Slide 1
Further Investigations during 20th century
C52H46O10(OCH3)COOH(OH)4CO + H2NRCOOH
C52H46O10(OCH3)COOH(OH)4 C=NRCOOH + H2OAccording to Waksman;HS
not specific cpds but a mixture of cpds non specific nature like
cellulose, hemicellulose, fats, waxes etc.Artificial cpds formed by
the action of alkali solutions on the soil Waksman in his book
Humus (1937, page 157) There is no doubt now that this complex
originates mainly from the lignin constituents of plant residues,
by various biological and chemical modifications; this fraction
may, therefore, be included in the lignin group
Further Investigations during 20th century
Tyurim (1937) Book on The Organic Matter of Soils HS specific
cpds methods adopted by Waksman to determine humus composition not
correct and unsuitable
Springer (1934 35) also criticized Waksman and supported that HS
exist as cpds of specific nature Lignoprotein cpds do not acquire
new properties like increased exchange reactions
Later many scientist showed:Non lignin cpds can form HS in the
soilMicrobial activity & metabolism play a major roleAromatic
cpds formed from aliphatic cpds including carbohydrates
Present Stage in Soil Humus Study
HS Structure, Composition and Properties Studied: X ray
analysis, Electron Microscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy,
Chromatography in conjunction with chemical methods
HS formation complex transformation organic & biochemical
Role microbes & animal kingdom
Role of SOM in weathering of rocks and minerals, Soil Forming
Processes, etc being studied
Interaction between SOM and Minerals
Participation in Physiological and Biochemical Processes in the
plant
Books for Reading
Soil Organic Matter, its Nature, its Role in Soil formation and
in Soil fertility. By kononova, M. M. 1966 2. Soil Components
Vol.I. Organic Components By John E. Gieseking, 1975.
3. Soil Organic Matter By Schnitzer and Khan, 1978.
4. Soil Organic Matter and its Role in Crop Production By
Allison
5. Chemistry of the Soil By F. E. Bear
6. Humus By S. A. Waksman
Books for Reading
7. Introduction to Soil Microbiology By Martin Alexander
8. Soil Biochemistry By A. D. Mclaren and G. H. Peterson,
1967
9. Study work on Soil Organic Matter and Soil Fertility By G. H.
Peterson
10. Agrosphere Nutrient Dynamics, Ecology and Productivity By K.
R. Krishna, 2003.
11. Humus Chemistry: Genesis, Composition and Reactions. By
Stevenson, F. J., 1982.
12. Cycles of Soil: C, N, P, S and Micronutrients By Stevenson,
F. J., 1985.
Soil Organic Matter
General Types of Organic MaterialsSpecific Types of SOM
Substances and PoolsSOM DecompositionSoils and Soil Forming
ProcessesFactors and Processes that affect SOM Content
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Soil Components
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Organic Matter (OM) versus Soil Organic Matter (SOM)
Organic Matter (OM) the material of which organisms are
composed. The material may be alive or dead, and may be found in
the atmosphere, in organisms, or in the water and soil.
OM may be from plant or animal tissues that contain C. There are
many types of organic matter, and the C content varies widely.
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SOIL ORGANIC MATTER
Fraction of the soil composed of anything that once lived
The term "Soil organic matter" (SOM) has been used in different
ways to describe the organic constituents of soil.
SOM as defined by Baldock and Skjemstad (1999) is "all organic
materials found in soils irrespective of origin or state of
decomposition".
Organic matter is the vast array of carbon compounds in
soil.
Originally created by plants, microbes, and other organisms,
these compounds play a variety of roles in nutrient, water, and
biological cycles
.
Soil Organic Matter - (SOM) includes all OM fixed in place on
the soil, or already incorporated into the soil.
SOM inputs to the soil are from decomposing plants, vertebrates,
invertebrates and microbes. Leachates from leaves (through
rainfall) and exudates from plants and animals also added to
SOM.
SOM exists in some stage of decomposition. Decomposition begins
as soon as a plant part dies or a leachate or exudate is released
into the soil. In fact, some leaching of substances from plant
parts begin before plant death, and some roots decompose while the
plant is still alive (grasses).
SOIL ORGANIC MATTER
Organic matter is the vast array of carbon compounds in soil.
Originally created by plants, microbes, and other organisms, these
compounds play a variety of roles in nutrient, water, and
biological cycles.
