Three-dimensional microorganization of the soil-root-microbe system

Feeney, D. S., Crawford, J. W. , Daniell, T., Hallett, P. D., Nunan, N., Ritz, K., Rivers, M. and Young, I. M. (2006) Three-dimensional microorganization of the soil-root-microbe system. Microbial Ecology, 52, pp. 151-158. (doi: 10.1007/s00248-006-9062-8) (PMID:16680511)

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Abstract

Soils contain the greatest reservoir of biodiversity on Earth, and the functionality of the soil ecosystem sustains the rest of the terrestrial biosphere. This functionality results from complex interactions between biological and physical processes that are strongly modulated by the soil physical structure. Using a novel combination of biochemical and biophysical indicators and synchrotron microtomography, we have discovered that soil microbes and plant roots microengineer their habitats by changing the porosity and clustering properties (i.e., spatial correlation) of the soil pores. Our results indicate that biota act to significantly alter their habitat toward a more porous, ordered, and aggregated structure that has important consequences for functional properties, including transport processes. These observations support the hypothesis that the soil–plant–microbe complex is self-organized.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Crawford, Professor John
Authors: Feeney, D. S., Crawford, J. W., Daniell, T., Hallett, P. D., Nunan, N., Ritz, K., Rivers, M., and Young, I. M.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
Journal Name:Microbial Ecology
Publisher:Springer
ISSN:0095-3628
ISSN (Online):1432-184X

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