Autumn is a picturesque time of year in the central Appalachians. Leaf fall from the trees of the region contribute vast amounts of organic matter to the soil. Microbiota and other organisms, such as this snail, speed up the breakdown of the raw organic matter.  AFSRC scientists are studying pasture and silvopastoral systems, which create a mineral and biological matrix absent in conventional tillage agriculture. The research will provide important insights into the linkages between soil processes and plant productivity.

Photo by Susan Boyer