The Role of Microbes in the Tropical Rainforest

August 13, 2015 136d Comments

The Role of Microbes in the Tropical Rainforest

Have you ever wondered how a Tropical Rainforest can sustain itself, without fertilizers and maintenance from Humans?

Well, the organic layer, in which the trees are rooting, is in most cases just 30 to 50 cm thick on average and because the sub-soil frequently consists of Rock, Clay Mineral (Kaoline) or a layer not suitable for rooting, the roots, except for crevices,  are mainly growing horizontally. The trees are depending on its others support. Still the full-grown rainforest does not need the help of Humans. Humans are doing harm to the rainforest, most of the time, due to poor knowledge of the processes, which are taking place above and more so below the soil. The Amazon forest is according to some scientist 110 million years old, while others estimate it to exist 450 million years. The 110 million would coincide with the time the American continents drifted to the west until it bumped into the Pacific Plate forming the Andes Mountains/Rocky Mountains. See: 180 million years ago the supercontinent Pangea began to break up into two continents, Laurasia and Gondwanaland, at Nature.org. At the same time, the Atlantic Ocean was formed. I believe the 110 -150 million is about right, although some flora and fauna compare with that of Africa and Europe for that matter.

amplified view of a nodule
An amplification of a nodule, showing the various chambers and the activities, which are taking place
Mycorhiza, fungi in the rootzone

The rainforest depends on processes in symbiosis with microbes, like Mycorrhizae (root fungi) and Rhizobacteria (root bacteria), which are predominantly endophytic (living in the host). Among the heterogeneous tree population are species belonging to the Leguminosae, a major group of plant genera. These plants are of the utmost importance, due to the major need for Nitrogen, which they acquire out of the air in gaseous form (N2). The absorption of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from the air also needs the help of the microbes and Nitrogen to convert it to nutrients for the forest, while releasing Oxygen in the air. The air consists of 78% Nitrogen (N2) and 21% Oxygen (O2). The others are various gases of which Carbon dioxide (CO2) forms the majority.

Here comes the symbiosis with fungi and bacteria. The trees, forming nodules in their rooting systems, secrete flavonoids to attract bacteria. Most of the bacteria live inside those nodules and convert the Nitrogen gas into compounds, which are readily available for uptake by the roots, such as Nitrates (NO3), Nitrites (NO2) and Ammonia (NH3). The trees are pumping these converted compounds in the soil for the benefit of all plant life, including the fungi. The processes in the forest also depend on some macro-organisms; to decompose large trunks and other dropped phytomass. To name a few, beetles, caterpillars larvae, birds etc. Microbes also assist these macro-organisms to digest the cellulose.

The fungi are transporting nutrients through the tree and between the trees so even those, not exposed to the sun, can benefit from the nutrients obtained through Photosynthesis by others. They are also forming shields around the hair roots, to keep them moist and aid in the absorption of nutrients. They further improve the soils keeping the aggregates together and forming bridges. This functions as absorption complexes to regulate the Air and Water Household in the rooting zone and protect against erosion. It is amazing the cooperation between all the species.

Fungi and bacteria, producing more nutrients for the trees, decomposing the leaves and branches, which fall on the forest floor. At given times certain genera of fungi, belonging to the Basidiomycetes, produce recognizable fruiting bodies like Mushrooms, small and large, which are popping out of the ground or growing on the lower trunks. The start of new growth without sufficient microbes results in a very dense vegetation with a few species and poor growth for many years.

Per request of many readers, I place a Donate Button here.

Your donation will be appreciated


 

136 thoughts on “The Role of Microbes in the Tropical Rainforest”

  2. Useful info and excellent design you’ve got here!

    I desire to thank you for sharing your good ideas
    and putting the time into the stuff you release!
    Fantastic work!

  3. Hi! Somebody in my Facebook group shared this website with us so
    I came to look it over. I’m certainly enjoying the information. I’m bookmarking and will be
    tweeting this to my followers! Superb blog as well as exceptional style and design.

  24. Hi! Would you mind if I share your blog with my zynga group?
    There’s a lot of folks that I think would really appreciate your content.
    Please let me know. Cheers

  26. Please keep on posting such quality stories
    as this is a rare thing to find nowadays. I’m always looking online for
    blogposts that may help me. Looking forward to another awesome site.
    Good luck!

  38. Thanks for giving excellent informations. Your web-site is really
    cool. I’m pleased by the details that you simply have
    on this site. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject.
    Bookmarked this web site, will come back for more articles.
    You, my good friend, ROCK!

  41. You’re so awesome! I dont suppose I’ve learned anything
    like this before. So nice to find any individual with some authentic thoughts on this subject.
    really thank you for starting this up. this web site is a thing that is desired
    on the internet, someone with a little bit originality.
    useful job for bringing something totally new to the online world!

  42. I had been honored to receive a call from a friend as he discovered the key
    guidelines shared on the site. Browsing your article
    is a true wonderful experience. Many thanks for considering readers like
    me, and I wish you the best.

  44. It was great finding your site recently. I arrived here
    these days hunting something totally new. I was not frustrated.
    Your suggestions after new approaches on this thing have been useful plus an excellent help
    to me personally. We appreciate you having time to write out these items and then for sharing
    your thoughts.

