Functions Only Life in the Soil Can Perform

There are vital functions necessary from crop growth and maintaining fertility in the soil. These functions cannot be accomplished with synthetic fertilizers, lime, gypsum or other inorganic compounds. The following is a list that can only be accomplished by a biological food web in soil:

1. DECOMPOSITION OF CROP RESIDUES, MANURE AND OTHER ORGANIC MATTER
   
   The vital process of digesting crop residues, manure and other organic matter is accomplished by an active microbial population. Microbes require nitrogen to digest cellulose, lignin and other high-carbon organic material. Effective decomposition occurs when raw organic matter is digested into humus, which, in turn, is vital for building the nutrient reserves in soil.
    
2. RETENTION OF NUTRIENTS
   
   As the biological food web increases in population, the various species of microbes chelate soil minerals that are unavailable to plants and store them in the soil humus. The plant is a poor forager of minerals but the microbes are very efficient in making minerals available to plants.
    
3. NUTRIENT RECYCLING
   
   As the humus increases by the action of the biological food web, nutrients are stored in the humus providing a "storage bank" that keeps the nutrients available to the crop. These stable compounds are stored without the problem of loss of nutrients by leaching as commonly occurs when only synthetic fertilizers are used.
    
4. BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF PLANT AND SOIL DISEASES
   
   When the biological food web is diverse, beneficial microbes are effective in supressing pathogens that cause diseases. Pathogens thrive when the biological food web is weak.
    
5. PRODUCTION OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS
   
   The byproducts of a biological food web are plant growth regulators, auxins and hormones that benefit and regulate plant growth. These are important in the development of the symbiotic, plant/microbe relationships.
    
6. DEVELOPMENT OF SOIL STRUCTURE AND TILTH
   
   A biological food web produces microbial polysaccharides and resins that will flocculate soil and thereby develop a biologically aerated soil. This improved soil structure improves tillage, irrigation and crop yield and quality.
    
7. CLEAN UP OF HERBICIDE OR PESTICIDE CARRY OVER
   
   Some common agricultural chemicals may have persistence in soil and adversely affect the biological food web. A biological food web has the ability to degrade chemicals and restore soil to a balance.