Soil Microbes are Shaped by Soil Physico-chemical Properties: A Brief Review of Existing Literature

Abstract

Soil consists of very complex, inter-related community of microorganisms which interact with one another and with plants and animals, forming a complex web of biological activity. The microbes determine health and potential of soil to perform a multitude of ecosystem processes, which depend on the community composition and functioning. The microbial community structure and functions in soil are influenced by physico-chemical properties of soils. Abiotic controls like surrounding climate, environment, land use, nutrients, pH and rhizosphere control the composition of microbes in soil, which in turn modify soil properties. In this review, we investigate the existing body of research exploring studies which have explored how microbes are shaped by soil properties.