A cubic mm of soil
Inside soils there are cavities that house moisture and soil organisms
Cavities
This model shows how empty spaces between soil particles contain air and water, and provide a habitat for soil organisms.
Formation, stabilization disintegration
Fungal hyphae enmesh soil particles, and bacterial extracellular polymeric substances can glue particles together, promoting the formation of soil aggregates. These aggregates can clump together to form larger aggregates, and eventually fall apart through the activities of soil organisms.
Fungi
Fungi and bacteria decompose organic matter in the soil, such as leaves, but also much smaller particles and dissolved organic matter.