Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

The role of soil microorganisms in soil organic matter conservation in the tropics

The role of soil microorganisms in soil organic matter conservation in the tropics Soil is a large sink for organic carbon within the terrestrial biosphere. Practices which cause a decline in soil organic matter cause CO2 release, in addition to damaging soil resilience and, often, agricultural productivity. The soil micro-organisms (collectively the soil microbial biomass) are the agents of transformation of soil organic matter, nutrients and of most key soil processes. Their activities are much influenced by soil physico-chemical and ecological interactions. This paper addresses two key issues. Firstly, ways of managing, and the extent to which it is possible to manage, soil biological functions. Secondly, the methodologies currently available for studying soil micro-organisms, and the functions they mediate, are discussed. It is concluded that, as the world population develops in this new millennium, there will be an increased dependence upon biological processes in soil to provide adequate crop nutrition for the majority of the world's farmers. Although a major increase in the use of artificial fertilisers will be necessary on a global scale, this will not be an option for large numbers of farmers due to their poverty. Instead they will rely on recycling of nutrients from animal and vegetable composts and urban wastes, and biological cycling from nitrogen fixation and mycorrhizae. The challenge is to select the most appropriate topics for further research. Not all aspects are likely to lead to significantly improved agricultural productivity, or sustainability within the foreseeable future. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems Springer Journals

The role of soil microorganisms in soil organic matter conservation in the tropics

Download PDF
11 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/springer-journal/the-role-of-soil-microorganisms-in-soil-organic-matter-conservation-in-qlFrSYP2c6

References (107)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2001 by Kluwer Academic Publishers
Subject
Environment; Soil Science & Conservation
ISSN
1385-1314
eISSN
1573-0867
DOI
10.1023/A:1013338028454
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Soil is a large sink for organic carbon within the terrestrial biosphere. Practices which cause a decline in soil organic matter cause CO2 release, in addition to damaging soil resilience and, often, agricultural productivity. The soil micro-organisms (collectively the soil microbial biomass) are the agents of transformation of soil organic matter, nutrients and of most key soil processes. Their activities are much influenced by soil physico-chemical and ecological interactions. This paper addresses two key issues. Firstly, ways of managing, and the extent to which it is possible to manage, soil biological functions. Secondly, the methodologies currently available for studying soil micro-organisms, and the functions they mediate, are discussed. It is concluded that, as the world population develops in this new millennium, there will be an increased dependence upon biological processes in soil to provide adequate crop nutrition for the majority of the world's farmers. Although a major increase in the use of artificial fertilisers will be necessary on a global scale, this will not be an option for large numbers of farmers due to their poverty. Instead they will rely on recycling of nutrients from animal and vegetable composts and urban wastes, and biological cycling from nitrogen fixation and mycorrhizae. The challenge is to select the most appropriate topics for further research. Not all aspects are likely to lead to significantly improved agricultural productivity, or sustainability within the foreseeable future.

Journal

Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems – Springer Journals

Published: Oct 10, 2004

There are no references for this article.