One Goodearth Microorganisms and the Importance of the Soil Ecosystem

The soil has its own ecosystem comprising the soil, decaying organic matter on and below the surface of the soil, animals, insects, microorganisms as well as plants and weeds.
The soil ecosystem supports plant growth through interactions of millions of organisms that work together to break down chemicals, organic matter and aerate the soil.

However, agricultural practices such as the application of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides over the years have led to the loss of soil productivity and adverse environmental issues.

Long term application of chemical fertilizers results in “fertilizer burn” where there is too much of everything. Excessive nitrogen coming from the nitrates and ammonium content of fertilizer creates an acidic environment for the microbial community.
Too much acid in the soil kills most of the soil microorganism, leaving the plants at the mercy of pathogens or disease-carrying microorganisms.

Beneficial soil microorganisms when present in sufficient populations are able to reduce the acidity of the soil.

The use of herbicides will also result in soil erosion. Without the presence of grass, the topsoil (which has the greatest capacity for storing water and nutrients necessary for plant growth) will be exposed to rainfall and sun, thus causing surface run-off. This may also make the field more susceptible to drought. Loss of topsoil including the soil microorganisms found within will reduce available natural plant nutrients and organic matter, hence affecting the productivity of crop land.

The application of pesticides helps to get rid of pests in the field. However, it will also kill some or all of the soil microorganisms at the same time. This will ultimately affect the natural balance of the soil ecosystem.

Over the years, scientists and researchers have studied about the importance of microorganisms to enhance soil conditions and improve crop yield. Today, there are many publications on the role and benefits of microorganisms in agriculture.

It has been shown that cultivated soils treated over a certain period with chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides have very low populations of natural beneficial microorganisms. This has led to more research to develop a product that would effectively increase the beneficial microbes in cultivated soils.