FEATURESTORY
What Living Soil Means
by Bill Baugh
L
iving soils are simply the portion of the soil that
is composed of living microorganisms. To be
truly healthy soil must contain a variety of mi-
croorganisms. So, healthy soils means far more
than just the absence of disease. Healthy soil means
that soil contains all of the necessary microorganisms to
create a balanced micro food web for the plants. While
plants vary in their need for different microorganisms,
the constant factor is the need for a vibrant mix of soil
microbiology to have healthy, living soils.
There are three main types of soil microorganisms
that will be discussed in this article; bacteria, fungi, pro-
tozoa.
Benefi cial Soil Bacteria
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Benefi cial Soil Fungi
Fungi are a form of microorganism that creates
several benefi ts to living soils. Fungi tend to hold soil
together and thus improve soil structure. Benefi cial soil
fungi consume some of the harder to digest materials
such as the cellulose found in leaves and tree trunks.
Fungi can have a symbiotic, mutually benefi cial, rela-
tionship with plants. This mycorrhizal relationship al-
lows some benefi cial fungi to transfer vital nutrients
directly to the plant roots. It is important to note that
while many soil fungi are benefi cial, there are also dis-
ease causing, pathogenic, fungi as well.
Protozoa
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Bill Baugh is a product manager for Custom Biologicals, Inc. a
manufacturer and distributor of innovative microbial products.
You can visit their website at Living-Soils.com and he can be
contacted at 561.797.3008 or [email protected].
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Bacteria are prokaryotic, single celled microorgan-
isms. Bacteria, through their ability to produce a wide
variety of enzymes, are vital for recycling nutrients in
the soil. Bacteria produce so many enzymes that they
are sometimes thought of as enzyme factories. There are
thousands of species of bacteria and they are among the
oldest organisms on earth. Ecologically, many bacteria
are classifi ed as decomposers. That is organisms that
“feed” on dead organisms and recycle their nutrients.
Additionally, bacteria bind several compounds to the
soil, including nitrogen, so that they will not leach out
of the soil.
Protozoa include a number of microorganisms many
of which consume soil bacteria. As a part of the soil
micro food web, protozoa consume bacteria releasing
the excess nutrients in a soluble form. It is this soluble
form of the nutrients that is utilized by the plant roots.
All the organisms we’ve discussed, bacteria, fungi, and
protozoa, also help build micro air passages that allow
air, water, and nutrients to move through the soil to the
roots. GG
www.GardenandGreenhouse.net
September 2018