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- Soil fauna body size affects soil processes across a broad spatial range: (1) “micro-food webs” with microbes and their protist and nematode predators; (2) microarthropods and enchytraeids, fragmenting decomposing litter; and (3) “ecosystem engineers,” e.g., earthworms, termites, and ants, which alter soil physical structure and influence rates of nutrient flows.
When a plant or animal dies, soil organisms break up the complex proteins, polypeptides, and nucleic acids in their bodies and produce ammonium, ions, nitrates, and nitrites that plants then use to build their body tissues.
- Megafauna
megafauna, in soil science, animals such as earthworms and...
- Macrofauna
macrofauna, in soil science, animals that are one centimetre...
- Rhizobium
Other articles where Rhizobium is discussed: bacteria:...
- Sulfur Cycle
Sulfur cycle, circulation of sulfur in various forms through...
- Megafauna
- Bacteria
- Protozoa
- Fungi
- Algae
- Nematodes
- Annelids
- Mollusks
- Insects and Orthopods
- Amphibians
- Reptiles
These are organisms that are present everywhere, like in air, water, and land.However, the soil has more bacteria, and it is their natural habitat. As per an estimate, there is a ton of active bacteria in an acre of soil.Soil provides them with a required environment for growth, multiplication, and protection from the harsh climate.They break down soil pollutants and pesticides. Further, they enhance soil water retention capacity and are also involved in disease suppression.Other animals and plants benefit from the presence of bacteria in the soil. One can find the bacteria even in the deepest layers of the earth.These are microbesthat have cells similar to animal cells and are motile and lack a cell wall.Like bacteria, they are spread in the soil and mostly include ciliates and ameboids.Of the amoebas, naked ones dominate the soil. These protozoa feed on bacteria and fungi.They digest the bacteria and release more amount of nitrogen than the carbon consumed.Fungi are multi-cellular animals that are found largely in soils.They are microscopic and grow as long threads called hyphae.Like bacteria, they are also scavengers and help in the decomposition of waste.These are similar to fungi but are autotrophic in nature.These are parasitic animals that can be found in soil.They are long and slender and can live as parasites on other animals and plants.Nematodes are said to be the largest population of animals livingin the world.They are of different types like bacteria feeders, fungal feeders, root feeders, etc.Earthworms are the best examples of this class living in the soil.They make burrows in the soil and live in it.These burrows help the penetration of water deep into the soil and also enhance soil fertility.Earthworms decompose dead and decaying matter and release tons of casts per acre every year. Thus, they help in the recycling of nutrients in the soil and are farmer’s friends.These are animals with smooth bodies having calcium shells over them.They are found in large numbers in calcium-rich soils.A large number of insects, arthropods like spiders, centipedes, etc., live in the soil. Ants, beetles, and mites are also found in large numbers in the soil.
As the name indicates, they can reside in the water and also on the land and in burrows.However, frogs and toads live in the soil for a considerable period. They even undergo a hibernation period in the soil layers for quite a long.These include lizards and a few types of snakes.Soil biota consist of the micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, archaea and algae), soil animals (protozoa, nematodes, mites, springtails, spiders, insects, and earthworms) and plants...
More information can be gained by comparing morphology against standard or type species. This can be done at an initially gross level to describe families and later to describe genera and eventually species as more information is obtained.
Jul 29, 2015 · Soil biota includes both flora (plants) and fauna (animals). Soil fauna subsists on a wide variety of energy sources, including: living plant material (herbivores), animals (carnivores), dead material (detritivores), fungi (fungivores), and bacteria (bacterivores). The size of soil fauna also varies.
- Jon E. Schoonover, Jackie F. Crim
- Endoaquoll
- 2015
- Mollisol
Jan 1, 2024 · Many soil animals, which are mostly invertebrates and often referred to as “fauna,” regulate nutrient cycling at ecosystem and global scales by feeding directly on plant materials and other organic substrates. The fragmentation or comminution of these materials enhances their decomposition.
With respect to soils, organisms (particularly soil fauna) can be classified on the basis of where they spend most of their life cycle, e.g., wholly within the soil, partially within the soil, above the soil, and which parts of their life cycle are spent in each domain (Fig. 7.2).
