Most Soil Tests Miss This About Soil Biology | Lance Gunderson

Most soil tests measure chemistry. But soil is a biological system and that changes everything. In this Soil Talks™ Podcast episode, Lance Gunderson explains why most soil tests miss the most important part of soil health. For decades agriculture has treated soil like a chemistry set. Measure nitrate. Apply fertilizer. Repeat. But soil is more like a living gut ecosystem, where microbes control nutrient cycling, carbon flow, and plant health. In this episode of the Soil Talks™ Podcast, Lance Gunderson of Regen Ag Lab explains how modern soil science is shifting from purely chemical soil testing toward understanding soil biology and microbial activity. Topics covered in this episode: • Why traditional soil tests miss the biological system • The difference between chemical fertility and biological function • How the Haney soil test measures microbial activity • The role of PLFA testing and DNA analysis • Why fungi and bacteria behave differently in soil • How protozoa drive nitrogen mineralization • Why reducing fallow periods helps soil biology recover • Where regenerative agriculture actually begins If you want to improve nutrient efficiency, reduce fertilizer dependence, and build resilient soil systems, this episode will change the way you look at soil testing. 🎙 Guest: Lance Gunderson Co-Founder –https://regenaglab.com/ 🌱 Learn more about soil health education The Biological...Beyond Organic® Fundamentals Course https://www.rockymountainbioag.com/co... 🎧 Soil Talks™ Podcast Share, Like, Subscribe, GROW Timestamps: 00:00 What Soil Tests Miss 01:15 What Regenerative Agriculture Really Means 03:00 The Problem With Traditional Soil Tests 06:00 Soil Is More Like a Gut Than a Chemistry Set 08:30 How Microbes Control Nutrient Uptake 11:00 The Haney Soil Test Explained 13:30 Fungi vs Bacteria in Soil 16:00 Why Fallow Soil Damages Biology 19:00 Protozoa and Nitrogen Cycling 23:00 PLFA vs DNA Soil Testing 27:00 Total Nutrient Digest Explained 30:00 Do Biological Products Actually Work? 33:00 First Steps Into Regenerative Agriculture #regenerativeagriculture #soilhealth #soilbiology #soilscience #regenerativefarming