Soil mineral-organic matter-microorganism interactions: Fundamentals andimpacts

Minerals, organic matter, and microorganisms are integral parts of the pedosphere and related environments. These three components are not separate entities but rather a united system constantly in association and interactions with each other in the terrestrial environment. Interactions of these components mediated by soil solution and atmosphere govern mechanisms of mineral weathering reactions, formation of short-range ordered (SRO) metal oxides, abiotic catalysis of the formation of humic substances, formation of organo-mineral complexes, microbial ecology, enzymatic activity, soil structure stability, dynamics of aggregate turnover, biogeochemical cycling of C, N, P, and S, and transformations and dynamics of metals and organic pollutants in the terrestrial environment. Foreseeable impacts of these interactions include global ion cycling and climate change, biodiversity, biological productivity and human nutrition, geomedicine, ecotoxicology and human health, biotechnology in relation to food production and security, risk assessment, and ecosystem restoration. Therefore, soil mineral-organic matter-microorganism interactions play a key role in influencing agricultural sustainability and ecosystem health. Fundamental understanding of these interactions at the molecular level is essential for developing innovative management strategies for land and water resources. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.