What are Microbiomes?

Microbiomes are communities of organisms that live on and in people, plants, soil, oceans and the atmosphere.

What is the Plant Soil Microbiome?

The plant soil microbiome is the dynamic community of microorganisms associated with plants and soil. This community includes bacteria, archaea, and fungi and has the potential for both beneficial and harmful effects on plant growth and crop yield. The composition of any particular microbiome is influenced by myriad factors, including: environmental, soil physical properties, nutrient availability, and plant species.

 

Some additional resources to learn more about the significance of the plant soil microbiome:

An article in The Scientist discussing the effects and uses of beneficial bacteria for Fighting Microbes With Microbes

A visual representation, from The Scientist article listed above: The Soil Microbiome

A Nature article discussing the role of the soil microbiome in helping plants tolerate environmental stressors such as drought and heat: Soil Science Comes To Life

A more detailed review of the Functional Soil Microbiome: Belowground Solutions to an Aboveground Problem

An article on  The Plant Microbiome

PhD Comics has a fun cartoon about The Hidden World of Microbiomes