The study looked at how the amount of carbon in soil microbes relates to the quality of soil used to grow corn. They found that soil with high corn yields had more carbon in its microbes compared to soil with normal yields. The carbon in soil microbes was positively linked to factors like organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and soil structure, while it was negatively linked to bulk density and soil pH. This suggests that the amount of carbon in soil microbes is crucial for determining soil quality and fertility in high-yield corn fields.