Papers by Dr. Upasana Mishra
Resonance, 2004
GENERAL ARTICLE Soils contain enormous numbers of diverse living organisms assembled in complex... more GENERAL ARTICLE Soils contain enormous numbers of diverse living organisms assembled in complex and varied communities. Microscopic examination of a soil sample reveals the presence of billions of organisms like nematodes, protozoa, fungi, algae, actinomycetes, bacteria and cyanobacteria. These diverse organisms interact in the ecosystem, forming a complex web of biological activity. Environmental factors, such as temperature, moisture and acidity, as well as human activities such as agricultural and forestry management practices, affect soil biological communities and their functions. Soil biology is an interesting area of soil research and has yielded considerable information that is used in soil fertility management. Soil organisms play a vital role in the sustainable functioning of ecosystems. They act as the primary driving agents of nutrient cycling, regulate the dynamics of soil organic matter, soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions, modify soil physical structure and water regimes, and influence plant health. Microbially Mediated Soil Processes Carbon, which enters the soil from plant sources (e.g., as cellulose) is usually released as carbon dioxide or methane. Disturbance in soil carbon cycling, which has been observed under field conditions, is the result of several environmental factors. Nitrogen cycling includes processes like mineralization, immobilization, nitrification, denitrification, and nitrogen fixation, of which nitrogen fixation and nitrification are most easily disrupted. Nitrifying bacteria (e.g., Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter) are reported to be sensitive to acidic environment and require aerobic conditions. Waterlogged soils can become anoxic and
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Papers by Dr. Upasana Mishra