This article provides short notes on clay-humus complex. It is evident that various clay minerals can bind humus substances through some linkages known as clay-humus complex. Many investigators consider that the complexes between humus substances and clays are probably formed by bridging through the exchangeable cations like Ca, Mg and Al. Besides this, they also […]
Short Notes on Clay-Humus Complex
Humus in Soil: Synthesis and Colloidal Characteristics
After reading this article you will learn about the synthesis and colloidal characteristics of humus in soil. Synthesis of Humus: Humus is a heterogeneous mixture of complex organic compounds. The bulk of these compounds have resulted from decomposition and synthesis. The organic residues which undergo breakdown and transformation are complex in nature, containing carbohydrates, proteins […]
Decomposition of Organic Matter in Soil
(A) Decomposition of Soluble Substances: Sugar and water-soluble nitrogenous compounds are the first to be decomposed as they offer a very readily available source of carbon, nitrogen and energy for the microorganisms. Thus, when glucose is decomposed under aerobic conditions, the reaction is as under: Sugar + Oxygen → Carbon dioxide + Water When the […]