This post by Sambali Beach Farm an all-natural farm set on the sandy beaches of Zamables gives a nice representation of the biological activity that we outlined in our article, The Basics Of Soil Fertility.
There is this very beautiful illustration that depicts the various denizens of the soil. Like we said in our article, it is through the action of these various micro and macro organisms that soil fertility is created.
Organic Matter is the fuel for this system. It is consumed by fungi & bacteria, which are in turn consumed by larger organisms like protozoa and nematodes. Macroorganisms like worms and other insects as well as birds and rodents complete the cycle. Each one of these animals release waste product into the soil, enriching it for plants.
Here below you can learn a little bit more about the various microorganisms (primary and secondary consumers).
Thanks to Sambali Beach Farm for sharing their content. Remember soil fertility is directly connected to what lives in it. No amount of fertilizer can replace a healthy soil ecosystem. In fact The Rodale Institute has proven over a 50 year experiment that systems dependent on natural soil fertility are superior in every way.