Bacteria population may easily double in 15-30 minutes. ![]() Since bacteria live under starvation conditions or soil water stress, they reproduce quickly when optimal water, food, and environmental conditions occur. Bacteria are so simple in structure that they have often been called a bag of enzymes and/or soluble bags of fertilizer (Dick, R., 2009). Most soils are simply a graveyard for dead bacteria cells. Bacteria’s small size enables them to grow and adapt more rapidly to changing environmental conditions than larger, more complex microorganisms like fungi. ![]() They grow and live in thin water films around soil particles and near roots in an area called the rhizosphere. Figure 1 shows ciliate protozoa consuming bacteria.īacteria are similar in size to clay soil particles (<.2 µm) and silt soil particles (2-50 µm). A ton of microscopic bacteria may be active in each acre.” While bacteria may be small, they make up both the largest number and biomass (weight) of any soil microorganism. That is as much mass as two cows per acre. A teaspoon of productive soil generally contains between 100 million and 1 billion bacteria. 18) states that “Bacteria are tiny one-celled organisms generally 4/100,000 of an inch wide (1 µm). Used with permission and all rights reserved. ![]() Bacteria Characteristicsįigure 1: Close up view of a ciliate (protozoa) with various bacteria in the background. Bacteria are a major class of microorganisms that keep soils healthy and productive. Microbes in the soil are directly tied to nutrient recycling especially carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur.
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