I. Introduction

Course objectives

Course structure

Broad significance of soil microorganisms
1. Integral part of the soil ecosystem
2. Important roles (beneficial)
3. Important roles (detrimental)

II. Characteristic of soil microorganisms

1. Distinguishing features
   
2. Broad subdivisions
   
   1. Soil Monera (Prokaryotic)
      
   2. Soil protista
      
   3. Soil fungi
      
   4. Viruses
      
3. Distinct attributes of procaryotes
   
4. Individual groups of soil microorganisms
   
   

III. Soil as a medium for microbial activity

The microbial cell (composition)


Composition of the soil


Critical properties of the mineral fraction


The organic fraction


The soil water


The Soil Atmosphere

IV. Enzymes of soil microorganisms

1. Principles of Catalysis-Revisited
   
2. Mechanisms of Enzyme Action
   
3. Characteristics of Enzyme-Catalyzed reactions
   
4. Enzymatic Activity in Soil
   
5. Classes of Soil Enzymes
   
   

V. Energy metabolism

1. Energy Needs
   
2. Thermodynamic considerations
   
3. Energy Production and Consumption by Soil Microorganisms
   
   

VI. Microbial biogeochemistry

1. Introduction
   
2. Directly catalyzed Processes
3. Indirectly catalyzed pricesses
   
   

VII. Plant-soil microorganism interactions

1. The Rhizosphere
   
2. Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis (discussed already)
   
3. Mycorrhizal Associations
   
   

VIII. Factors affecting the activities of soil microorganisms

1. Environmental Conditions in Soil
   
2. Biotic Factors
   
3. Abiotic Factors
   
   

IX. Pesticides and soil microorganisms

1. Nature and specificity of pesticides
   
2. Impacts of pesticides on nontarget soil microorganisms
   
3. Modes of entry into the soil environment
   
4. Fates in the soil environment
   
5. Biological versus nonbiological transformations
   
6. Microbial transformations
   
7. Factors influencing pesticide biodegradation