1. Microbes are everywhere! There are more microbes in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on earth. In fact, according to this Ohio State article, “Soils contain about 8-to-15 tons of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, earthworms and arthropods. 2. Losing Soils President D. Roosevelt once said, “a nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.” Yet despite its importance, we have lost about half of the topsoil on the planet over the last 150 years. According to University of Sydney Scientific Director, Dr. John Crawford in an interview in Time Magazine, “a rough calculation of current rates of soil degradation suggests we have about 60 years of topsoil left. Some 40% of soil used for agriculture around the world is classed as either degraded or seriously degraded.” 3. Fertilizer Factories & Shields “Microbes are like mini Fertilizer factories,” explains Dr. Robert Neidermyer, Holganix Director of Plant & Soil Science. For example, microbes like Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria and Phosphorus Solubilizing Bacteria release nutrients locked in the soil and make them available to the plant. Fungi like Mycorrhizae, travel across large swaths of soil to hunt down nutrients and water for plants. Further, having a diverse amount of bacteria and fungi allow the microbes to help protect plants from harmful pathogens. 4. Largest Organism On Earth Mycorrhizae Fungi form synergistic relationships with trees. In exchange for sugars excreted by the plant, mycorrhizae produce thousands of linear miles of “hyphae” in soil to mine nutrients and water for plants. In fact, the largest organism on earth is a 2.5 mile-wide Honey Mushroom (Armillarea ostoyae). 5. We Are More Bacteria Than Human Humans are about 95% bacteria and 5% human. The consortium of all microbes that live on and within humans is called our MicroBiome.

1. 5 FACTS ABOUT
SOIL MICROBES
www.holganix.com

2. "A Nation that destroys its
soils, destroys itself."
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
#1 Losing Soils Is A Real Threat

3. #1 Losing Soils Is A Real
Threat
Despite soil's importance, we have lost about half of the topsoil on the planet over
the last 150 years. According to Sydney Scientific Director, Dr. John Crawford in an
interview in Time Magazine:
"a rough calculation of current rates of soil degradation suggestions we have
about 60 years of topsoil left. Some 40% of soil used for agriculture around the
world is classed as either degraded or seriously degraded."

4. #2 Microbes Are
Everywhere
There are more microbes in a teaspoon of soil than there
are people on Earth.
In fact, according to an article by Ohio State, "Soils contain
about 8-to-15 tons of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes,
earthworms and arthropods."
Access the Ohio State Article:
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/SAG-16

5. #3 Microbes Are Fertilizer
Factories & Shields
"Microbes are like mini fertilizer factories," explains Dr. Robert Neidermyer, Holganix
Director of Plant & Soil Science.
For example, microbes like Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria and Phosphorus Solubilizing
Bacteria release nutrients locked in the soil and make them available to the plant.
Fungi like Mycorrhizae, travel across large swaths of soil to hunt down nutrients
and water for plants.
Further, having a diverse amount of bacteria and fungi allow the microbes to help
protect plants from harmful pathogens.

6. BLANCO LAKE, MOTHER'S DAY 2020
Mycorrhizae Fungi form synergistic relationships with trees.
In exchange for sugars excreted by the plant, mycorrhizae
produce thousands of linear miles of "hyphae" in soil to
mine nutrients and water for plants. In fact, the largest
organism on Earth is a 2.5-mile-long Honey Mushroom
(Armillarea ostoyae).
To learn more about the power of mycorrhizae, watch this
1.5-minute video below by National Geographic:
www. video.nationalgeographic.com/video/decoder/how-
trees-secretly-talk-to-each-other-in-the-forest
#4 The Largest
Organism On Earth Is
A Microbe

7. #5 We Are More Bacteria Than
Human
Humans are about 95% bacteria and 5% human.
The consortium of all microbes that live on and within humans is called our
MicroBiome.

8. Want To Learn More?
Download Our Soil Science eBook
Download this book to explore:
1. How the Soil Food Web supports healthy plants
2. The power behind soil microbes
3. Soil types and how to improve the health of your soil
www.Holganix.com/Soil