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Soil organic matter (SOM) is the organic matter component of soil, consisting of plant and animal residues at various stages of decomposition, cells and tissues of soil organisms, and substances synthesized by soil The positive impacts of SOM result from a number of complex, interactive edaphic factors; a non-exhaustive list of SOM's effects on soil functioning includes improvements related to soil structure, aggregation, water retention, soil biodiversity, absorption and retention of pollutants, buffering capacity, and the cycling and storage of plant nutrients. SOM increases soil fertility by providing cation exchange sites and acting as reserve of plant nutrients, especially nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S), along with micronutrients, which are slowly released upon SOM mineralization. As such, there is a significant correlation between SOM content and soil fertility. SOM also acts the major sink and source of soil carbon (C). Although the C content of SOM is known to vary considerably,〔Périé, C. and Ouimet, R. 2008. Organic carbon, organic matter and bulk density relationships in boreal forest soils. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 88: 315-325.〕〔Jain, T.B., Graham, R.T. and Adams, D.L. 1997. Carbon to organic matter ratios for soils in Rocky Mountain coniferous forests. Soil Science Society of America Journal 61: 1190-1195.〕 SOM is typically estimated to contain 58% C, and the terms 'soil organic carbon' (SOC) and SOM are often used interchangeably, with measured SOC content often serving as a proxy for SOM. Soil represents one of the largest C sinks on the planet and plays a major role in the global carbon cycle. Therefore, SOM/SOC dynamics and the capacity of soils to provide the ecosystem service of carbon sequestration through SOM management have received considerable attention in recent years. The concentration of SOM in soils generally ranges from 1% to 6% of the total topsoil mass for most upland soils. Soils whose upper horizons consist of less than 1% organic matter are mostly limited to desert areas, while the SOM content of soils in low-lying, wet areas can be as high as 90%. Soils containing 12-18% SOC are generally classified as organic soils.〔Troeh, Frederick R., and Louis M. (Louis Milton) Thompson. Soils and Soil Fertility. 6th ed. Ames, Iowa: Blackwell Pub., 2005. ()〕 It can be divided into three general pools: living biomass of microorganisms, fresh and partially decomposed residues, and humus: the highly stable (well-decomposed) organic material. Surface litter is generally not included as part of soil organic matter.〔Juma, N. G. 1999. Introduction to Soil Science and Soil Resources. Volume I in the Series "The Pedosphere and its Dynamics: A Systems Approach to Soil Science." Salman Productions, Sherwood Park. 335 pp.〕〔(Glossary | NRCS SQ )〕 ==Sources for soil organic matter== The primary source of organic matter contained in soil is vegetal. In forest or prairies, as well as agricultural fields, dead plants, trees, shrubs, grasses, are transformed by animals and different kinds of living organisms. This process involves several steps, the firsts being mostly mechanical, and becoming more chemical as it progresses. The small living beings that work on that decomposition chain are themselves part of the soil organic matter, and form a food web of organisms that prey and are preyed. There are also other animals that consume living vegetal material, whose residues are passed to the soil. The products from the living organisms metabolism are the secondary sources of soil organic matter that also includes the dead corpses of these organisms. Some animals, like earthworms, ants, centipedes contribute to the horizontal translocation of organic material. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Soil organic matter」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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