Organic Soil Formed
Soil is the organic material that forms over a period of time by natural and environmental forces acting on rock and minerals. This includes physical and chemical processes that break down the rock or mineral into a form that is suitable for growing plants, as well as biological processes that help transform lifeless dirt into something that is hospitable to plant life.
Soils are a key component of ecosystems, supporting a wide variety of plants in the landscape and providing soil nutrients that plants need to grow. Soil quality is determined by a variety of factors, including its composition and the history of the area. The primary ingredient of soil is the underlying bedrock or parent material. This is broken down and decomposed over thousands of years by wind, water and soil microorganisms to produce the base material that supports the soil ecosystem.
In addition to the bedrock, Organic Soil are enriched with organic materials, such as compost, manure and mulch. Organic matter helps hold in moisture and nutrient storage, improves aeration, increases water retention and reduces the risk of erosion and crusting.
How Is Organic Soil Formed?
Organic matter is formed through the breakdown of dead plants and animals, as well as the formation of new molecules and compounds from decomposed material. This decay process is called “biodegradation” and can be carried out by a range of microorganisms, such as bacteria, algae and fungi.
Biodegradation of plant and animal residues occurs in different stages, depending on the temperature, aeration, pH and nutrient levels. In cool, wet climates, organic matter breaks down faster than in warm and dry climates.
Soil organic matter is a complex mixture of carbon-containing plant and animal residues at different stages of decomposition, as well as a large amount of new molecules synthesized by soil microbes. Soil organic matter is a valuable source of nutrients for plants, as it contains important storage pools of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K).
Active soil organic matter is the portion of organic material that is easily decomposed and absorbed by microorganisms. This can change quickly, and it’s often highly influenced by soil management practices, such as crop rotations and cover crops.
It’s also an important part of the organic soil food web, as it provides nutrition to many other organisms. It also improves the permeability of the soil, allowing for increased infiltration and moisture retention, while also increasing the cation exchange capacity of the soil, which is an important aspect of soil structure.
The rate of decomposition depends on the type and age of the parent material, as well as on the temperature, moisture and aeration of the soil. For example, in acidic environments with low pH, the rate of decomposition is reduced because microorganisms are less active.
A soil that has a high percentage of active organic matter will have more dissolved oxygen, which is essential for decomposition. The presence of oxygen in the soil will increase the number of microorganisms, which will break down and absorb the organic matter.