1. The Importance of Soil Microorganisms in Aggregate Stability

Aggregate stability is a soil quality factor. Water stability of aggregates is related to microbial activity. This paper reviews microbial inputs to aggregate stability. Soil fungi have long hair-like projections, hyphae that can physically entangle soil particles and exude glues. Microbial glues are discussed with special emphasis on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and the glue-like compound, glomalin. produced on hyphae of this group of fungi. Influences of management practices on AM fungi are...