How do you distinguish between humificat | Class 12 Biology Chapter Ecosystem, Ecosystem NCERT Solutions

The formation of soil occurs in two stages: Weathering, Humification and Mineralization. Humification process leads to accumulation of Humus. Humus is an amorphous and a colloidal mixture of complex organic substances which is made up of humic and non- humic substances.

Humification:

• Addition of humus means the remains finally divided amorphous, incomplete decomposed black coloured organic matter to the mineral matter of the soil.
• When the living organism gets decomposed after their death in the soil, then this decomposed product is mixed with the soil. By this decomposition process, it releases various types of organic and inorganic nutrients, which then mixed into the mineral particles of the soil that converts it into the dark colour.
• And this contains various important categories: litter, Duff and leaf mould etc.
• Humus is highly resistant to microbial actions and decomposition process occurs at very slow rate.
• It is a reservoir of nutrients

Mineralization:

• The release of organically bound nutrients which changes into the inorganic form available to plants and microbes by the further degradation of humus by the microbes and then this release of inorganic nutrients occurs by this process called mineralization.
• This mineralization process occurs faster mainly in the tropical areas in comparison to temperate zone areas.

• On the basis of organic content, soil are classified into various categories like Mors, Peat, Muck, Moder soil etc.