Christian G. Ehrenberg and the birth of soil microbiology in the middle of the 19th century

• Published in: Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science
• Main Authors: Blume, Hans‐Peter, Bölter, Manfred, Kusber, Wolf‐Henning
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2011
• Subjects: Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201100253; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fjpln.201100253; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jpln.201100253

Abstract Early in the 19th century, the German doctor and natural scientist Christian G. Ehrenberg (1795–1876) determined and classified through microscopic investigation the species and contents of microorganisms (bacteria, algae, diatoms, protozoa) of more than 1000 soil samples from all over the world. He identified phytoliths and minerals using a polarization microscope and described the morphology of the organic particles. Two of his soil descriptions were a Chernozem from Russia and an Ornithogenic Cryosol of the Maritime Antarctic. He further identified several soil‐forming processes like the formation and decomposition of organic matter, mineral weathering, and new formation of carbonates, Fe oxides, and silicate under the influence of microorganisms long before other investigators. Although this was criticized during his time, it is still fully accepted today. Therefore, Ehrenberg can be regarded as the main founder of soil microbiology and as a pioneer in soil micromorphology.