Flaede: "There are two distinct types of bat guano, that which is deposited by insect eating bats and that which is
deposited by fruit eating bats."
I think fruit-bats and nectar-bats are two different kinds of bats.
Yep. And they have distinctly different guano, apparently.
Insect: high nitrogen
fruit: high phosphorous.
Yay poop! So. yeah. Potash is more of the contributing nitrogen type fertilizer, right?
Potash contributes Potassium. "Potassium" as a word derives from "Potash", they just stick "-ium" on the end of most metals discovered in the past couple centuries, so it's "Potashium". (Makes it easy to remember, right?
)
NPK are the three macronutrients of farming, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium (which is K on the periodic table).
I wonder if that means that the insect guano should be more explosive and the fruit guano should burn hotter? Hmm...
EDIT: And maybe it could be used as fuel, too? I wonder.
Guano (mostly seagull guano, but regardless,) was used as one of the most precious resources in the world for the production of gunpowder up until the invention of the Haber Process as a source for artificial Nitrates. Wars were fought over nations like Chile, which had access to vast guano reserves, and England cutting off Germany from its access to Guano early on doomed Germany to defeat in World War One when they were unable to make both ammunition and fertilizer with their limited nitrates, and picked ammunition and letting their people starve until the nation collapsed.
Guano is serious shit.