In fact, soil loosened periodically by the intrusive action of the rototiller, the spade and other plowing tools sees its fragile ecosystem upset and his functions reduced to nothing.
Each link in the food chain that lives in the soil has a capital role to play in maintaining the quality of this soil and it is the plants which govern everything for their own benefit:
- Their secret roots exudates taking the form of carbohydrates (sugars) and proteins;
- These exudates attract bacteria beneficial and champignons who feed on it;
- These bacteria and fungi in turn attract nematodes, protozoa and certain species of springtails that covet carbon and release nutrients they don't need in a form easily accessible to plants.
In other words:
- The plant provides the raw material through root exudate and other organic matter;
- Bacteria and fungi extract nutrients, thus becoming small bags of fertilizer; And
- Nematodes and protozoa act as “fertilizer spreaders” by releasing nutrients from bacteria and fungi which are assimilated by the plant.
The most fantastic part of all this?
Search has shown that plants can control the number and diversity of bacteria and fungi that they attract into the rhizosphere (part of the soil located around the roots of the plants) according to the exudates produced and its occasional needs.
Other residents or visitors of the living ground
Insects, springtails and spiders (arthropods) hunt nematodes and protozoa and other arthropods;
They themselves are prey to snakes, birds, moles and other animals.
Circulating in the soil, earthworms, insect larvae, moles and other burrowing animals dig paths which contribute to good air and water circulation
The biofilm produced by bacteria – so as not to be carried away by the first comer – and the hyphae of fungi serve as binder for soil particles which then form aggregates and improve soil structure.
A few rules for gardeners who are friends of the food network for their garden soil!
- Some plants prefer soil dominated by fungi and others dominated by bacteria
- Most annual plants — including vegetable plants — and succulents prefer nitrogen in the form of nitrate. Soil dominated by bacteria contains more nitrogen in the form of nitrate than in the form of ammonium.
- Spreading compost on the surface with its soil food web will inoculate this same food web into the soil. Also, we use a bacterial-dominated compost to amend a soil that we want to be dominated by bacteria and a fungal-dominated compost to amend a soil that we want to be dominated by fungi.
- Brown, faded organic materials support fungi; green and fresh organic materials support bacteria.
- Spread on the surface, mulch tends to be favorable to fungi; incorporated into the first cm of soil, it tends to be favorable to bacteria.
- Bacteria colonize more quickly in completely crushed and wet mulch.
| Good floor | Poor soil |
| coffee color | grey color |
| rich in organic matter | poor in organic matter |
| good water retention | excessive drainage |
| good drainage | poor drainage |
| good smell | may smell bad |
| 50% of pores filled with air and 50% of pores filled with water | air:water ration in the extremes |
