● It is known that the `color{violet}("earthworm")` is referred to as the `color{violet}("farmer’s ‘friend’.")`
● This is so because they help in the `color{violet}("breakdown")` of complex organic matter as well as in loosening of the soil.
● Similarly, `color{violet}("decomposers break down")` complex organic matter into `color{violet}("inorganic substances")` like `color{violet}("carbon dioxide, water")` and `color{violet}("nutrients")` and the process is called `color{brown}("decomposition.")`
● `color{violet}("Dead plant")` remains such as `color{violet}("leaves, bark, flowers")` and `color{violet}("dead")` remains of `color{violet}("animals, including fecal matter, constitute ")` `color{brown}("detritus,")` which is the raw material for `color{violet}("decomposition.")`
● The important steps in the process of `color{violet}("decomposition")` are `color{violet}("fragmentation, leaching,")` `color{violet}("catabolism, humification")` and `color{violet}("mineralisation.")`
● `color{brown}("Detritivores")` (e.g., `color{violet}("earthworm")`) break down `color{violet}("detritus")` into smaller particles. This process is called `color{violet}("fragmentation.")`
● By the process of `color{brown}("leaching,")` `color{violet}("water soluble inorganic nutrients")` go down into the soil horizon and get precipitated as unavailable salts.
● `color{violet}("Bacterial")` and `color{violet}("fungal enzymes")` degrade `color{violet}("detritus ")` into simpler inorganic substances. This process is called as `color{brown}("catabolism.")`
● It is important to note that all the above steps in `color{violet}("decomposition")` operate simultaneously on the `color{violet}("detritus")`
● `color{violet}("Humification")` and `color{violet}("mineralisation")` occur during `color{violet}("decomposition")` in the soil.
● `color{brown}("Humification")` leads to accumulation of a `color{violet}("dark coloured")` amorphous substance called `color{brown}("humus")` that is highly resistant to `color{violet}("microbial")` action and undergoes `color{violet}("decomposition")` at an extremely slow rate.
● Being colloidal in nature it serves as a `color{violet}("reservoir of nutrients.")`
● The `color{violet}("humus")` is further degraded by some `color{violet}("microbes")` and release of `color{violet}("inorganic nutrients")` occur by the process known as `color{brown}("mineralisation.")`
● It is known that the `color{violet}("earthworm")` is referred to as the `color{violet}("farmer’s ‘friend’.")`
● This is so because they help in the `color{violet}("breakdown")` of complex organic matter as well as in loosening of the soil.
● Similarly, `color{violet}("decomposers break down")` complex organic matter into `color{violet}("inorganic substances")` like `color{violet}("carbon dioxide, water")` and `color{violet}("nutrients")` and the process is called `color{brown}("decomposition.")`
● `color{violet}("Dead plant")` remains such as `color{violet}("leaves, bark, flowers")` and `color{violet}("dead")` remains of `color{violet}("animals, including fecal matter, constitute ")` `color{brown}("detritus,")` which is the raw material for `color{violet}("decomposition.")`
● The important steps in the process of `color{violet}("decomposition")` are `color{violet}("fragmentation, leaching,")` `color{violet}("catabolism, humification")` and `color{violet}("mineralisation.")`
● `color{brown}("Detritivores")` (e.g., `color{violet}("earthworm")`) break down `color{violet}("detritus")` into smaller particles. This process is called `color{violet}("fragmentation.")`
● By the process of `color{brown}("leaching,")` `color{violet}("water soluble inorganic nutrients")` go down into the soil horizon and get precipitated as unavailable salts.
● `color{violet}("Bacterial")` and `color{violet}("fungal enzymes")` degrade `color{violet}("detritus ")` into simpler inorganic substances. This process is called as `color{brown}("catabolism.")`
● It is important to note that all the above steps in `color{violet}("decomposition")` operate simultaneously on the `color{violet}("detritus")`
● `color{violet}("Humification")` and `color{violet}("mineralisation")` occur during `color{violet}("decomposition")` in the soil.
● `color{brown}("Humification")` leads to accumulation of a `color{violet}("dark coloured")` amorphous substance called `color{brown}("humus")` that is highly resistant to `color{violet}("microbial")` action and undergoes `color{violet}("decomposition")` at an extremely slow rate.
● Being colloidal in nature it serves as a `color{violet}("reservoir of nutrients.")`
● The `color{violet}("humus")` is further degraded by some `color{violet}("microbes")` and release of `color{violet}("inorganic nutrients")` occur by the process known as `color{brown}("mineralisation.")`