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Soil organic matter (SOM) is the organic matter component of soil, consisting of plant and animal detritus at various stages of decomposition, cells and tissues of soil microbes, and substances that soil microbes synthesize.
When the organic component of a soil is substantial, the soil is called organic soil rather than mineral soil. A soil is called organic if: Mineral fraction is 0% clay and organic matter is 20% or more; Mineral fraction is 0% to 50% clay and organic matter is between 20% and 30%; Mineral fraction is 50% or more clay and organic matter 30% or ...
The organic matter in soil derives from plants, animals and microorganisms. In a forest, for example, leaf litter and woody materials fall to the forest floor. This is sometimes referred to as organic material. [9] When it decays to the point in which it is no longer recognizable, it is called soil organic matter.
Soil organic matter’s role in aggregate stability can be difficult to determine, due to several reasons: [11] only part of the total soil organic matter plays a role in aggregate stability, there is a threshold of soil organic matter, above which aggregate stability cannot be improved by addition of organic matter, and; organic matter is not ...
Particulate organic matter (POM): is the organic matter that retains evidence of its original cellular structure, [18] and is discussed further in the next section. Humus: is usually the largest proportion of organic matter in soil, contributing 45 to 75%. Typically it adheres to soil minerals, and plays an important role structuring soil.
Organic carbon held in soil is eventually returned to the atmosphere through the process of respiration carried out by heterotrophic organisms, but a substantial part is retained in the soil in the form of soil organic matter; tillage usually increases the rate of soil respiration, leading to the depletion of soil organic matter. [24]
In classical [1] soil science, humus is the dark organic matter in soil that is formed by the decomposition of plant and animal matter. It is a kind of soil organic matter. It is rich in nutrients and retains moisture in the soil. Humus is the Latin word for "earth" or "ground". [2]
Soil chemistry is the study of the chemical characteristics of soil.Soil chemistry is affected by mineral composition, organic matter and environmental factors. In the early 1870s a consulting chemist to the Royal Agricultural Society in England, named J. Thomas Way, performed many experiments on how soils exchange ions, and is considered the father of soil chemistry. [1]