Relationship Between Organic Matter and Carbon

Whether it is plant or animal residues or soil organic matter, the main reason why they can become microbial food is that they are organic matter rich in carbon. Carbon generally enters the soil in the form of plant and animal residues, and through a complex process of decomposition and transformation by microorganisms, most of it is broken down into CO2 and released into the atmosphere, and eventually only a very small amount of carbon enters the soil organic matter and is retained for a long time. If soil carbon is not enough, soil fertility will be significantly reduced, thus affecting food security.

1, Different composition. Soil organic matter includes a variety of plant and animal residues, microbial bodies and their will decompose and synthesize 2113 a variety of organic matter, including organic carbon. Soil organic carbon humus, plant and animal residues and microbial bodies together.

2, The scope is different. Soil organic matter is a little larger than the scope of soil organic carbon included.

3, Soil organic matter refers to the organic material that exists in the soil containing carbon. Soil organic matter is an important component of the soil solid phase part, although the content of soil organic matter only accounts for a very small part of the total soil, but it has an extremely important role in soil formation, soil fertility, environmental protection and sustainable development of agriculture and forestry.

4, Soil organic carbon (Soil organic carbon, SOC) is a chemical measure of soil organic matter, soil organic carbon accounts for 60%-80% of soil organic matter. Soil organic carbon has some components that are more sensitive to changes in land use and other factors than total organic carbon, which is called active organic carbon and can be used as an indicator of early changes in organic carbon, while inactive organic carbon characterizes the long-term accumulation and carbon sequestration capacity of the soil.

The concept of soil organic matter (SOM) is a collective term for humus, plant and animal residues and microbial bodies formed through microbial action, of which the carbon content is answered as soil organic carbon (SOC).