Knowra Soil food web Soil food web The network of feeding relationships among organisms living in soil. It links decomposers, predators, and plants through the movement of energy and nutrients.
Decomposition : The breakdown of dead organic matter into simpler substances by biological and chemical processes. Fungi and bacteria decompose litter, making its carbon and nutrients available to other organisms.
Soil microbiome : The community of microorganisms living in soil, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses. Its microbes form the food base and perform much of the web’s decomposition.
Soil health : The capacity of soil to function as a living system that sustains plants, animals, and people. Food-web structure and activity are used to assess biological dimensions of soil condition.
Nutrient cycling : The movement and transformation of chemical elements through organisms and the environment. Feeding and decomposition release nutrients that can be reused by plants and microbes.
Mycorrhiza : A close association between a fungus and plant roots, often involving exchange of nutrients and carbon. Mycorrhizal fungi connect plant roots to soil resources and receive plant-derived carbon.
Soil fauna : The animal life inhabiting soil, from microscopic invertebrates to burrowing mammals. Soil animals include grazers, predators, and detritus feeders at multiple sizes.
Soil biodiversity : The variety of organisms living in soil, including their genes, species, and ecological roles. Food-web analysis connects biodiversity measurements to organisms’ ecological functions.
Carbon cycle : The movement of carbon among organisms, the atmosphere, oceans, and geological reservoirs. Soil consumers influence whether organic carbon is stored, transformed, or released as carbon dioxide.
Nematode : A diverse group of unsegmented roundworms, including soil species that feed on microbes, plants, and animals. Different feeding groups channel microbial production toward predators or directly affect roots.
Detritus : Dead plant and animal material, together with waste products, in an ecosystem. It supplies much of the organic matter consumed by decomposers and detritivores.
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