![]() ![]() Lastly, the presence of certain species of bacteria is just enough to combat the ability of certain pathogens to produce diseases in plants. The aggregation of the soil improves the movement of water, especially in clay soil. Some bacteria produce glue-like substances that make soil particles sticky to bind with other particles forming aggregates. ![]() Others are involved in nutrient cycling specifically in converting nitrogen from the atmosphere to compounds readily available for uptake by plants. Some species feed on dead organisms and organic litter, and further break them down into simpler forms such as water, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. With new discoveries, more classifications arise including the environmental conditions they live in, mode of growth and development, and DNA sequence.īacteria play important functions in the soil primarily related to nutrient cycling, water infiltration, and disease suppression. On the other hand, gram-negative bacteria are usually smaller and do not retain the color of the staining agent. If the cell walls are thick, they labeled it “gram-positive” indicating that these bacteria can withstand water stress conditions. In a laboratory, scientists use a staining agent to color bacterial cell walls. Contrary, other species would require an environment without oxygen and are termed anaerobic bacteria. Other bacteria need oxygen to survive and they are called aerobic bacteria. In terms of shape, they are grouped as rodlike, spherical, or spiral. Their size is similar to clay particles which are smaller than 0.002mm. They are the most populated species in the living soil. Below is a list of organisms that can be found living under our footsteps: Bacteriaīacteria are single-celled microorganisms. These creatures keep on moving, producing, and functioning both as an individual or as a group of the same classification. Soil biodiversity refers to all the existing life forms, regardless of size and shape, found in it. That is a lot of biodiversity hidden below the surface of the planet! In fact, it is estimated that a teaspoon of soil has a billion bacterial cells, millions of fungi, hundreds of nematodes, and several earthworms, mites, and arthropods in it. ![]() Similar to the ocean, under the ground is a house for many species. But what about the creatures that live just under our feet? Live Soil Contains a Wealth of BiodiversityĬhildren can easily pinpoint what a jellyfish is from a seahorse, starfish from a stingray, and dolphins from an octopus. But what they do not know is that the soil is actually alive and is breathing. They keep on digging and turning the land, adding fertilizers, spraying pesticides, and implementing monocropping systems. Until now, most farmers only know the chemical and physical aspects of the soil and the rest are about taking care of the crops. Their farmlands had been degraded and the nutrients were washed into the rivers. We have observed in the past how civilizations and society moved from one place to another because the field where they live had lost its ability to produce food. Looking deeper, there’s more about the ground than just a place where we stand.Įverything that we eat that does not come from the ocean comes from the ground. It is a non-renewable resource made up of minerals, organic matter, air, water, and living organisms. The soil is an essential part of the land. We grow on it, build on it, and build almost everything from it. The land comprises a quarter of the earth’s surface. ![]()
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