Fertile soil doesn't fall from the sky: Contribution of bacterial remnants to soil fertility has been underestimated until now
Friday, December 14, 2012 - 11:00
in Earth & Climate
Remains of dead bacteria have far greater meaning for soils than previously assumed. Around 40 per cent of the microbial biomass is converted to organic soil components, researchers report. Until now, it was assumed that the organic components of the soil were composed mostly of decomposed plant material which is directly converted to humic substances. In a laboratory experiment and in field testing, the researchers have now refuted this thesis. Evidently the easily biologically degradable plant material is initially converted to microbial biomass which then provides the source material to soil organic matter.