Bacteria are the Phytoplankton of the Soil
Try and imagine the microscopic phytoplankton, creating energy out of sunlight, growing in the ocean. These creatures are the basis of the Marine Food Web. They are consumed by Zooplankton who are consumed by higher and higher trophic levels of animals all the way up to the largest animals on planet earth; whales. There is so much life growing in the ocean which supports all the biology in the sea in a interconnected web where nutreints get recycled overa nad over again.
When you think of bacteria, it helps to picture them as the phytoplankton of the soil.
Now imagine a similar scenario in the soil beneath your feet. There are more bacteria in a teaspoon of healthy soil than people on planet earth. Bacteria are decomposers of the soil, breaking down simple organic matter and holding those nutreints in themselves.
They act like small fertilizer bags among the soil.
In order for those nutrients to be released they need to be consumed by higher trophic level organisms creating a constant feedback loop of nutrients being recycled again and again. Without these higher level organisms in the soil those nutreints become locked up, bound and your soil becomes stagnant.
This is why we here at Biodiverse Designs "Grow with Biology." By adding compost and compost extracts we are increasing the predator prey relationship to start nutrient cycling happening in your soil so that they do the work for you, lowering your inputs and increasing your resilience.
