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Microbiology Literature Review
MICR2011 - Microbiology 1
10 Pages • Essays / Projects • Year: Pre-2021
Soil as a Microbial Habitat The two terrestrial environments on Earth with extensive microbial growth are soils and water enclosed in soils and bedrock. Soil is the loose outer material of Earth’s surface, a layer distinct from the bedrock that lies underneath. Soils consist of at least four components which are inorganic mineral matter, typically 40% of the soil volume; 5% organic matter; 50% air and water; and 5% microorganisms and macroorganisms. (Michael T.Madigan, John M. Martinko, David A. Stahl, David P. Clark, 2012, p. 707) The degree of microbial diversity in soil surpasses that of any habitat on Earth. This variety is contributed by the complexity of the chemical and physical environments, which support a vast array of microhabitats. These include soil particles and the pore space between them, which is also critical for the movement of water, gases, nutrients and light. Total pore space, and subsequent gas diffusion, is determined by the texture of the soil. For instance, sandy soils that possess larger pore spaces tend to drain more quickly than do clay soils. Pores are crucial as well because they provide the optimum environment for microbial growth. Here, microbes reside inside thin water films on the surfaces of particle where oxygen exists at high concentration and can be readily replenished by means of diffusion. The oxygen level and flux rates in pores and channels are higher compared to those within waterlogged areas. For example, soil particles as small as about 2.0μm can be oxic on the outside but anoxic on the inside. (Joanne M. Willey, Linda M. Sherwood, Christopher J. Woolverton , 2011, pp. 693-694) Consequently, soil is not homogeneous and is otherwise heterogeneous either in a small scale or big scale. Physiochemical conditions in a microhabitat are subject to rapid and steep change in both time and space. Changes across a soil particle are with respect to water content, nutrient availability, oxygen concentration and light intensity.
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