HOWDY.
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For now, I aim to send you a quarterly letter. Your attention and energy are sacred, and I intend to respect that with succinct yet thought-provoking write-ups and pointed updates.
- Today’s Topic: Understanding the qualitative nature of soil biology reports
- Updates: Rhizos reports are getting a refresh!
TOPIC.
Soil Biology Reports Are Qualitative
Many people are surprised to learn that soil biology assessments are more qualitative than quantitative. While reports include numerical data based on organism counts, these numbers are not absolute—rather, they reflect a dynamic and variable system.
In natural environments (as opposed to controlled lab conditions), biological data is inherently variable. Microbial communities shift in response to moisture, temperature, and management practices, making it difficult to pin down exact numbers with statistical significance. This doesn’t mean the data generated from biological counts isn’t useful.
For one, many of us are drawn to numbers over narrative—it’s just how we’re wired. Nevertheless, the real value lies in the story those numbers tell. That’s why every report includes qualitative insights alongside the data, such as visuals and interpretation, to provide a clearer picture of what’s happening in your soil or compost.
When reviewing data, we want to focus on broader patterns and biological function rather than individual data points. This helps us better assess soil health and guide improvements over time.
If you’re the kind of person who prefers interpreting a painting over a graph, we also offer Qualitative Surveys at half the price of a Biological Count. These reports provide descriptions and imagery without numerical data, offering a simple and effective way to track progress over time.
UPDATES.
Rhizos Reports—What’s New
Ensuring clients understand their soil biology reports is a top priority. Clear insights lead to better decisions for composting and land stewardship. After hundreds of conversations, we’ve identified a few key improvements to make our reports even easier to read.
- Indicator Species: we’ve moved ciliates and actinobacteria to a category dubbed ‘indicator species’ as these organisms primarily inform us of oxygen levels in the sample. Additionally, actinobacteria can be a useful indicator of rates of decomposition.
- Rounded Values: All values will now be rounded to better reflect the estimation of the measurements
- Target Variability: Variability is an important part of interpreting your results. We will now provide a reference point indicating desired variability.
- New Default Report Format: We offer two report templates: one that presents a side-by-side comparison of multiple datasets and another that provides a more detailed, one-page-per-assessment view. Moving forward, our default will be the in-depth format, as it offers greater transparency into variability and interpretation. If you prefer the side-by-side comparison or if you’d like it in addition to the in-depth format, you can now include that preference in your order request form.
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Standardized Visual Captures: We’ve always shared photos and videos of notable life in your samples, and we’ll continue highlighting interesting observations. In addition, we’re implementing some standardized captures to track visual changes over time. Each round of sampling will now include:
- 100x View – A higher-magnification snapshot to monitor aggregation, organic matter, and other physical characteristics.
- 400x Field-of-View Tour – A recorded tour through ~4 fields of view at 400x.
- 2–3 Additional Captures – Photos and/or videos of notable soil life observed.
