|Themes > Science > Earth Sciences > Geology > Soils > Soil
Composition > Components and Structure > The Soil Community| The
living part of the soil is just as critical to Plant growth as
the physical soil structures. Soil microorganisms are the
essential link between mineral reserves and plant growth. The
cycles that pen nit nutrients to flow from soil to plant are all
interdependently and they work only with the help of the living
organisms that constitute the soil community. Soil organisms,
from bacteria and fungi to protozoans and nematodes, on up to
mites, springtails and earthworms, perform a vast array of
fertility-maintenance tasks. Organic soil management aims at
helping soil organisms maintain fertility; conventional (non-
organic) soil management merely substitutes a simplified
chemical system to provide nutrients to plants. Once a healthy
soil ecosystem is disrupted by the excessive use of soluble
synthetic fertilizers, restoring it can be a long and Costly
process. In many cases, the excessive use