[APWG] Mathematical constants, equations--includes soil nutrients

[Wayne Tyson]

Craig et y'all:

I do believe that ranges and degrees "of things" are some of the "missing 
intellectual links" in our pursuit of understanding how things work as 
opposed to merely accumulating "knowledge." In fact, I will go further and 
suggest that they are the elephant in the room whom we have been ignoring in 
favor of the mess of pottage that consists of counting, classifying, and 
statistical reduction of complex phenomena into a convoluted hodge-podge of 
academic fantasies.

When it comes to the study of ecosystems and restoration project performance 
in particular, "cover" is almost irrelevant. Snapshots of particular states 
are indicative only of what is sampled in a particular instant in a 
continuously-changing phenomenon, and as such are "out of date" a moment 
after they are made. A series of snapshots, however crude, could have value 
in representing, to some degree, a trend value that could actually tell us 
something of value, depending upon what is "measured" and how it is 
measured.

Some plants do appear to be aggressive against other plants, as in the case 
of parasites and hemiparasites, and can be useful as a "management tool," 
but they are most effective when integrated with other elements in the whole 
system (which includes elements which are intentionally introduced as well 
as those over which we have little or no control, as in invasion). But for 
the most part "competition" is more of an imaginary value/element of human 
culture than an ecosystem phenomenon.

I agree that nutrient levels are important but I have no idea what you mean 
by "mathematical constant" (no one has explained that yet). At a practical 
level, the most important element (pun intended) with respect to nutrition 
is one reason for my proposal to the Encyclopedia of Life at the 
Smithsonian. We know too little about the range of requirements and 
tolerances and interactions and their effects upon single organisms, groups 
of organisms, or ecosystems to reduce the interactions of elements and 
species to any mathematical "constant," but we do have a few handfuls of 
facts and inferences that have seemed to have held up in application and 
replication long enough to make them useful. We have not progressed much 
from the judo stage of "management," but that may be good enough until we 
have collected enough data to produce a computer program that can prove 
itself by predicting outcomes of natural and artificial events (e.g. weather 
and human interventions like ecosystem restoration projects).

In general, added nutrients tend to favor weedier plants; stress (low levels 
of available nutrients) tend to favor indigenous plants, not the other way 
around. This has not kept me from adding nutrients in particular amounts at 
particular times in particular places, and it has induced me to take actions 
that limit nutrient availability. The kind of dynamics at work here remain 
poorly understood, and again, until we have more data we may continue to act 
in ignorance, save for the use of that part of our brains that can process 
complex interactions without consciously "knowing" how far we should go and 
what we should and should not do at any time or in any set of conditions.

If the concept of "mathematical constants" is "brand new," in view of the 
statement that Dremann has been using them for fifteen years, I wonder when 
Dremann will explain what he means by the term as it applies to ecosystems? 
I certainly do hope that they have "great potential for the future," and I 
look forward to their being explained as the great contribution they might 
bring to society.

WT


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Craig Dremann - Redwood City Seed Company" <Craig at astreet.com>
To: <apwg at lists.plantconservation.org>
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2012 7:35 AM
Subject: [APWG] Mathematical constants, equations--includes soil nutrients


> Dear Wayne and All,
>
> Thanks for your email.
>
> Constants are the mathematical ranges for things, and the equations are
> the links made between the constants for each species.   Once you have the
> equations, they  can be used to write a computer program, to predict the
> outcome if the percentage cover of one or more species is changed, how
> would everyone else sort themselves out?
>
> This could have an agricultural value also, where you could intentionally
> plant a seed to take the place of a weed that grows, say in your corn
> field, but would be less aggressive against the corn itself than the weed
> would.
>
> SOIL NUTRIENT LEVELS. I wanted to add, that every native species, also has
> a mathematical constant for the nutrient levels that it needs to thrive,
> for the soil organic matter contained in the top two inches of soil under
> the thatch, along with the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and
> pH.
>
> And that mathematical constant idea for soil nutrients goes for all weeds
> also.
>
> You might find, like we do here in the arid West, many annual and biennial
> weeds, like cheatgrass, Yellow star thistle, and medusahead, are only
> indicators that your soil nutrient levels have dropped below the minimum
> threshold mathematical constant for one or more nutrients needed by native
> seedlings for their survival.
>
> The soil nutrient mathematical constants are rarely taken into account,
> either when managing weeds or when replanting native seeds and plants.
> But whenever you are weeding or planting natives, becoming aware of the
> soil nutrient mathematical constants, and the plant interaction
> mathematical constants, will give you an invaluable tool for your project.
>
> The idea of mathematical constants for soil nutrients and for plant
> interactions, is a brand new area of the science of Ecological
> Restoration, and since I have been using these concepts professionally for
> the last 15 years myself, firmly believe that they have a very great
> potential for the future.
>
> Sincerely,  Craig Dremann (650) 325-7333
>
>
>
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