Lovely links, Michaelangelica. A few on nitrogen fixation by "wee beasties":
Nitrogen fixation (technical)
nitrogen fixation: Definition and Much More from Answers.com
NITROGEN FIXATION (technical)
Biological Nitrogen Fixation
Cyanobacteria and soil ecology:
Biofertilizers
CAT.INIST
Bio-fertilizers for Coffee Plantations (INeedCoffee.com)
Capitol Reef - Cryptobiotic Soil
Plant Ecology Lab, Soil Crusts, Archbold Biological Station, 9 May 2002, Fred E. Lohrer. Added PDF file link 31 May 2002.
Cyanobacteria
I think the topics of nitrogen cycling and nitrogen fixation are especially pertinent, because findings often state that biochar/terra preta soils are usually very rich in nitrogen.
I wish I could link to an online version of one of my old textbooks: Brock's Biology of Microorganisms. It has a lot of useful general info on soil microbes as well as specifics on their biochemistry and interactions with plants.
Edit: Now that I mentioned it, I searched to see what is available online and Brock's isn't free on the net, but it does have useful weblinks on the textbook's website for chapter headings and related topics:
Microorganisms and Microbiology
Maybe useful for those willing to check out further web resources?
Molecular Biology of the Cell by Alberts et al.:
Molecular Biology of the Cell
Online and searchable! Another one of my textbooks which I always keep by my desk. Useful for microbial technical details.
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Teach a Wall Street banker how to build a fire and he'll be warm for the night. Set a Wall Street banker on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
Logic
The art of thinking and reasoning in strict accordance with the limitations and incapacities of the human misunderstanding.
--Ambrose Bierce,
The Devil's Dictionary
