What is responsible for the decomposition of organic matter and what happens when organic matter is decomposed?
Here are the major factors responsible for the decomposition of organic matter: Temperature, moisture, oxygen availability, organic matter composition, C/N ratio, pH, particle size and surface area, decomposer community and inhibitors and allelopathy. Overall, the interaction of these factors can vary in different environments and ecosystems, leading to variations in the decomposition rates and patterns of nutrient cycling. Understanding these factors is essential for managing organic matter, composting, and assessing the carbon cycle's role in different ecosystems
When organic matter undergoes decomposition, it is broken down into simpler substances through the action of decomposers, which are mainly bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. Decomposition is a vital process in nature as it plays a key role in recycling nutrients and returning them to the ecosystem. Decomposition process involves initial breakdown of complex, enzymatic action by bacteria, consumption of organic matter for their growth, releases of gas (CO2, water vapor, CH4) as byproducts and finally release of nutrient in available form to the plant.
Though The partially decomposed organic matter, along with the dead remains of microorganisms, accumulates as a dark, spongy material called humus.
Decomposition is the process of breakdown of the complex organic matter into a simpler inorganic matter like carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients. The fungi, bacteria, and flagellates initiate the process of decomposition and are known as decomposers. The most obvious cause of the breakdown of soil organic matter is a high level of biological activity: A large number of bacteria, fungi, and larger organisms feeding on the organic material in your soil for food. Humus is dark, organic material that forms in soil when plant and animal matter decays. When plants drop leaves, twigs, and other material to the ground, it piles up. Soil organic matter consists of decomposing plant and animal residues. It also includes substances of organic origin either leaving or dead. Soil organic matter plays an important role in deciding / maintaining soil physical conditions. It also influences soil chemical properties especially cation exchange capacity. Composting is a biological process during which naturally occurring microorganisms, bacteria and insects break down organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings and certain kitchen scraps into a soil-like product is compost. It is a form of recycling, a natural way of returning needed nutrients to the soil. As soil organisms decompose organic matter, nutrients are converted into simpler, inorganic (mineral) forms that plants can easily use. This process, is mineralization, provides much of the nitrogen that plants need by converting it from organic forms. Organic matter is broken down into carbon dioxide and the mineral forms of nutrients like nitrogen. It is also converted into fungi and bacteria through these organisms feeding on the organic material and reproducing. Scientists call the organisms that decompose organic matter decomposers, saprobes or saprotrophs. Decomposition of organic matter is a process, which includes mostly physical breakdown and biochemical transformation of complex organic molecules into simpler organic and inorganic molecules. Decomposition can have many effects, each of which is potentially hazardous: New substances may be formed, some or all of which are explosive, flammable or toxic.
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