Microbiome

Hui-Ling Liao andAdesuwa S. Erhunmwunse

Soil microorganisms, including soil bacteria and fungi, play important roles in pasture systems. They contribute to enhanced soil structure, nutrient cycling, and plant resilience. This publication discusses effects of bahiagrass and rhizoma perennial peanut integration on soil microbial diversity. Written by Hui-Ling Liao and Adesuwa S. Erhunmwunse, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agronomy, July 2024.

Hui-Ling Liao

Each gram of rich soil can harbor 100 million to a billion microorganisms, meaning every inch of our soil is alive (Raynaud and Nunan 2014) (Fig. 1). These underground organisms keep soil healthy. Balancing the community of microbes can benefit plant yield, plant health, and soil sustainability. While it is recognized that many soil microbes perform key roles in crop productivity, the importance of these underground activities is easily overlooked because of their small size. By focusing on a specific group of microbes living on or near plant roots, this publication provides understanding for these questions: Who are these microbes and how do they improve plant and soil health?

Monica D. Schul, Ashley Smyth, Joshua T. Patterson, Ana Zangroniz, Shelly L. Krueger, andJulie Meyer

Caribbean and tropical western Atlantic reefs have declined drastically since the 1970s. In some locales like the Florida Keys, the decline of branching corals approached 98%. These declines are widely attributed to recurring stressors such as high ocean temperatures and disease. The preservation and restoration of reefs is imperative as coral reefs support 25% of the world's known marine species and create billions of dollars in economic value. However, current restoration efforts have low success rates, so researchers are looking to better understand how stony corals respond to and overcome these stressors. Pioneering efforts to elucidate the role of the coral microbiome have shown that microbes are an important component for stony coral health, nutrition, and disease defense. This publication is for various natural resource professionals who want information on corals, microbiomes, and how coral microbial ecology research is pushing our knowledge of corals and restoration forward.

Kira Sorochkina, Clayton J. Nevins, Patrick W. Inglett, and Sarah L. Strauss

Biological soil crusts, or biocrusts, are communities of microorganisms that form on the surface of soils, often found in deserts around the world. However, they can also occur in agroecosystems and potentially contribute nutrients to plants growing nearby. This publication is for those interested in learning more about what biocrusts look like and how they can impact agricultural soils.  

Adesuwa S. Erhunmwunse, Hui-Ling Liao, andKaile Zhang

Soil microbes play important roles in soil health processes, such as nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition, and aggregate stability. Soil testing labs now include microbial analyses, which often come with unfamiliar terms. This publication aims to educate producers, Extension agents, policymakers, and the public on how to interpret these soil microbial results to better understand their implications for soil health and crop production.