Soil Flora and fauna diversity for soil fertility management

• Includes:

a) Megafauna: Size ranges 20mm upward. Eg: Moles, rabbits, and rodents.

b) Macrofauna: Size ranges from 2 to 20 mm. Eg: Wood lice, earthworms, and beetles.

c) Mesofauna: Size ranges from 100 micrometers to 2 mm. Eg: Tardigrades, mites, and springtails.

d) Microfauna and Microflora: Size ranges from 1 to 100micrometersr. Eg: Yeast, Bacteria, fungi, Protoz,oa and rotifers.

A) Algae:

• Autotrophs and eukaryotic.
• Produced ng substantial amount of organic matter.
• Certain algae excrete polysaccharides that have very favorable effects on soil aggregation.

B) Fungi:

• An important role in the decomposition of various organic substances.
• Forms symbiotic relationship with plants (mycorrhizae)
• Major role in humus formation and aggregate stabilization.

C) Actinomycetes:

• Decomposition of soil organic matter and the mineralization of nutrients.
• The earthy aroma is due to it.

D) Bacteria:

• Adapt to extreme environments.
• Decomposition of Organic matter.
• Mineralization of N and S.
• Nitrogen fixation.

E) Protozoa:

• Have lower N requirements than many bacteria.
• Important in enhancing mineralization in soil by releasing the N taken up by bacteria.
• Lots of human and animal diseases.

F)Cyanobacteriaa:

• Nitrogen fixation (Anabaena) in rice paddies.
• Break down OM.

G) Earthworms:

• Segmented worms
• Original tillers of soil.
• Improves infiltration.

H) Nematodes:

• Some are plant parasites that infest roots.