Soil organism

Any organism which inhabits the soil during part or all of its life is known as soil organism. Soil organisms, which range in size from microscopic cells that digest decaying organic material to small mammals that live primarily on other soil organisms, they all play an important role as to the maintaining of fertility, structure, drainage, and aeration of soil. They also contribute in the breaking down of plant and animal tissues, releasing stored nutrients and converting them into forms usable by plants. Some soil organisms are pests. Among the soil organisms that are pests of crops are nematodes, slugs and snails, beetle larvae, fly larvae, caterpillars, and root aphids.

Soil organism