This document summarizes the hidden habitat of soil and the organisms that live there. It notes that a single handful of soil can contain millions of organisms like nematodes, protozoa, fungi and bacteria. It discusses the roles these organisms play in decomposing organic matter, maintaining soil structure, and providing nutrients to plants. The document also outlines how certain farming practices like pesticide use and soil compaction can harm soil organisms, and gives an example of how returning rice straw to fields can improve yields that had declined from fertilizer use.
