Woods End Laboratory
8 minutes
A 24-Hour CO₂ Burst After Rewetting Dry Soil Measures Active Microbes
Dried soil rewetted in a sealed jar releases a flush of CO₂ from microbes within a day; labs report it as mg CO₂-C per kg. Higher bursts track more organic matter and active biology; compare beds and years on the same test, not against one fixed cut-off.