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Soil microbiology is the study of microorganisms in soil, their functions, ... They planted small olive trees to boost microbial diversity.
Soil organisms are constantly confronted with the problem of dehydration. [4] Soil microbial communities experience shifts in the diversity and composition during dehydration and rehydration cycles. [5] Soil moisture affects carbon cycling a phenomenon known as Birch effect. [6] [7]
Soil health is a state of a soil meeting its range of ecosystem functions as appropriate to its environment. In more colloquial terms, the health of soil arises from favorable interactions of all soil components (living and non-living) that belong together, as in microbiota , plants and animals.
A method of maintaining ecosystem function in agricultural soils is using crop rotations, where increases in the number of crops used for a crop rotation in farming systems has also been shown to have the effect of increasing microbial diversity and the number of microbial species present. [17]
The microbial communities inside the root and in the rhizosphere are distinct from each other, [2] and from the microbial communities of bulk soil, [3] although there is some overlap in species composition. Different microorganisms, both beneficial and harmful, affect the development and physiology of plants.
Soil that is healthy is fertile and productive. [29] But soil erosion leads to a loss of topsoil, organic matter, and nutrients; it breaks down soil structure and decreases water storage capacity, reducing fertility and water availability to plant roots. Soil erosion is, therefore, a major threat to soil biodiversity. [30]
The soil is home to a large proportion of the world's biodiversity.The links between soil organisms and soil functions are complex. The interconnectedness and complexity of this soil 'food web' means any appraisal of soil function must necessarily take into account interactions with the living communities that exist within the soil.
Soil microbial communities are characterized in many different ways. The activity of microbes can be measured by their respiration and carbon dioxide release. The cellular components of microbes can be extracted from soil and genetically profiled, or microbial biomass can be calculated by weighing the soil before and after fumigation.