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Soil organism any organism inhabit the soil during

part or all its life. Soil organism, which range in size


From microscopic cells the digest decaying organic
material to small organism with play as important role in
maintaining fertility, structure, drainage, and aeration of
soil. They also break down plant tissues, releasing stored
nutrient and converting them into form usable by plants.
Some soil organisms are pest like nematodes. Cause rots,
some release substance that inhabit plant growth, and
other are host form organism that cause animal disease.
One of the most important roles of soil is breaking up the
complex substance in de decaying plants so that they can
be used again by living plants. This involves soil
organisms as catalyst in number of natural cycles, among
the most prominent being the carbon, nitrogen, and
sulfur cycles.

Carbon cycle begins in plants, which combine carbon


dioxide from the atmosphere with water to make plant
tissues such as leaves, stem and fruits. Animals eat the
plant and convert the tissues into animals tissues. The
cycle is completed when the animal die and their
decaying tissues are eaten by soil organism, a process
that releases carbon dioxide.

Nitrogen cycle proteins are the basic stuffs or


organic tissues, and nitrogen is an essential element of all
proteins. The availability of nitrogen in forms that plant
can use is a basic determinant of the fertility of soil ; the
role of soil organisms in facilitating the nitrogen cycle is

therefore is great important. When a plant or animal dies,


soil organisms break up the complex proteins,
polypeptides, and nucleic acid in their bodies and
produce ammonium, ions, nitrites that plant then use to
build their body tissues.

Sulfur cycle soil organism also participate in the


sulfur cycle, mostly by breaking up the naturally
abundant sulfur compounds in the soil so that this vital
element is available to plants.
*through soil organism have become less important in
agriculture due to the development of synthetic
fertilizers.
*they play a vital role in woodland, especially in the
creation of humus, a finely separated complex of organic
materials composed of decaying leaves & other
vegetable matters.
*through some soil organism can become pests especially
when a single crop is grown repeteadly in the same fields,
encouraging the proliferation of organisms that prey on
their roots by large they are essential elements in the
process of file. Death & decay which rejuvenates the
environment

Soil organisms are commonly divided into


arbitrary according to size :
Proteins the smallest soil organism which includes
bacteria 8 actinomyces

Bacteria are single celled organisms; exceed all other


soil organism in kind &number. Most of the soil bacteria
are heterotrophic. They required performed carbon. In
terms of requirement for oxygen, they are classified into
aerobes, anaerobes & facultative aerobes. Aerobes
require supply of oxygen in soil atmosphere. Facultative
aerobes thrive well in aerobic environment but can adapt
to anaerobic conditions of the soil.

Actinomyces refers to a group of bacteria with


superficial resemblance to fungi, function in
decomposition of very resistant materials.

Microfauna which are less than 100 microns in


length and generally feed upon other microorganisms. It
also includes single celled protozoans, some smaller
flatworms, nematodes, rotifers, & tardigrades (eight
legged in vertebrates).

Mesofauna are larger & are heterogenous,


including creature that feed on microorganisms,
decaying matter & living plants. It includes
menatodes, mites, springtails & paurofods.
Macrofauna are also a quite diverse. The most
common example is the potworm, a white, semented
worm that5 feeds on fungi, bacteria & decaying plant
material.
Megafauna constitute the largest soil organisms &
include the largest earthworms, perhaps the most
important creatures that live in the topsoil.

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