Plant Roots, Plant Residue and Aboveground Herbivory as Organizers of Soil Food Webs

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9527957 Crossley Soils contain a large number of microbes, such as bacteria and fungi, and animals. These animals range from tiny amoebae, microscopic worms, small spiders and insects, to the more familiar beetles, ants, earthworms, and mammals. Although many of these animals can be found in agricultural soils, they often have been ignored. Current agricultural practice, which involves tilling the soil and adding chemicals, kills many. But agriculture is moving towards less intensive management, such as reduced tillage and fewer chemical applications. In sustainable or reduced input agriculture, soil biology assumes much greater importance. New management techniques need to be developed, and for these to be effective, a better basic understanding of soil biology is necessary. This research asks the question, what are the effects of plant root systems on soil biology? Also, insects feeding on leaves of plants are linked by root activity to the below-ground system. How does this linkage affect methods of management? The answer to these questions will help in the design of sustainable agriculture and in determining linkages between above-ground herbivory and the rooting zone in agroecosystems.