The Role of Bacteria in Soil Water Management

Better water management is important for the plants in the soil but it is also important for the environment. Water will become more and more expensive and difficult to obtain. Soil structure is not the only property that determines the water retention capabilities of the soil. A method that is readily obtainable and economical is the application of beneficial bacteria and humic substances found in aquatic based humus composts. Not only do these substances improve water retention but they improve water absorption and provide for the nutrient uptake of the plants. All of this enables vigorous growth of the plants.

The bacteria and microbes create this water absorption and retention in several different ways. The bacteria themselves are largely made of water. When water is available the bacteria multiply and absorb the water in their bodies providing a healthy and controllable water storage mechanism. The bacteria can release this water when the plants need it in much the same way they control the release of nutrients to the plants. Most soils have organic nutrients that would not be available to the plants if there were no microbial life to make it available to them. The bacteria also store water in biofilms that prevents the water from evaporating or flowing out of the soil. There are billions of these bacteria in an ounce of soil providing constant control of water retention and release.

The humic substances in humus compost also help retain and release water in the soil. Humus compost is made by decomposing organic matter with a small amount of clay added. The decomposed organic matter binds to the microscopic clay particles and remains in the soil as organic matter. These minute particles bind and retain micronutrients near the root system of plants. Humic substances contain a mixture of large, highly charged organic molecules. These organic molecules can hold many times their volume in water. These substances are in the root area of the soil providing moisture and nutrients where they are needed most.

Controlled tests using fish manure humus compost on lawns show a significant improvement in the ability of the soil to absorb and retain water. Equal amounts of water on treated and untreated lawn areas show water standing in the untreated areas and completely absorbed in the treated areas. These benefits were observed with applications of only 1 pound of fish manure humus compost per 60 square feet. This treatment is significantly more economical and requires much less manpower than applying the large amounts of regular composts required for lawn treatments. Another result that was observed was the treated areas had healthier grass in areas where the grass competed for water with trees. In untreated areas the grass suffered from drought because the trees consumed the available water. Humus compost made from aquatic based fish manure contains a diverse population of microbial life and this makes a big difference in the results.

The humus compost mention in the above article was Fishnure™. It is available at http://www.fishnure.com, amazon and eBay.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_R_White
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Role-of-Bacteria-in-Soil-Water-Management&id=8171076

Microbiology - A Brief Introduction to Microorganisms

Microbiology is the study of "small life" - in other words the study of all living organisms that are too small to be visible with the naked eye and are usually visible only through a microscope. Such organisms are referred to as microorganisms or microbes. Microorganisms were first observed over three hundred years ago and it is estimated that only one percent of the species of microorganisms that exist have been studied so far. Microbiology is a broad term that includes bacteriology, virology, mycology, phycology, parasitology, and other branches of biology.

Microorganisms include bacteria, archaea, viruses, protozoa, protists, microscopic fungi and moulds, yeasts, and microscopic algae. Note that viruses, though not always strictly classed as living organisms, are included. Bacteria are a large group of unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms. A few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals. Archaea are single-celled microorganisms. Like bacteria, Archaea are prokaryotes and have no cell nucleus or any other organelles within their cells. Generally, archaea and bacteria are quite similar in size and shape however archaea possess genes and several metabolic pathways that are more closely related to those of eukaryotes. Viruses are sub-microscopic infectious agents that are unable to grow or reproduce outside a host cell. Microbiologists debate whether or not viruses are living organisms. They do not meet all the criteria used in the common definitions of life, however, viruses have genes and evolve by natural selection.

Fungi are eukaryotic, heterotrophic organisms. The majority grow as multicellular filaments called hyphae forming a mycelium but some fungal species grow as single cells. Fungi that are largely invisible to the naked eye are classed as microorganisms. Yeasts, moulds and mushrooms are examples of fungi. Algae include many single-celled organisms that are also considered protozoa, such as Euglena. Blue-green algae are in fact bacteria that obtain their energy through photosynthesis. They are generally, and more correctly, referred to as cyanobacteria.

Protozoa are mostly single-celled, motile protists that feed by phagocytosis, though there are numerous exceptions. Examples of protozoa include Euglena, Amoeba, Paramecium and Toxoplasma. Protists are a diverse group of eukaryotic microorganisms. Protists were traditionally subdivided into the one-celled animal-like protozoa, the plant-like protophyta (mostly one-celled algae), and the fungus-like slime molds and water molds. These groups have been replaced by phylogenetic-based classifications but are still used as informal names for describing the various protists.

Microbiology encompasses both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms but the majority of microbes are prokaryotes. Prokaryotes are a group of organisms that do not have a membrane-bound nucleus; they do not possess a nuclear membrane or nuclear envelope. They have DNA but the DNA is not enclosed in a membrane or envelope. In addition, they do not possess other membrane-bound organelles. Most are unicellular, but a few prokaryotes such as Myxobacteria have multicellular stages in their life cycles. The prokaryotes are divided into two domains: the bacteria and the archaea. Eukaryotes are defined as possessing a nuclear membrane enclosing their nucleus. Many eukaryotic cells also contain other membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria, chloroplasts and Golgi bodies. Animals, plants, fungi and protists are eukaryotes.

More information and resources on microbiology at Microbiology and recent scientific developments in microbiology at the Microbiology Blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_Durrell
http://EzineArticles.com/?Microbiology---A-Brief-Introduction-to-Microorganisms&id=1470617

Bacteria

Bacteria from droplets

Bacteria Shape | Biology | Bacteriology

To purchase this program please visit www.greatpacificmedia.com Segment from the program Bacteria, Archaebacteria, and the Prokaryotic Domains. DVD Description Our Bacteria DVD establishes the importance of bacteria by giving examples of symbiotic relationships with both plants and animals and discussing the endosymbiotic hypothesis and the bacterial origins of the mitochondria and chloroplasts found in eukaryotic cells. The program then looks in detail at both eubacteria and archaebacteria and some of the unique habitats such as hot springs in which they exist. The program concludes by examining some bacteria that act as human pathogens and others that are beneficial to humans.