Impact of anthropogenic activities on soil microorganisms: A review

Abstract

In the world, since the beginning of mankind soil has been the basis for the sustenance of life. The discovery of microorganisms within soil and their importance in recycling organic matter dates back to the 17th century when John Evelyn stated that soil fertility could be maintained by the addition of organic materials. By the 20th century, large farming devices and chemicals for improving the production of crops on a large scale had been developed and the utilization of these resources resulted in drastic increases in land areas under cultivation. Although agricultural chemicals and machinery increased crop productivity exponentially, the intensive application of these agricultural management tools has also had many negative effects on agricultural soils. As a result the impacts of human activities on soil microorganisms are many and varied. The effects of human activities vary with land use, ranging from agricultural wastes such as farm animal sewerage and fertilizer runoff, to commercial and industrial wastes of every conceivable type and magnitude. A better understanding of the linkages between soil life and ecosystem function and the impact of human interventions will enable the reduction of negative impacts and the more effective capture of the benefits of soil biological activity for sustainable and productive agriculture. Therefore the objective of this review was to summarize the literatures and the current knowledge on the impact of different anthropogenic activities on soil microorganisms.