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The formation of a humic lakes via organic runoff has a dramatic effect on the lake ecosystem. Increases in the lake’s acidity make it difficult for fish and other organisms to proliferate. The quality of the lake for use as drinking water also decreases as the carbon concentration and acidity increase.
"Humic substances" is an umbrella term covering humic acid, fulvic acid and humin, which differ in solubility. By definition, humic acid (HA) is soluble in water at neutral and alkaline pH, but insoluble at acidic pH < 2. Fulvic acid (FA) is soluble in water at any pH. Humin is not soluble in water at any pH.
The products of the metabolisms of these organisms are the secondary sources of SOM, which also includes their corpses. Some animals, like earthworms, termites, ants, and millipedes contribute to both vertical and horizontal translocation of organic matter. [1] Additional sources of SOM include plant root exudates [10] and charcoal. [11]
Due to their very complex molecular structure, humic substances, including humin, do not correspond to pure substances but consist of a mixture of many compounds that remain very difficult to characterize even using modern analytical techniques.
Potassium humate is used in agriculture as a fertilizer additive to increase the efficiency of fertilizers especially nitrogen- and phosphorus-based fertilizer inputs. Other salts of humic acid are manufactured, mainly sodium humate, which is used in animal health supplements. It also can be used in aquaculture.
Impacts of acidic water and Soil acidification on plants could be minor or in most cases major. In minor cases which do not result in fatality of plant life include; less-sensitive plants to acidic conditions and or less potent acid rain. Also in minor cases the plant will eventually die due to the acidic water lowering the plants natural pH.
The composition of humus varies with that of primary (plant) materials and secondary microbial and animal products. The decomposition rate of the different compounds will affect the composition of the humus. [13] It is difficult to define humus precisely because it is a very complex substance which is still not fully understood.
The International Humic Substances Society convenes multidisciplinary biennial international conferences, which bring together scientists from the soil, and aquatic sciences. [12] Some chapters also hold scientific conferences. [13] The society has financial grant programs to encourage the advancement of humic sciences.