Soil Health: The Contribution of Microflora and Microfauna

Abstract

Soil is a complex aggregate of both living and non-living components. There is extreme diversity in the community of living organisms that may be found within the soil. The soil living organisms has been divided into both the micro and macrofauna and flora. These living organisms have been implicated in various processes such as nutrient cycles, biological control, soil structure, and the degradation of agrochemicals and pollutants. In a nutshell these organisms enhanced soil fertility and quality. In the recent years the focus of studies have been towards maintaining soil fertility with minimal soil fertilization. This is largely due to the increase in unfertile land that is caused by overuse and total dependence on chemical fertilization that has affected the soil ecosystem. As the biological activity of soil has been connected to the process of soil fertility and quality, understanding the contribution of each of these players in the soil ecosystem is important. Practices that contribute towards enriched microflora and microfauna diversity in an ecosystem should be encouraged to increase diversity, improve soil health, crop health and production. This chapter will deal with the role of microflora and microfauna in soil health and fertility and the various roles played by these organisms in affecting plant productivity in any given agro-ecosystem.