid Grassland Soil. II. System Responses to Removal of Different Groups of Soil Microbes or Fauna. Journal of Applied Ecology, 23(2), 615–630. DOI: 10.2307/2404040 Original publication and study record