Soil Microbiology and Biochemsitry enconmpasses the broad spectrum of soil organisms and the dynamic processes carried on by them, including ecological relationships in the biota, the dynamics of the carbon and nitrogen cycles, and microbe-driven reactions involving sulfu, phosphorous, and metals. This reference source will prove invaluable to anyone involved in the study of agricultural and nonagricultural soils.

This book provided
a process-oriented approach on nutrient cycling and fundamental soil processes for students who are studying soil microbiology and biochemistry
an up-to-date assessment of the diverse systems affected by soil organisms for researchers in the fields of agronomy, environmental quality, and natural sciences
the application of molecular biology to soil organisms, mathematic modeling of soil processes, a supplementary reading list, and a glossary.

Eldor A. Paul is a Senior Research Scientist at the Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory at Colorado State University, Fort Collins and Professor Emeritus at Michigan State University, East Lansing. During his time at Michigan State, he was professor of Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry, and Crop and Soil Sciences. He earned degrees from the University of Alberta and the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on the dynamics of soil organic matter and the microbial ecology of soil. Dr. Paul is a Fellow of ASA, SSSA, the Canadian Society of Soil Science, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry in Perspective. Soil as a Habitat for Organisms and Their Reactions. Methods for Studying Soil Organisms. Components of the SoilBiota. The Occurrence and Distribution of Soil Organisms. Carbon Cycling and Soil Organic Matter. Dynamics of Residue Decomposition and Soil Organic Matter Turnover. Transformation of Nitrogen between the Organic and Inorganic Phase and to Nitrate. Reduction and Transport of Nitrate. Return of Nitrogen to Soil: Biological Nitrogen Fixation. Mycorrhizal Relationships. Phosphorus Transformations in Soil. Sulfur Transformations in Soil. Microbial Transformation of Metals. Each chapter includes references. Glossary. Index.