PHOTO: Burkhard Schmidt-BrckenInstitute of Material Science/TU Dresden COLOR: Christian Schurig/ UFZHyphomicrobium bacteria (yellow) grow on solid surfaces & grains. When bacteria cells die, they deform or fragment until only cell envelopes remain.Small fragment shells (red) form micro-particle matrix in soils. Contributions of bacteria remnants to soil fertility are underestimatedIt was assumed Soil Organic Matter is mostly decomposed plant matter which directly converts to humic substancesLab experiments and field tests refute this. Easily degradable plant matter is converted to microbe biomass, which then provides source material to Soil Organic Matter40% of microbe biomass is converted to Soil Organic MatterRemains of dead bacteria are far greater in soils than previously assumed. Soil Organic Matter is the largest fraction of carbon in the biosphere, and plays key roles in soil fertility and agricultural yields. Microbes also a key factor to control CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. Climatic change can be slowed or accelerated, according to soil managementResearch report in professional journal BiogeochemistryHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, SwitzerlandTechnical University of Dresden, GermanyUniversity of Stockholm, SwedenMax Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, GermanyLeibniz University, Hanover, GermanyMicrobes & ClimateBiochar PropertiesMost plant debris in fertile soil is rapidly processed by microbes (bacteria)leading to more bacteria and thus, more cell fragments. This results in more Soil Organic Matter.Although most organic carbon is produced mainly by plants, a large part is residues of bacteria and fungi. This underscores the importance of bacteria in all types of soil. Further, microbes are important for global climate: Decay of organic matter results in mineralization + CO2 + H2OCO2 escaping annually to the atmosphere from decaying Soil Organic Matteris in the same range of scale as annual greenhouse gas emissions.Thus, progress in climate protection isnt achievable without first protecting soil.

residential refuges for micro-orgamismsSpores ofG. Margarita germination higher than on soilbiochar provides preferred habitat for soil microbesBacteria & BiocharBiochar PropertiesPHOTO: Makato Ogawa, Japan, 1991Dr. Makato Ogawa1991

Bacteria populations show sharp increase after charcoal addition3-fold increaseBiochar PropertiesBacteria & BiocharBeijerinckia & Ogawa1992

Nitrogen-fixing bacteriaRhizobia (symbiotic)Frankia (symbiotic)Azotobacters (free-living)Azospirilim (free-living)Amino Acid synthesisAmino Acid conversionProtein digestion: proteolaseReductionOxidationCation+/AnionConversionBacteria & Nitrogen CycleBiochar PropertiesMolybdenumnitrogenase enzyme

effect on soybean root growth & nodulesPHOTO: M. Ogawa, Kansai Environmental, JapanNitrogen-fixing BacteriaBiochar Properties

Despite a surge of research recently, challenges to soil biologists remain daunting. Even basic biodiversity below groundspecies diversity and distributionremains far more obscure than for life above the soil surface. Soil fungi are a case in point: key component of soil ecosystems, its global species diversity has been estimated by various methods. Fungi communities are highly structured, based on pH, soil horizon, species, and other conditions of the understory plant community. Fungi study in Alaskan boreal forest soilssuggests previous estimates of diversityat .5 to 1.5 million species need to be revised upward. DNA data from fungal samples found over 1000 discrete fungal taxamany more than estimated from non-molecular data. A fungus:plant ratio of 17:1 extrapolates to at least 6 million fungal species globally.This suggests 98% of fungi have yet to be discovered.Diversity Down BelowAndrew M. SugdenEcology: Ecol. Monogr.84, 3 (2014)Microbial ColonizationBiochar Properties

*Dr. Ogawa has shown the substantial increase in soil bacteria with the addition of charcoal. The ability to help support below ground development of microbial biomass can have large impacts on our global carbon levels. The soil contains 4.2 times the amount of carbon as the atmosphere so factors that can increase and stabilize more carbon could be considered a second forest growing underground. *Dr. Ogawa has shown the substantial increase in soil bacteria with the addition of charcoal. The ability to help support below ground development of microbial biomass can have large impacts on our global carbon levels. The soil contains 4.2 times the amount of carbon as the atmosphere so factors that can increase and stabilize more carbon could be considered a second forest growing underground. *