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A Natural Concentrate of Beneficial Soil Microorganisms |
The popular scientific definition of humus is, "A more or less biologically stable, dark, amorphous material formed by the microbial decomposition of plant and animal residues." The formation of humus begins when the residues from plants and animals comes in contact with microbial life in the soil. Much of the carbon compounds contained in those residues are proteins, carbohydrates and energy for the various bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes involved in the decay process.
Aerobic microorganisms are the most adept at decomposing organic matter. They need an environment where there is an adequate amount of free oxygen to live and to be active. The degree to which free oxygen exists in soil plays a major role in regulating the favorable or unfavorable conditions under which humus is formed. The same is true for the amount of moisture, for the soil temperature and for the carbon to nitrogen ratio of the residues being decomposed.
As the temperature of a soil increases there is a corresponding increase in microbial activity. Soils that exist in warmer regions of the earth tend to have lower average levels of humus than soils in colder areas.
In the soil organic matter is assimilated by microorganisms utilizing the nutrients and energy for their own metabolism. Their activities convert much of the organically bound nutrients back into a mineral form which is usable by plants and other microorganisms. The indigestible portion of the residues accumulate as humus. However, humus is not completely immune to decomposition. Microorganisms will eventually recycle all the elements in humus back to where they initially came from, even if it takes a millennium to do it.
| SOIL COMPONENTS |
| Typical Analysis of a Well Developed Loam |
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1999 |
