ALT The leaves of blueberry bushes turn red in fall, signaling the end of the so-called “pruning year”, when no fruit is harvested. The flower buds will open early the next spring. Shown here is a research plot in Lac-Saint-Jean, Québec, Canada. Photo: Maxime C. Paré.

ALT Soil scientists often study soils in the field. Here Amanda Diochon (pink) is returning a rock from a soil pit as part of a tour she was leading. Rocks are the “parent material” for soils.

ALT This diagram shows part of a nutrient cycle. From the right: Organic residues, soil organic matter and dead microbial life undergo decomposition through biological and chemical processes. Nutrients like ammonium (NH4+) or nitrates (NO3– ) are available for uptake by plants and microorganisms. The NH4+ and NO3– used by microorganisms for protein synthesis and other metabolic functions will be released by microbial cells at the end of their lifespan. Plants will take up the nutrients through their root hairs. © Joann Whalen is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license.

ALT Lactarius rubrilacteus mushrooms are sexual fruiting structures of the fungus, evident on the soil surface. Most of a fungus’ body lies below the surface, unseen. © T. Trofymow.

ALT a petri dish under a black light, which shows streaks of glowing bacteria

ALT An illustration of living things in soil. Along the top are headers, and in the columns are examples of large and small soil organisms. For example: Primary producers include plants and organic substrates. Herbivores and decomposers include root-feeding nematodes, mycorrhizal fungi, saprophytic fungi and bacteria. Microbial grazers include collembolans, mites, fungivorous and bacteriophagous nematodes and flagellates. Tertiary consumers include predacious and nematode-feeding mites, predaceous and omnivorous nematodes and amoeba.