380
edits
→Humus
(→Humus) |
|||
| Line 78: | Line 78: | ||
===Humus=== | ===Humus=== | ||
"It is difficult to define humus precisely because it is a very complex substance which is not fully understood." <br> | "It is difficult to define humus precisely because it is a very complex substance which is not fully understood." <br> | ||
In soil science, humus (derived in 1790–1800 from the Latin humus for earth, ground[1]) denominates the fraction of soil organic matter that is amorphous and without the "cellular cake structure characteristic of plants, micro-organisms or animals".[2] Humus significantly affects the bulk density of soil and contributes to its retention of moisture and nutrients. | |||
In agriculture, "humus" sometimes also is used to describe mature or natural compost extracted from a woodland or other spontaneous source for use as a soil conditioner.[3] It is also used to describe a topsoil horizon that contains organic matter (humus type,[4] humus form,[5] humus profile).[6] | |||
Humus is the dark organic matter that forms in soil when dead plant and animal matter decays. Humus has many nutrients that improve the health of soil, nitrogen being the most important. The ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C:N) of humus is 10:1. <br> | |||
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humus | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humus | ||