What is the role of microbes in the process of soil formation and role of bacteria in increasing the soil fertility and role of microbes in soil quality?
Role of soil microbes is of high interest, since they are responsible for most biological transformations and drive the development of stable and labile pools of carbon, nitrogen and other nutrients, which facilitate the subsequent establishment of plant communities. The ability of the soil to allow plant growth and enhance crop yield is referred to as soil fertility. Bacteria can increase soil fertility by nutrient recycling and decomposing dead and organic matter. Microorganisms are essential to soil formation and soil ecology because they control the flux of nutrients to plants, promote nitrogen fixation, and promote soil detoxification of inorganic and naturally occurring organic pollutants.Microbes help the break down organic matter from dead plants and animals and incorporate it into the soil, which increases the soil's organic content, improves soil structure, and helps plants thrive. Due to their close proximity to plant roots, soil microbes significantly affect soil and crop health. Some of the activities they perform include, nitrogen-fixation, phosphorus solubilization, suppression of pests and pathogens, improvement of plant stress, and decomposition that leads to soil aggregation
Bacteria change the soil environment so that certain plant species can exist and proliferate. Where new soil is forming, certain photosynthetic bacteria start to colonize the soil, recycling nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, and other soil nutrients to produce the first organic matter. Bacteria increase soil fertility through nutrient recycling such as carbon, nitrogen, sulphur and phosphorus. Bacteria also help in the decomposition of dead organic matter and then give out simple compounds in the soil, which can be used up by plants. Microbes help the break down organic matter from dead plants and animals and incorporate it into the soil, which increases the soil's organic content, improves soil structure, and helps plants thrive. Microorganisms perform an important function in cycling these nutrients. They convert organically bound elements to inorganic or mineral forms that are available for plant use. This process is called mineralization. Microorganisms, as well as plants, also immobilize nutrients in their biomass as they grow. Microorganisms have several vital roles in ecosystems: decomposition, oxygen production, evolution, and symbiotic relationships. Decomposition is where dead animal or plant matter is broken down into more basic molecules. This process only happens because of the microorganisms that find their way into the dead matter. Microorganisms are essential to soil formation and soil ecology because they control the flux of nutrients to plants promote nitrogen fixation, and promote soil detoxification of inorganic and naturally occurring organic pollutants.
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