What is microbial biomass on Earth and can we estimate the value of soil microbial biomass 'Carbon' and 'nitrogen' separately, from total soil microbes biomass?
Hello, the microbial biodiversity in soil depends from geographical regions can variate more than 3000 type strains of microorganisms (what about non cultiveble forms?). The count of microorganisms highly variate from how deepest you can take the soil sample. The amount of microorgaanisms even with estimatin you can not calculate. Even if you try to calculate that the value that you receive will be far from reality.It will be something like X -+ 3000000%.
Microbial biomass is estimated by measuring relatively constant biochemical components of microbial cells, such as protein, ATP, lipopolysaccharides, peptidoglycan, and chlorophyll; biomass can also be indirectly estimated by measured turbidity that can then be correlated with cell numbers. The global biomass of prokaryotes is estimated at about 30 billion tonnes C, dominated by bacteria. The estimates for the global biomass of prokaryotes had changed significantly over recent decades, as more data became available. Microbial biomass (bacteria, archaea, fungi, and protists) in litter is estimated to be less than 1% of the total mass of organic carbon in litter. This means that the amount of microbial biomass in the litter will not exceed 1 Gt C, which is less than 10% of the total biomass of soil microbes. The microbial biomass is important for transforming nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese and zinc into forms that can be used by plants. If it weren't for soil microbes, plant nutrients would remain 'locked away' in dead plant and animal tissue. Plants account for about 82% of the total biomass, followed by bacteria (12%) and animals (6%). Here is a breakdown of the Earth's biomass by kingdom: Plants: 82% Bacteria: 12%
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