What is the relationship between plants, animals and soil?

Soils are composed of various types of inorganic mineral strata, which are igneous (e.g., lava) or sedimentary (e.g. clays) in origin, often with a sometimes substantial organic (humic) component that is usually composed primarily of plant detritus, but which may also contain a significant amount of animal detritus (both plant and animal detritus are broken down detritivores, fungi and bacteria, which remineralize some of the organic material). Plant roots physically disrupt, channel water flow, and aerate the soil through the infiltration of their roots, and the roots can also alter the soil via root exudates or the activities of root-associated microbes. Animals also alter the soil profile by digging and vertical movements (e.g., earthworms translocate buried nutrients up to the surface), and their digestive systems and gut flora also help break down the humus.

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