Natural wonders abound, including the nearly miraculous complexity of a healthy soil ecosystem. In a totally natural system, the living plants growing at the site continually deposit organic material onto the surface of the soil as they shed their leaves, flowers, fruits, and even branches. Eventually, they die and fall to the ground, returning all the mineral components they have taken up from the soil. But these minerals can only be liberated if bacteria, fungi, and other decomposers are present in the soil. Read more here
