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Soil Organisms and Roles. Power point taken and modified from Tuesday Desaulnier’s Soil Bio. PPt. Soil Biology. Who is down there and what do they do. air. water. soil. Sun. Producers. Decomposers. Consumers. Humus. Important Groups of Soil Organisms. Size/type class.
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Soil Organisms and Roles Power point taken and modified from Tuesday Desaulnier’s Soil Bio. PPt
Soil Biology Who is down there and what do they do
air water soil Sun Producers Decomposers Consumers Humus
Important Groups of Soil Organisms Size/type class e.g. and functional group/energy acquisition Vascular plants, mosses • Macroflora • Microflora • Macrofauna algae, bacteria, and fungi Vertebrates, arthropods, earthworms, snails… • Mesofauna • Microfauna smaller arthropods and worms Nematodes, protzoa
Microflora Bacteria
Nematodes Microfauna Protozoa 20-200 kg/ha!
Mites Mesofauna Springtails
Other invertebrates Mesofauna
Worms Voles! Macrofauna
A cup of soil contains... Bacteria Fungi* Protozoa Nematodes Arthropods Earthworms 200 billion { Microflora, or “microbes” 100,000 meters 20 million { microfauna 100,000 50,000 { macro- and mesofauna <1
B – Bacteria A – Actinomycetes My – Mycorrhizae H – Saprophitic fungus N – Nematode CP – Ciliate protozoa FP – Flagellate protozoa M – Mite < 1mm 1/10 mm
Aggregates held together by: Fungal hyphae Bacterial “glues” Organic matter hyphae clay sand silt bacteria
Complex, mutually beneficial relationships bacteria fungi
Earthworms – (have gizzards!) • Probably the most important component of soil fauna (not in acid soils, not in very dry soils) • Eat OM & pass as much as 30 tons/ha of soil through their bodies (mixing horizons) each year • Promote good soil structure and aeration
air water soil Sun Producers Decomposers Consumers Humus