October 10, 2024, 10:39 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Life is thriving under our feet! Trillions of bacteria, organisms, and microorganisms populate one gram of earth. Things are not always peaceful between them. Nevertheless, these tiny organisms are important for soil quality and live in symbiosis with plants. myHOMEBOOK introduces the most important inhabitants.
Everything flows! So posited the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. Yet, a more fitting adage might be: Everything creeps! And crawls. Under our feet in the soil. Microorganisms and microbes keep the earth clean, provide food, and help trees and other plants communicate with each other. A fascinating cosmos teems within the soil, particularly in the top 30 centimeters. Good soil care is essential – it’s the foundation of every thriving garden!
Plant roots, the big mass
Plant roots are the largest biomass in the soil. They extract vital nutrients, water, and minerals from the soil. Absorption occurs through the root surface. The more roots, the larger their surface area. This is the reason for their abundance. Microbes adhere to the roots. They are as important for the plant as bacteria are for our intestines. Plants can use their metabolism to ensure that only microbes that are useful to them are attracted.
Fungi cross-link and decompose
Not animal, not plant: fungi are an independent life form. For humans, they are sometimes useful, sometimes harmful. But they are a marvel of nature. Unlike plants, they cannot photosynthesize and feed themselves by decomposing all kinds of things. The emphasis is on “everything”: researchers have discovered that one type of fungus can even decompose stones or plastic. Fungi are also used to clean contaminated soil. They can even utilize pollutants as a food source.
Fungi form symbiotic relationships with many tree species. The plant roots give them sugar, and the fungi, in turn, provide the roots with nutrients and protect them from pests. What we call fungi is only the visible part on the surface. The majority of a fungal organism exists within the soil as an intricate network of threads. Such a fungal network sometimes stretches for kilometers through the soil and often acts as a data highway for plants. Individual fungal threads connect with the plant roots. Messenger substances can then be exchanged via the network. Trees warn each other of attacks by pests; tomato plants warn each other of mildew!
Microbes, thank you for the scent of the forest
These microorganisms are invisible to the naked eye. Microbes include bacteria and yeast fungi. The bacterium Streptomyces is particularly common in soil, especially in compost and humus. Why? The microbe decomposes cellulose from wood, which is otherwise difficult to process. However, plant fibers, such as quinine from insect shells, are also on its menu. In this way, the microorganism naturally recycles the soil.
Fascinating: Everyone knows the smell of fresh forest soil. Streptomyces is responsible for this! The microbe of the year 2016 is also used in cancer therapy and can inhibit the growth of tumors.
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Worms help with flooding
Beauty or no beauty – worms are extremely important for fertile soil. These invertebrates are true bioreactors, as they eat almost everything. And they always end up with soil. They burrow through the soil, aerating it. This allows the soil to absorb more water – a natural protection against flooding!
Researchers have counted them: There are 46 different species of worm in Germany, most of which are very rare. According to the count, more occur in southern Germany than in the north. However, many worm experts are concerned about the population. In commercial agriculture, specifically, a single square meter of arable land typically hosts no more than 30 earthworms. On the other hand, an organic field is home to up to 450 worms per square meter.
Why is that? Fertilizers and pesticides are a problem for earthworms. It sounds like a horror movie: according to the WWF, the animals are starving because of the monocultures in German fields; they are corroded by ammonia and cut up by tillage. Glyphosate also makes them infertile.
In addition to earthworms, there are many other types of worms, some of which have to deal with a completely different kind of horror. For example, the threadworm:
Nematodes are incredibly abundant. They are found not only in large numbers on the ground but also in the sea. There are fungi that eat nematodes. To do this, they form a kind of lasso with their fungal filaments, holding the worm in place. The fungus then crawls inside the worm and eats it.
But not everything underground is horror. Sure, eating and being eaten – that is the course of nature. Nevertheless, many different species live together in symbiosis and help each other. The soil’s ecosystem is exquisitely balanced. The livelier it is, the more fertile the soil!