Microbial transformations of sulfur in soil

Sulfur is an essential element for all living organisms and is the basis for primary productivity in some exotic communities. It exists in a number of oxidation states as inorganic and organic compounds that undergo a number of biotic and abiotic transformations. These transformations can be beneficial or detrimental to ecosystems depending on the forms and fluxes of sulfur. The cycling of sulfur through aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric ecosystems is similar to that of other elements, such as carbon and nitrogen, and is influenced by natural and anthropogenic processes.