1. 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.

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

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

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

5. Amoebae Photo credits:
(brown photo) No. 35 from Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry Slide Set 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

6. 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.

7. 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 Phytopathology 69:
(Photo is in the public domain.)

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

9. 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

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

11. 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.

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

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

14. Types of Arthropods
Shredders
Predators
Herbivores
Fungal-feeders

15. 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 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

16. 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

17. 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

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

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

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

21. 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

22. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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