All organic substance in the soil, living or dead, fresh or decomposed. Includes plant roots, small animals, plant and animal residues, humus and microbes.
The organic fraction of the soil that includes plant and animal residue at various stages of decomposition, exclusive of undecayed plant and animal residue. Often used synonymously with humus.
organic fraction of the soil; includes plant and animal residues at various stages of decomposition, cells and tissue of soil organisms, and substances synthesized by the soil population
Organic fraction of the soil, usually excluding undecayed plant and animal residues
Soil organic matter helps to bind pesticides, especially those with high Koc values, and promotes degradation.
The part of the soil that consists of plant and animal residues in various stages of breakdown or decomposition.
The organic fraction of the soil. The broadest definition includes undecayed plant or animal residues, living soil organisms, and plant roots as categories of soil organic matter. Many definitions restrict the term to humus and organic materials that are at least partially decomposed, and whose origin (plant stems, leaves, animal remains) is no longer recognizable. Organic matter that bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and other soil organisms can decompose is a critical component of the soil food web, which is important in nutrient cycling and all other soil biological processes.
Organic matter (or organic material) is matter which has come from a recently living organism; is capable of decay, or the product of decay; or is composed of organic compounds. The definition of organic matter varies upon the subject it is being used for.
