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The pool of organic carbon exists in dynamic equilibrium between gains and losses; soil may therefore serve as either a sink or source of carbon through carbon sequestration or greenhouse gas emissions, respectively, depending on exogenous factors.
Carbon, as it relates to the organic matter of soils, is a major component of soil and catchment health. Several factors affect the variation that exists in soil organic matter and soil carbon; the most significant has, in contemporary times, been the influence of humans and agricultural systems.
Soil gases (soil atmosphere [1]) are the gases found in the air space between soil components. The spaces between the solid soil particles, if they do not contain water, are filled with air. The primary soil gases are nitrogen, carbon dioxide and oxygen. [2] Oxygen is critical because it allows for respiration of both plant roots and soil ...
Soils with humus can vary in nitrogen content but typically have 3 to 6 percent nitrogen. Raw organic matter, as a reserve of nitrogen and phosphorus, is a vital component affecting soil fertility. [156] Humus also absorbs water, and expands and shrinks between dry and wet states to a higher extent than clay, increasing soil porosity. [174]
This mineral nitrogen is said to be immobilized. This may reduce the concentration of inorganic nitrogen in the soil and thus the nitrogen is not available to plants. As carbon dioxide is released during the generation of energy in decomposition, a process called "catabolism", the C:N ratio of the organic matter decreases. When the C:N ratio is ...
A carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N ratio or C:N ratio) is a ratio of the mass of carbon to the mass of nitrogen in organic residues. It can, amongst other things, be used in analysing sediments and soil including soil organic matter and soil amendments such as compost .
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 ...
Organic matter, organic material, or natural organic matter refers to the large source of carbon-based compounds found within natural and engineered, terrestrial, and aquatic environments. It is matter composed of organic compounds that have come from the feces and remains of organisms such as plants and animals . [ 1 ]