BIOL241 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Hemoglobin, Piezophile, Thermocline
23 Apr 2018
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Soil = may be organic (rarely) or inorganic (most commonly) Complex, heterogeneous environments immense microbial diversity: overlap of microbial otus (species) from different soil, very few microbes are common to all the soils sampled, 4/100 are common to all soil samples. Develop in bogs/marshes over long periods of time. Microbes are often the first to colonize a bare rock face: produce waste materials that contribute to soil organic matter collection before other organisms can move in. Soil formation: complex process; requires many years (1000s) to reach mature soil profile. Microbial activities contribute (metabolic products, e. g. organic acid co2) and other physical and chemical processes (e. g. freeze-thaw, wind and water erosion, dissolution by dilute acids) Animals (e. g. worms) living in soil also contribute to soil structure and fertility by mixing and aerating upper layers; plants by taking up water, releasing organics into soil. Accumulation of layer on top of bedrock.
