MICR 2420 Chapter Notes - Chapter 21: Water Content, Anaerobic Respiration, Lignin
23 Oct 2014
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Document Summary
Producers terrestrial mostly plants (microscopic) most rooted in soil. Soil most complex microbial exosytem on our plant and soil based agriculture major source of food (quality of soil oxygenated or water saturated, acidic or alkaline, salty or fresh, nutrient rich or poor) define food grown. Layers called horixons (because rainfall, temperature variation, wind and biological activity) different habitat (fores, dessert, prarie) vary depths of layers. O (organic) horizon: surface layer we see, dark, organic detritus (leaves from plants) earliest stages of decomposition by microbes (fungi and bacteria actinomycetes). A (aerated) horizon: lighter, organic particles in more advanced stages of decomposition combine with minerals from rock at lower levels (source of organic particles cant recognize and decomposers broken down some more difficult digest plant structural components lignin). In well drained organic and aerated full oxygen, nutrients liberated by decomposers and used by plants. Complex assmemblages of organic and inorganic particles (between soil particles air spaces access to oxygen, anaerobic respiration).
