Mineralization (soil science)

Mineralization is when tiny living things in the soil, like bacteria and fungi, eat dead plants and animals and turn them into nutrients that new plants can use to grow big and strong. It's like when you eat your food and your body turns it into energy to play and run around! The little living things are like the chefs of the soil, cooking up nutrients for the plants to eat. So when you see big, healthy plants growing in the soil, you can thank mineralization for helping them grow!