PROTOZOA Ciliates Amoebae Flagellates Largest of the three types Move by means of hair-like cilia Eat the other protozoa and bacteria Amoebae Also large Move by means of a temporary foot (pseudopod) Include testate amoebae (with shell-like covering), and naked amoebae Flagellates Smallest of the three Move by means of a few whip-like flagella.

PROTOZOA File name: Testate amoeba LR.jpg, 179K Credit: Elaine R. Ingham, Oregon State University, Corvallis

Flagellate File name: vorticella prot LR.jpg, 278K Credit: Elaine R. Ingham, Oregon State University, Corvallis.

Ciliate File name: ciliate2 LR.jpg 294K Credit: Elaine R. Ingham, Oregon State University, Corvallis

Amoebae Photo credits: (brown photo) No. 35 from Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry Slide Set. 1976. J.P. Martin, et al., eds. SSSA, Madison, WI (blue photo) Michael T. Holmes, Oregon State University, Corvallis. (Not used in the Primer.) File names: (blue photo) AMOE (brown photo) SSSA35

Mineralization and Immobilization Organisms consume other organisms and excrete inorganic wastes. Organic nutrients are stored in soil organisms and organic matter. Inorganic nutrients are usable by plants, and are mobile in soil. File name: MinImmB.jpg, 51K. (Also: MinImmA.jpg at 100K, and E-2 at 375KB) Image courtesy of USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service Organisms take up and retain nutrients as they grow.

Soil-Dwelling “Vampires” Vampyrellids are a group of amoebe that eat fungi by drilling round holes through the fungal cell wall and consumes the fluid inside. In this picture, they attack Gaeumannomyces graminis, the fungus that causes “take-all disease” in wheat. File name: vampraid.jpg, 451K (Also: E-4 at 1500KB, shows whole Bug Biography.) Photo credit: Homma, Y. et al. 1979. Phytopathology 69:1118-22. (Photo is in the public domain.)

NEMATODES File name: large todes LR.jpg, 262K Credit: Elaine R. Ingham, Oregon State University, Corvallis.

NEMATODES Top left is the bacterial-feeding nematode, Elaphonema. “Example of a species of beneficial nematode that feeds on bacteria and not plant roots. Bacteria are high in protein that in turn is high in nitrogen. When nematodes like this eat bacteria they digest the protein and convert it to nitrogen which is excreted as a body waste product back into the soil in a form that becomes available to plants. This function of nutrient recycling is how the soil foodweb can help turf stay green or help produce food crops with less need for chemical fertilizers, hence less chance of pollution.” -E. Ingham Bottom right is a fungal-feeding nematode. “Example of a beneficial nematode that feed on soil fungi. Fungi are high in protein that in turn is high in nitrogen. Nematodes that feed on fungi digest the protein they take in and convert it to a form of nitrogen that is excreted into the soil as a body waste product. This nitrogen is converted into nitrate and is available to plants. This is an example of the function of nutrient recycling that is a benefit of the soil foodweb. Where this feeding and gradual release of nitrogen occurs less applied chemical nitrogen is required during the growing season.” –E. Ingham Photo credits: (for both) Elaine R. Ingham, Oregon State University, Corvallis File names: BFTODE FFTODE

Predatory Nematode File name: predatory tode LR.jpg 254K Credit: Kathy Merrifield, Oregon State University, Corvallis.

Root-feeding nematodes Upper left (blue) is the lesion nematode, Pratylenchus. Lower right is the root-feeding nematode, Trichodorus. File names: Upper Left (blue): rootfeedingtode prat LR.jpg, 233K Lower right: rootfeedingtode trich LR.jpg, 184K Credits: Upper Left, blue: Kathy Merrifield, Oregon State University, Corvallis. Lower right, green: Elaine R. Ingham, Oregon State University, Corvallis.

ARTHROPODS Collohmannia sp. Photo credit: Roy A. Norton, State University of New York at Syracuse. File name: M12

Mites and Biodiversity Credit: Valerie Behan-Pelletier, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. File name: VBPmites LR.jpg 287K

Types of Arthropods Shredders Predators Herbivores Fungal-feeders

Shredders: millipedes The millipede on the light background is Orthoporus ornatus. Photo Credits: (beetle) A. Beaumont, Lowestoft (millipede, brown background) No. 41 from Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry Slide Set. 1976. J.P. Martin, et al., eds. SSSA, Madison, WI (millipede, light background) David B. Richman, New Mexico State University. File names: (beetle) INSECT~3 (millipede) SSSA41 (millipede, light background) Orthopor 472K

Predators (1) (group of ants) Rugose harvester ants. Pogonomyrmex rugosus Photo credits: (Ant) David Houghton (not used in the Primer) (Group of ants) David B. Richman, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces. File names: DH ant

Predators (2): Pseudoscorpions With green background is a Homosphyronid. Credits: (green) David B. Richman, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces. File names: (green) Pseudo4 (461K) (yellow body) Pseudoscorpion.jpg

Predators (4): Centipedes Photo credits: (brown) No. 40 from Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry Slide Set. 1976. J.P. Martin, et al., eds. SSSA, Madison, WI (gray) David Houghton File names: (brown) SSSA40 (gray) DH centipede

Predators (5) Wolf spider Photo Credit: Trygve Steen, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon. File name: M6B

Herbivores Photo credits: (symphylan) Ken Gray Collection, Department of Entomology, Oregon State University, Corvallis. File names: (symphylan) M11 Symphylan

Springtails (fungal feeders) Abundant in many soils. Feed on some disease-causing fungi. Jump by slamming their tail down. Photo credits: (light microscope) Andrew R. Moldenke, Oregon State University, Corvallis. File names: (light microscope) M7B

What is in Your Soil? Pitfall trap Berlese funnel Burlese funnel – Heat from a light bulb dries soil and drives small arthropods into the cup below. Pitfall trap – Large arthropods fall into a cup buried with the rim even with the soil surface. (Click on “Reset Picture” to restore white background behind the drawings.) File names: berlese.jpg 139K, pitfall.jpg 92K Images courtesy of the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service Berlese funnel

EARTHWORMS Photo credit: Clive A. Edwards, The Ohio State University, Columbus. File name: CD1 ew bunch

Earthworms bury litter Photo credit: Soil and Water Management Research Unit, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, St. Paul, Minnesota. File name: LW leaf in burrow

Earthworm burrow Photo credit: Clive A. Edwards, The Ohio State University, Columbus. File name: CE3 burrow

Vertical burrows Photo and image credit: North Appalachian Experimental Watershed, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Coshocton, Ohio

Earthworm casts Photo credit: Soil and Water Management Research Unit, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, St. Paul, Minnesota File name: LW6a casts

Earthworm burrow opening Photo credit: Clive A. Edwards, The Ohio State University, Columbus File name: CE7a2, 303K

Earthworm burrow opening Midden pile Photo credit: North Appalachian Experimental Watershed, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Coshocton, Ohio File name: MS7b Burrow opening

Reproduction Credit for both photos: Clive A. Edwards, The Ohio State University, Columbus File names: CE8a-cocoon CE8c mating