What role do microorganisms play in recycling materials through an ecosystem and role of microorganisms in agriculture and waste management?
Microbes also play an essential role in the natural recycling of living materials. All naturally produced substances are biodegradable, that is, they can be broken down by living organisms such as bacteria or fungi. Microorganisms help return minerals and nutrients back to the environment so that the materials can then be used by other organisms. As the bacteria and fungi decompose dead matter, they also respire and so release carbon dioxide to the environment, contributing to the carbon cycle. Within food plant cropping systems, microorganisms provide vital functions and ecosystem services, such as biological pest and disease control, promotion of plant growth and crop quality, and biodegradation of organic matter and pollutants. Micro-organisms are well known for their ability to break down a huge range of organic compounds and absorb inorganic substances. Currently, microbes are used to clean up pollution treatment in processes as bioremediation
There are three main biota involved in agricultural waste management, which include: Microbes involved in soil organic matter formation. Microbes involved in mineralization process. Microbes involved in channelization of energy involved in decomposition process. Currently, microbes are used to clean up pollution treatment in processes known as 'bioremediation'. Bioremediation uses micro-organisms to reduce pollution through the biological degradation of pollutants into non-toxic substances. The microorganisms which inhabit the aerobic biological treatment systems include bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa, rotifers, and other higher animals. Microorganisms recycle nutrients by decomposing the organic waste materials present in the dead and decaying materials of animals and plants, and also degrade the organic pollutants present in the industrial as well as municipal wastes. The most significant effect of the microbes on earth is their ability to recycle the primary elements that make up all living systems, especially carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen. Primary production involves photosynthetic organisms which take up CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it to organic material. The microbes that work in the recycling role use the organic carbon in the organic matter as an energy source (food). Recycling frees up nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus that are important to plant health.
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