What is the role of microorganisms in recycling of carbon and nitrogen through air and soil and role of microorganisms in environmental sustainability?
Soil constitutes the second largest reservoir of carbon on Earth, harboring approximately 2000 Pg C in the form of soil organic carbon. The substantial size and potentially long residence time of SOC pools render them as crucial components of the global carbon cycle. The processes governing SOC production and degradation can significantly impact the sequestration or release of CO2, thereby directly influencing short-term climate regulation and offering potential avenues for mitigating ongoing climate change. Concurrently, SOC plays a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem health and function, serving as a vital source of nutrients and energy for plant growth and soil biology. Consequently, within the context of climate change and global warming, the investigation of SOC transformation and its underlying mechanisms has emerged as a prominent research area in recent years. Traditionally, researchers had believed that organic carbon primarily originated from plant detritus; however, new research suggests that microbes may be a major source of organic carbon
Microorganisms play an important role in improving soil fertility and involved in all aspects of N cycling, including N2 fixation, nitrification, denitrification and ammonification. They decompose plant residues, soil organic matter and release inorganic nutrients that can then be taken up by plants. Microbes and fungi decompose dead animals, plants and matter. When they do so, they release carbon dioxide into the air due to respiration and contribute to the carbon cycle. In the soil and ocean there are certain microbes that have the ability to convert ammonia into nitrites. This contributes to the nitrogen cycle. Nitrogen-fixing microorganisms capture atmospheric nitrogen by converting it to ammonia which can be taken up by plants and used to make organic molecules. The nitrogen-containing molecules are passed to animals when the plants are eaten. Soil microorganisms, by actively participating in the decomposition and transformation of organic matter through diverse metabolic pathways, play a pivotal role in carbon cycling within soil systems and contribute to the stabilization of organic carbon, thereby influencing soil carbon storage and turnover. Microbes are responsible for both production and destruction of foodstuffs and are a key element in reducing waste from spoilage. Some microorganisms can degrade plastics, toxins, and agricultural waste, but some convert excess fertilizer to nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi, act as decomposers as they break down the dead and decaying organisms into simpler nutrients that mix with the soil. These nutrients are absorbed by plants during photosynthesis. Beneficial microorganisms are naturally occurring bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that play a crucial role in plant productivity and health. Two types of beneficial microorganisms, mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria , are considered beneficial to plant health. Microorganisms are at the core of recycling and replenishing all primary and essential elements on earth, like carbon dioxide fixation or nitrogen fixation. They have been found to metabolize and degrade natural and most synthetic compounds. Microorganisms and fungi break down wood and return carbon to the biogeochemical cycles. If these organisms become absent, carbon would accumulate in the wood, where it could not be recycled into the environment. The fixation of nitrogen is dependent on microorganisms mostly through biological nitrogen fixation.
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