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Soil Organisms and Roles

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

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  1. Soil Organisms and Roles Power point taken and modified from Tuesday Desaulnier’s Soil Bio. PPt

  2. Soil Biology Who is down there and what do they do

  3. air water soil Sun Producers Decomposers Consumers Humus

  4. 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

  5. Soil Animals – micro, meso, macro

  6. Microflora Bacteria

  7. Microflora

  8. Nematodes Microfauna Protozoa 20-200 kg/ha!

  9. Mites Mesofauna Springtails

  10. Other invertebrates Mesofauna

  11. Worms Voles! Macrofauna

  12. 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

  13. B – Bacteria A – Actinomycetes My – Mycorrhizae H – Saprophitic fungus N – Nematode CP – Ciliate protozoa FP – Flagellate protozoa M – Mite < 1mm 1/10 mm

  14. Aggregates held together by: Fungal hyphae Bacterial “glues” Organic matter hyphae clay sand silt bacteria

  15. Complex, mutually beneficial relationships bacteria fungi

  16. Earthworm midden

  17. 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

  18. air water soil Sun Producers Decomposers Consumers Humus

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