Soil organism loss

Impact

Healthy soils are teeming with bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, mites, collembolan and earthworms. These organisms are integral to soil health as they contribute to the development of soil structure, the dynamics of organic matter, and the availability of nutrients for plant growth. The complex interaction of all these microscopic life forms is still poorly understood.

Suggested indicator: Soil life+

A loss of soil organisms may be associated with:

Potential associated impacts  Suggested indicators+
Reduced soil nutrient cycling and availability leading to reduced vegetation growth and condition
  • Soil chemistry
Soil structure decline that can result in soil erosion
  • Soil structure
  • Hillslope erosion
  • Gully erosion
  • Wind erosion

+Descriptions of indicators (PDF, 76K)* provides a brief description of each indicator including techniques and purpose.

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Last updated 7 September 2010

Land Manager's Monitoring Guide