Consists of:plant and animal remains in variable stages of
decomposition
Metabolic Products of microbes utilizing organic residues as a
source of energy root and microbial exudates
Products of secondary synthesis in the form of bacterial
plasma
Humus HS consisting of HA, FA, Humin, Hymatomelanic Acid
SOIL ORGANIC MATTER
The first three categories form a group Consist of N and non N
cpds CHOs, Proteins, Fats, Waxes, Organic Acids, Resins etc
Constitute 10 15% of SOM
Cpds that did not come under any existing organic molecules
Nature, Origin and Properties not fully known Humic Substances
Constitute 85 90% of SOM
Thus SOM has two types of cpds:
Organic Substances of non specific nature
Natural Humic Substances of specific nature
SOIL ORGANIC MATTER
Humuswell-decomposed organic material
dark brown, amorphous
stable
poorly characterized chemically
~ 1-5 % of mineral soils
Distribution of humus forms in the soils of four great soil
groups
colloids of polymeric nature structure: aromatic ring of di- or
tri- hydroxy phenol type bridges: -O, -CH2-, -NH-, -N=, -S-
Humus - Structure
Proximate Constituents of SOM:
Carbohydrates Mono and Di Sachharides Cellulose, Hemi cellulose,
Pectins, Pentosans, Mannans, PolyuronidesFats and Related
cpdsProteins and their derivatives albumins, amino acids, amides,
Purine, Pyridine and Pyrimidine cpds, Org cpds with NLignin and
their derivatives precursors of lignin Decomposition
productsTannins in simple and condensed formResins and
terpenesOrganic acids, aromatic cpds, hydrocarbons, alcohol and
related cpds
SOIL ORGANIC MATTER
Proximate Constituents of SOM: Shmuk, 1930
Carbohydrates Pentoses, Pentosans, Hexoses, cellulose &
early decomposition productsHydrocarbons - ParaffinOrganic acids
Oxalic acid, Succinic acid etcAlcohols MannitolEsters Glycerides of
Caproic and Oleic acidAldehydes Vannins, Salicylaldehyde Resins N
containing cpds Argenine, Choline, Creatinine, Histidine etc
SOIL ORGANIC MATTER
Other Proximate Constituents identified:
Allantonins Shorey, 1938Polyuronides Shorey & Martin, 1932;
Waksman & Reuszer, 1932; Norman & Bartholomew, 1943Uronic
acids Rudakov and Birkal, 1949Methylglyoxal (CH3COCOH) Enders,
Hibbert, 1942 Primary Structural Element of
ProtoligninsPolysaccharides of Bacterial Origin Fuller, 1947;
Forsyth, 1950Amino sugars Glucosamine, Galactosamine Bremner and
coworkers, 1954, 58Carbohydrates and Organic acids of low molecular
wejght Nagar, 1953 and Martin, 1954
SOIL ORGANIC MATTER
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Methylglyoxal
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What constitutes Soil Organic Matter?
Litter: Macro organic matter (e.g. crop residues) that lies on
the soil surface
Light fraction: Plant residues and their partial decomposition
products that. reside within the soil proper
Microbial biomass: Cells of living microorganisms, notably
bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi
Faunal biomass: Tissues of animals (primarily invertebrates)
What constitutes Soil Organic Matter?
Below ground plant constituents: Primarily roots with lesser
amounts of dead roots and exudates
Water-soluble organics: Organic substances dissolved in the soil
solution
Stable humus: Humified remains of plant and animal tissues that
have become stabilized by microbial and chemical transformations
and/or by association with inorganic soil components
Organic Constituents of Soil
Non humic substances
Lipids (1-6%) Soluble in moderately hydrophobic solvents
Carbohydrates (5-25%)
Low concentrations of free sugars in the soil solution
Complex carbohydrates that can be extracted and separated from
other organic constituents
Polymers of various sizes and shapes that are so strongly
attached to clay and/or humic colloids that they cannot be easily
isolated, purified, or identified
Organic Constituents of SoilProteins/peptides/amino acids
(9-16%)
Low concentrations of free amino acids in the soil solution
Amino acids, peptides, and proteins bound to clay minerals and
humic colloids
Mucopeptides and teichoic acids originating from bacterial cell
walls
Other (trace)
Humic substances (up to 80%)
Most active fraction of humus Series of highly acidic, yellow-to
black-colored, polyeloctrolytes call humic and fulvic acids
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Components of Soil Organic Matter
The Soil Biology Primer (Chapter 1): By Elaine R. Ingham and
Small Organisms in the Soil Affect the Environment in Big Ways:
www.iaswcd.org
Soils with high organic matter content are the most productive,
store more water and contribute to a better environment.
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Composition of Soil Organic Matter
Hyphae Associated with Organic matter
Soil Type
Range
Representative Values
Black Soil
0.7 4.31
1.39
Red Soil
1.3 4.12
1.14
LateriteSoil
0.23 6.29
1.88
Alluvial Soil
0.28 3.18
0.95
Soil Organic Matter Content of Indian Soils
Alfisol
0.8 6.5
3.0
Aridisol
0.2 1.7
1.0
Histosol
20 98
80.0
Mollisol
1.5 6.5
4.0
Oxisol
1.5 5.0
3.0
Spodosol
1.5 5.0
3.5
Vertisol
1.5 3.0
2.0
Soil Organic Matter Content of Mineral Soils
SOM versus Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)
OM in not made up entirely of OC, there are other substances
that make up about 40% of the weight.
% SOC x 1.724 = % SOM
% SOM x 0.58 = % SOC
The Van Bemmelen conversion factor is an average: The actual
range in nature is between 0.2 and 3.0.
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Total Soil C versus SOC
Total Soil C = Soil Inorganic C + Soil Organic Carbon
Soil inorganic carbon is most common in semiarid and arid
regions, but is also found in the eastern USA.
The main sources of inorganic C is from CaCO3 (a.k.a. calcite or
lime) as calcareous dust fall, from weathering of limestone and
concrete, agricultural application, construction in cities, traffic
on gravel roads, exposure of unweathered calcareous rock in mine
spoil and pits, and from marl formation in wetland soils by
periphyton algae in/under calcium-rich waters.
We directly measure total C by combustion at 550C, then subtract
the content of inorganic C measured by CO2 evolution to get the
organic carbon portion.
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