Practical Manual of Soil Biology and Biochemistry

Description

Soil biology is that branch of biology that focuses on examining and explaining the group of organisms, microbial and faunal activity and ecology in soil. Soil life, soil biota, soil fauna, or edaphon is a collective term that encompasses all organisms that spend a significant portion of their life cycle within a soil profile, or at the soil-litter interface. In most ecosystems, more life and diversity exists underground than above. The soil is home to a vast array of organisms, including bacteria, cyanobacteria, algae, protozoa, fungi, nematodes and mites, insects of all sizes, worms, small mammals and plant roots. Soil biological processes are responsible for supplying approximately 75 percent of the plant-available nitrogen and 65 percent of the available phosphorus in the soil. This book “Practical Manual of Soil Biology and Biochemistry” emphasizes the application of molecular, microscopic, and analytical techniques and modelling approaches to understand, explain and visualise soil functioning. It also consider contemporary research and synthesise knowledge to provide enhanced understanding of biotic roles in soil system functioning.