Microorganisms: the beginning of the cycle

Microorganisms are microscopic organisms that can be found anywhere in the world, they can be unicellular or multicellular. We commonly know them as bacteria, yeast and mold, last two from the Fungi kingdom.

Not all bacteria or mold are harmful, as a matter of fact life originated from bacteria. Therefore microorganisms are the very basis of life and probably the final answer to our health and environmental quest. 

Thousands or actually millions of healthy microorganisms proliferate in nature, inside of all kind of forest in the planet. Most of this organisms are still unknown, the tiny portion we have discovered and studied have brought amazing benefits to science.

Nowadays microorganisms are one of the main subjects to be reviewed and applied in permaculture, agro ecology, human health and multiple areas of study. Beneficial microorganisms found in forest have been named MM or mountain microorganisms.

They grow all around but prefer decomposing environments, e.g. under leaves or trunks on the forest ground, they are the responsible of converting organic material into soil and providing this with rich molecules that allow all life to grow, microorganisms are the beginning of the cycle.

Without microorganisms the circle of life is broken, they recycle “dead” material and clean our environment. They are also the healers of nature; it has been proven certain kinds purify water and literally ingest some forms of pollution.

Mountain microorganisms that we can pick in the forest can be reproduced in an artificial environment and use for several proposes. They are a magnificent mix, including saccharomyces, lactobacillus, rhodopseudomonas, penicillium, aspergillus and streptomyces.

Saccharomyces are yeast and lactobacillus is bacteria widely commercialized as probiotics, both used for ph control. Rhodopseudomonas is bacteria able to fixate CO₂ and increase the development of mycorrhiza (symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of a host plant).

Penicillium and aspergillus are mold known as antibiotics and also responsible of organic material decomposition. Finally streptomyces is bacteria, another decomposer of organic material and the creator of the magical and characteristic smell of forest.

Microorganisms are fascinating, they hold the very secrets of life and they are one of the million reasons why we must preserve and honor nature. This is a subject you will never stop learning about.