Micro-organisms in the soil

Root nodules of the fava bean or broad bean. Each of these nodules contains billions of Rhizobia bacteria that live in symbiotic relationship to Fabaceae or the legume family (beans, peas).

* Topic in Gardening courses

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Provided there is a carbon source, microorganisms exist in large numbers in the soil. There are more microbes in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on the earth. For example, there are 100 million to a billion bacteria in one gram of soil and 100,000 to a million fungi. Their biomass per m2 is for bacteria 40-500 g and for fungi 100-1500g at 0–6 inches (0–15 cm) depth of soil.

Chunks of information

• Root nodules of the fava plant or broad bean. Each of these nodules contains billions of Rhizobia bacteria that live in symbiotic relationship to Fabaceae or the legume family (beans, peas). These bacteria fix nitrogen that is in the air and give it to the plant or remain in the soil for a next crop. They grow in healthy soils and reduce the need for fertilizing the soil.

List

• Actinobacteria, see Actinobacteria - Wikipedia
• Azotobacter, see Azotobacter - Wikipedia
• Cyanobacteria, see Cyanobacteria - Wikipedia
• Molds
• Penicillium, see Penicillium - Wikipedia
• Protozoa - Protozoa are single-celled eukaryotes (organisms whose cells have nuclei) that commonly show characteristics usually associated with animals, most notably mobility and heterotrophy.
• Rhizobia, see Rhizobia - Wikipedia
• Rotifers
• Roundworms
• Yeasts

Bacteria

Bacteria exist in large numbers in the soil. Because their size is small they have a rather small biomass compared to other soil microorganisms.

The nitrogen cycle

Main article: Nitrogen cycle. See also Some science for the gardener, section Nitrogen cycle.

Mention only the involved bacteria here.

Actinobacteria

Actinobacteria or actinomycetes appear 10 times smaller in number in soils compared to bacteria but because their are larger in size, their total biomass is similar.

Fungi

Although fungi are smaller in population numbers, they dominate the soil biomass in undisturbed soils. Bacteria, actinomycetes and protozoa can tolerate more soil disturbance and therefore dominate in tilled soils. Fungal populations tend to dominate in untilled soils.

Mycorrhizae

Main article: Mycorrhiza

Nematodes

Nematodes, like fungi, are more present in untilled than in tilled soils.

See also

• Compost
• Gardening courses
• Knowledge base:Gardening
• Mycorrhiza
• Soil

External links

• BENEFICIAL AND EFFECTIVE MICROORGANISMS FOR A SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT Dr. Teruo Higa and Dr. James F. Parr, Japan 1994 (EM - Effective Micro-organisms)
• Cyanobacteria Wikipedia
• Mycorrhiza Wikipedia
• Rhizobia Wikipedia
• Root nodule Wikipedia
• Soil biomantle Wikipedia
• Soil life Wikipedia
• The role of soil bacteria The Ohio State University
• Understanding Soil Microbes and Nutrient Recycling The Ohio State University

Books

• Soil microbiology (1952) Author: Waksman, Selman A. (Selman Abraham), 1888-1973; 380 pages