SOIL BIOTA

• Soil holds a great part of the world’s biodiversity,

dominated by microorganisms - bacteria and fungi - in
terms of numbers and biomass. Besides these organisms,
soil ecosystems generally contain a large variety of
animals, nematodes, micro-arthropods, and
earthworms. In addition, large number of macro-fauna
species are living in the uppermost soil layers, the soil
surface and the litter layer.
SOIL BIOTA
• Soil biota is involved in the global cycling of organic
matter, energy, and nutrients. Soil microorganisms play
important roles, namely has chemical engineers, through
the decomposition of organic matter and carbon
cycling; fixation of nitrogen and phosphorus
solubilization making it available for plants; influencing
soil pH by nitrification and denitrification; degradation
of anthropogenic compounds and influencing heavy metal
mobility
Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, 81 (2), 2017
• The diversity of microbes associated with plant roots is
enormous, in the order of tens of thousands of species.
This complex plant-associated microbial community,
also referred to as the second genome of the plant, is
crucial for plant health
• PLANTS ACTIVELY SELECT THE MICROBES FROM THE
RHIZOSPHERE

• Recent advances in plant–microbe interactions research revealed that

plants are able to shape their rhizosphere microbiome, as evidenced by the
fact that different plant species host specific microbial communities when
grown on the same soil.

• Increasing evidence that upon pathogen or insect attack, plants are able
to recruit protective microorganisms, and enhance microbial activity to
suppress pathogens in the rhizosphere. A comprehensive understanding of
the mechanisms that govern selection and activity of microbial communities
by plant roots will provide new opportunities to increase crop production.
• Martin et al., Science 356, eaad4501 (2017)
Ancestral alliances: Plant mutualis0c symbioses with fungi and bacteria
The evolution of mutualistic symbiotic associations: A possible scenario
Phytoremediation
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