We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Home

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Soil Life?

Michael Anissimov
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 8,118
Share

There are between 100 billion and 3 trillion organisms in very kilogram of fertile soil, most of it bacteria. The soil is a thin layer of perpetually decaying organic matter that covers much of the Earth. Within the soil, organisms break down dead organisms into their constituent elements, ready to be reabsorbed by plants. Without soil life, new generations of plants would be unable to recycle the biomass of the last generation, and life on Earth as a whole would cease.

Soil life is generally classified by its size. At the top of the food chain are the megafauna, greater than 20 mm in size: moles, rabbits, and rodents. Below them are the macrofauna, ranging in size from 2-20 mm: woodlice, earthworms, centipedes, snails, beetles, slugs, ants, and harvestmen. Then are the mesofauna, ranging in size from 100 microns-2 mm: tardigrades, mites and springtails. The smallest are microfauna and microflora, with a size range between 1-100 micrometers: yeasts, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, roundworms, and rotifers. Even below that are many trillions of viruses, although there is disagreement on whether these mobile genetic elements are truly life.

Over many millions of years, bacterial soil life has formed a deep symbiotic relationship with the plants known as legumes (beans, peanuts, alfalfa), growing in their roots and "fixing" atmospheric nitrogen, which is a gas, into solid organic compounds such as ammonia. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria also live independently in the soil in large quantities. This nitrogen fixation is a function crucial to all life which, until the development of the Haber process, only bacteria could perform. Nitrifying bacteria specializes in converting ammonia, the first product, into nitrates, which can actually be used by plants for nutrition.

Depending on the severity of the environmental conditions, soil life may be more or less abundant. When conditions are harsh, such as in Antarctica, the large organisms are the first to go. In what little there is of Antarctic soil, megafauna and macrofauna are absent, but mesofauna is present in the form of springtails.

If you want to see soil life go to work right in your backyard, throw a ripe fruit there and wait a few days. The effects should be noticeable shortly.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Michael Anissimov
By Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov is a dedicated WiseGeek contributor and brings his expertise in paleontology, physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, and futurism to his articles. An avid blogger, Michael is deeply passionate about stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and life extension therapies. His professional experience includes work with the Methuselah Foundation, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and Lifeboat Foundation, further showcasing his commitment to scientific advancement.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov is a dedicated WiseGeek contributor and brings his expertise in paleontology, physics, biology,...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-soil-life.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.