The Ecosystem of Compost
Piles
By Joy Paterson, Extension Educator and Ashley Andrews, Horticulture
Assistant
If you have been keeping a compost
pile, you have been maintaining an
active ecosystem that is based on the
breakdown of the organic materials
that you are composting. With optimal
conditions, your compost pile should
have all the components of an active
ecosystem. All healthy ecosystems
consist of energy source, primary
consumers and multiple levels of
secondary or tertiary consumers that
form a healthy food web.
The base of the compost ecosystem is your compost, and the primary
consumers are the organisms that feed on the compost, decomposing it into
soil. Primary consumers include bacteria, fungi, actinomysetes and
nematodes. These are the microscopic decomposers. Decomposers that you
might see are mites, earthworms, beetle larvae, millipedes, sowbugs,
snails, slugs and whiteworms. It is important to maintain the right habitat
for the decomposers to work your compost pile. Here, you need to ensure
that the pile is kept sufficiently moist, but without standing water.
Creating a higher temperature in your compost pile, 120-160 degrees
Fahrenheit, will speed up the life cycles of the decomposers and the
breakdown of your compost into soil.
The size and abundance of secondary consumers can be used to estimate the
health of your compost pile. A healthy compost pile will have more
secondary consumers because there is more prey from primary consumers for
the secondary consumers to consume. Secondary and tertiary consumers
include carabid beetles, rove beetles, earwigs, other beetles, ants, mites,
spiders, pseudoscorpions, centipedes, springtails, soil flatworms,
nematodes, protozoa and rotifera.
While a healthy compost pile ecosystem will help break down the compost
into beautiful soil, compost can create a source habitat for garden pests
or annoying insects that can ruin your barbeque. Place your compost pile
away from garden, patio or picnic areas to prevent issues with flies, ants,
sowbugs and snails. Fruit flies and houseflies can increase with too much
fresh fruit or vegetable waste, so add these to the compost pile slowly
over time or after a hard freeze. Placing the pile way from the garden will
reduce the sowbugs and snails that can move from your compost to your
vegetables. Scarab beetle larvae can invade lawns and vegetables, so look
for large C-shaped beetle larvae in your pile.
For an opportunity to learn more about decomposer and pest insects,
pollinator and beneficial insects, composting and more, check out our “Grow
Your Own, Nevada!” program. The program is a series of eight gardening
workshops held 6-8 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, May 3 through May 26.
Workshop topics include:
5/3- Warm-Season Vegetable Gardening
5/5- Gardening in Nevada’s Soils
5/10- Know Nevada Insects: Decomposers & Pests
5/12- Know Nevada Insects: Pollinators & Beneficials
5/17- Tomatoes 101
5/19- Composting Made Easy
5/24- Preserving the Harvest: Hot-Water Canning
5/26- Seed Saving
Classes are held live in Reno and via videoconference to participating
sites statewide. Reno attendees can register online at
www.growyourownnevada.com. To attend in another location, contact your
local Cooperative Extension office.
Joy Paterson is the Lyon County Extension Educator and Ashley Andrews is
the Horticulture Assistant with University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.
Have plant questions? Contact a master gardener at 775-336-0265
or [email protected], or visit www.growyourownnevada.com. For
information on drought, visit www.livingwithdrought.com.