[binx44]

Bacteria is one of the most important groups of inhabitants in the soil.
This is for many reasons. Three of which are
- Without decay bacteria, dead plants and animals would accumulate and wouldn't decompose releasing their nutrients back into the soil so it can be utilized by other organisms.
- Bacteria are VERY effective NITROGEN FIXERS (so are legumes)
- Some bacteria can even decompose man made insecticides and also organic poisons.


Bacteria is the smallest known one celled organism. They are so small they are measured in microns. Imagine this... One inch on your ruler broken down to 25,000 devisions. That is how big bacteria are.. ( one bacteria = 1 of the 25,000 devisions)

Under favorable conditions they reproduce very rapidly. Dividing at a rate of once per every 15 to 45 minutes. This growth follows geometric progression... (1 bacteria becomes 2, which in turn turns into four. Four into eight and so on and so forth)

Besides decomposition bacteria plays a huge role in supplying nitrogen to other plants and organisms. When you consider the fact that the air is 80% nitrogen you are justified in asking why nitrogen is so important. The answer to that question is that usable nitrogen is scarce in the soil. In order to capture some nitrogen from the air and make it available within the soil. This process is called nitrogen fixing

Nitrogen fixing:

A legume root emits a chemical that attracts the bacteria and binds it to the roots surface with a substance called lectin which is produced by the host plant... Bacteria than enters into the fine root and the bacteria and host plant cells multiply forming a nodule. The complex enzyme within this nodule actually fixes the atmospheric nitrogen and adds it to the soil.



Michelle -
2009- Maritime College Of Forest Technology
Forest Technician in training

[Unknown008]

Cool binx! Thanks! :)

[binx44]

Anytime. Forest Ecology is one of my favorite courses.

Ok. Since on another thread my post is sort of questioned as to the source... to make everyone clear. I am attending Maritime College Of Forest Technology in Fredericton, New Brunswick Canada. Forest Ecology is Part of my forest technician course requirements and this is Truthful, Factual information!