This document summarizes the hidden habitat of soil and the organisms that live there. It notes that a single handful of soil can contain millions of organisms like nematodes, protozoa, fungi and bacteria. It discusses the roles these organisms play in decomposing organic matter, maintaining soil structure, and providing nutrients to plants. The document also outlines how certain farming practices like pesticide use and soil compaction can harm soil organisms, and gives an example of how returning rice straw to fields can improve yields that had declined from fertilizer use.

1. Soil - A Hidden Habitat By Winfried Scheewe, 14 October 2010

2. Why hidden? Who lives there? What is going on there? What farmers are doing? What are the effects?

3. Who lives there? 1 Tardigrade or Water Bear

4. Who lives there? 2 Nematodes

5. Who lives there? 3 Actinomycetes Fungi

6. Who lives there? 4 Protozoa Algae

7. One handful of fertile soil can contain : 100 Insects and mites 110 Worms 250 Springtails 25,000 Nematodes 7,500,000 Protozoa 12,500,000 Algae 100,000,000 Fungi 125,000,000 Bacteria

8. What is going on in the soil? There are many kinds of soil animals and micro-organisms What are their roles?

9. Functions of soil organisms Decomposing organic stuff Maintaining a sponge like structure Providing nutrients to plants

10. Decomposing organic stuff

17. Soil organisms help to bind soil particles together, give it a sponge like structure.

18. Fixing Nitro- gen

19. Providing nutrients to plants Mycorrhizae

20. Effects of farmers’ practices on the soil organisms

21. Most pesticides are harmful to soil organisms

22. Application of fertilizers

23. Effects of farmers’ practices Soil compaction

24. Burning of crop residues

25. Bare soil after burning the stubbles

26. Differences farmers can make Returning rice straw

29. Soil cover Soil erosion corn with a cover crop

30. Preventing soil erosion with hedgerows and mulch

31. Thank you !