Life in Soil

Responsible for degradation and

synthesis of organic matter in soils
Transforms nutrients into plant usable
forms


Macroflora: Vascular plants, Mosses, etc.
Microflora: Bacteria, Actinomycetes,
Fungi, Algae
Most numerous of microbes
they help improve water infiltration, water-
holding capacity, soil stability, and
aeration.
fix atmospheric nitrogen, adding it to the
soil nitrogen pool
help us clean up our messes

1. Autotrophs photosynthetic
2. Decomposers consume soil organic matter
3. Mutualists nitrogen fixing bacteria
4. Pathogens cause disease
5. Chemolithotrophs obtain energy from
minerals
Transitional group between bacteria
and fungi
Break down more resistant organic
compounds (cellulose/chitin)
Responsible for the distinctive scent
of freshly exposed, moist soil.
Multi-cellular plants
Contribute the most biomass (size)
Dominant decomposer microbe in soil
Mycorrhizal
"symbiotic" relationship with plant
helps plant be more efficient at obtaining
nutrients and water.
plant provides energy to the fungus
U.P. of Michigan
37 acres of land

Crystal Falls is "Home of the Humungous Fungus",
perhaps the world's largest and oldest living organism. It
covers 38 acres beneath an Iron County forest near the
Wisconsin border. It is believed to be 1,500 to 10,000
years old and weigh about 100 tons - about the same as
an adult blue whale. It is the species called Armillaria
Bulbosa and the mushrooms it produces are commonly
called "honey mushroom." The mushroom is the only
edible part of the fungus. Armillaria bulbosa is very
common, occurring in hardwood forests in North
America, Europe and Japan.

Macrofauna: Mice, moles, etc.;
Earthworms and other worms; Ants,
beetles, termites, spiders
Mesofauna: Nemaodes, arthropods
(mites, centipedes, and springtails),
molluscs
Microfauna: Protozoa

Most numerous soil fauna
Single celled animals
Prey on microbes (especially bacteria)
Release N and other nutrients


most abundant near plant roots, because
that's where both bacteria and organic matter
(i.e., food) are concentrated in the soil.
Ciliates are the largest and use
many hair-like cilia to scoot through
soil and water
Amoebae are relatively small, no
hairs
Flagellates are the smallest, have a
few whip like tails

Microscopic non-segmented
roundworms
consumer group bacteria, fungi, plant
roots, tiny animals
ants and springtails
crustaceans, such as
sowbugs
arachnids, such as
spiders and mites
myriapods, such as
centipedes and
millipedes
scorpions
Mixing and redistributing organic matter
Enhance soil physical properties
Neutralize soil pH
Increase the availability of many nutrients
Stimulate microbial populations
Badger, shrew, ground squirrels, pocket
gophers, prairie dogs, kangaroo rats,
kangaroo mice, pocket mice
mix subsurface materials with surface
soils, litter, and feces
Aide in aeration and infiltration of soils
Plant establishment and seedling survival
Help control arthropod populations
Transport fungal spores