ORGANIC CARBON CONTENT IN AN ARGIC FAEOZIOM SOIL FROM COJOCNA

Abstract

Organic matter in the soil is a carbon-rich material that includes plants, animals and microbial residues in various stages of decomposition. Living organisms in the soil and plant roots are part of the carbon reserve in the soil, but are not considered organic matter than when they die or when they interrupt the connection with the plant. The quantity and composition of soil organic matter varies significantly among major ecosystems. In arid, semi-arid and hot, humid regions usually have less organic matter than in other regions. The total content of organic matter in soil varies from 0.5 to 8% in the surface horizon of the soil. In the soil and its surface, dead organic debris undergoes continuous transformations under the influence of physical and chemical factors, especially of components of biocenosis (mezofauna and microorganisms): leaching of soluble substances, more advanced shredding, tissue destruction, various advanced decompositions, the formation of new compounds, and of major importance, formation of the organic component specific and fundamental for soils, humus, that organic complex finely dispersed, dark brown or black which lends the soil the dark colors. This paper presents the determination of organic carbon in an argic faeoziom from Cojocna, on two soil horizons: Am and A/B.

Keywords

• organic carbon, humus, wet oxidation