  45. Thank you for sharing this story. I am definitely tired
    of desperate for relevant and smart commentary on this subject.
    Everyone today seem to go to extremes to either drive home their viewpoint or suggest that
    everyone else in the world is wrong. thanks for your concise as
    well as relevant information.

  57. Hi there! This is my first visit to your blog!

    We are a team of volunteers and starting a brand new project in a community in the same market.
    Your site provided us beneficial information to work on. You have carried out a
    fantastic job!

  61. Well written articles like yours renews my faith in today’s writers.
    You’ve written information I can ultimately agree with and also utilize.
    Many thanks for sharing.

  62. Hello, i just planned to drop that you a line to say that we
    totally enjoyed this certain post from yours, I have
    subscribed to your Feed and have absolutely
    skimmed many of your articles or blog posts before and
    enjoyed every bit of them.

  65. Not often do I encounter a weblog that is
    both educational and entertaining, and allow me to tell you, you might have hit the nail on the head.
    Your conceptis fantastic; the issue is something that not sufficient individuals are speaking intelligently about.
    I’m happy that I stumbled across this in my pursuit
    of something relating to this.

  70. This is really fascinating, you are a very professional blogger.
    I’ve joined your rss feed as well as sit up for searching
    for more of your great post.Additionally, I have shared your site in my social networks!

  75. I appreciate you for writing this remarkable excellent articles.
    The information in this material shows my viewpoint and you really laid it out well.
    I could never have written an article this excellent.

  80. I have been exploring for a little for any good quality articles or blog
    posts in this type of area . Exploring the web I eventually stumbled upon this site.
    Reading this content I’m happy to show that I have an incredibly good weird feeling
    that I came upon exactly what I wanted.

  87. This is actually fascinating, you are a really professional
    blogger. I’ve joined your rss feed and sit up for trying to find more of your great post.Additionally, I
    have shared your site in my social networks!

  88. Thanks for the wonderful blog. It was extremely helpful for me.
    Keep sharing such tips in the future as well. This was in fact what I was looking for, and I am glad I got here!
    Thanks for sharing the such information here.

  90. Whoa! This is among the most helpful blogs we’ve ever discovered
    on this subject matter. Really excellent. I’m likewise an expert in this subject matter for this reason I can understand your effort.

  94. Eventually, after spending much time on the internet at past
    We’ve discovered anyone that certainly does know what they’re discussing thank you very much
    wonderful blog post.

  95. Hello are using WordPress for your blog platform? I’m new to the blog world but
    I’m trying to get started and create my
    own. Do you require any html coding knowledge to make
    your own blog? Any help would be really appreciated!

  96. I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to
    do it for you? Plz answer back because I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know where you got this from.
    thanks a lot.

  98. Good website! I really love how it is simple on my eyes
    and the data are well written. I am thinking how I could be notified each time a whole
    new post has been created. I’ve subscribed to your feed which
    must do the trick! Have a good day!

  101. This is a very good articles! I’m swept away by your presentation as well as unique opinions.
    I agree with so much. I’ll keep coming back for more excellent posts.

  104. This is such a great resource that you’re providing and you provide out free of charge.
    I enjoy seeing sites that offers a perfect useful resource totally free.
    I genuinely loved reading your articles.

  113. I feel like I’m continuously trying to find interesting things to find out about many different
    subjects, however I have the ability to include your blog among what i read every single day given that you’ve got
    compelling entries that I enjoy. Hoping there are a
    lot more amazing material coming!

  116. Hi, I do believe this is a great blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I will revisit once again since i
    have book marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest
    way to change, may you be rich and continue to help others.

  117. Youur style is very unique comared to otherr people
    I have read stuff from. Many thanks foor posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I’ll just book mark this site.

  121. I’ve been exploring for a bit for any high quality articles or weblog posts in this kind of area .
    Exploring in Yahoo I finally stumbled upon this web site.
    Reading this information So i’m happy to express
    that I’ve a very just right uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed.

    I so much indubitably will make sure to do not put out of your mind this site and give it a glance
    regularly.

  126. Hi! I could have sworn I’ve been to this web site before but after looking at a few of the
    posts I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely happy I stumbled upon it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back
    frequently! how to get a lot of instagram likes fast

  128. When visiting blogs, i usually discover a very good content just like yours.
    Great job on this write-up! I enjoy how you presented your facts and
    the way you made it appealing and straightforward.

    Thanks.

  129. Howdy! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering which blog platform
    are you using for this site? I’m getting sick and tired of WordPress
    because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at alternatives for
    another platform. I would be fantastic if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.

  130. Hmm it looks like your web site ate my initial comment (it was really long) so I guess I’ll simply sum it up what
    I wrote and say, I’m truly enjoy your blog.
    I as well am an aspiring blog blogger however I’m still new to
    the whole thing. Do you have any tips and hints for rookie blog writers?
    I’d really appreciate it.

    1. If you plan on writing a comment on the Internet, ALWAYS write it in a text editor first, because every-time your computer is actualizing for whatever reason, you may loose your work and precious time.
      For blogging read WORDPRESS.org blogging instructions

  132. Nice information, many thanks to the author. It’s useful to me now,
    however generally speaking, the effectiveness and also
    significance is overpowering. Many thanks and good luck!

  133. Thank you for sharing your impressive and amazing tips.
    I will not be hesitant to share your website to anyone
    who should receive ideas like these.

Comments are closed.