ORGANIC MATTER CONSTITUENT

Organic compound are compounds other than carbonates, which contain carbon as well as one of their constituent element. Soil organic matter consists of living organisms together with their decaying residues, some examples these organic matter are roots, stems and leaves of higher plants, worms, anthropods and micro organisms such as bacteria, algae and fungi.

The relatively big animals physically break down some organic materials during their feeding the micro-organisms by making use of their enzymes, breakdown the complex organic compounds to humus complexes, which in turn cement soil particulars to structural units. Therefore soil organic matter consist of a whole series of substances ranging from decayed plant and animal remains through intermediate products of decomposition to a more or less stable amorphous brown or black substance varying resemblance to the residues from which it is generated. The more or less stable amorphous brown or black substance is called humus.