Dynamics of soil Organic matter

Historical Development
1. Initial Period: Second half of 18th century and beginning of 19th century 2. First half of 19th century: Study of chemical nature of Humic Substances 3. Second half of 19th century: study of humic substances as natural components Biological nature of Soil Humic Substances

4.First two decades of 20th century: Contradictions on the nature and development of Soil Humic Substances Chemical and Biological nature of SOM was recognized 5.Further investigations during the 20th century: Chemistry of Humus, Peat, Coal and other such constituents synthesis of Humic Substances 6. Present developments in the study of Soil Humus

1. Initial Period
Scientist
Wallerius (1761)

Contribution

Book on Agricultural chemistry Humus formed by decomposition of plants Plant food possessing properties of absorption of water and nutrients Lomonosov Book on First Principles of Metallurgy or (1763) Mining - humus originated from rotting of animal and plant residues with time Komov Book on Agriculture role of humus on soil (1782) fertility Apply Organic Manures Wider Sowing of Perennial Grasses Achard Isolated Humic Substances from Peat by (1786) treating with alkali Acidified Dark

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1. Initial Period Continued

Scientist
Vanquelin, 1797
Thomson, 1807 DeSaussure, 1804 Thaer, 1809 Braconnot, 1807, 1819

Contribution
Humic substances from xylem of plants infected with fungi
Proposed the name Ulmin for the above substances Humus contains more C and less H and O. Humus Nutrition Theory Humus Nutrition Theory further developed Humus sole and direct source of nutrients Brown alkali soluble extracts from carbohydrates and plant residues by treating with mineral acids named them as Ulmin

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II. First Half of 19th century

Scientist
Boullay, 1830

Contribution
Glucose heated with alkali Dark liquid Acidified Brown flocculent precipitate Ulmic acid Humic acid has 58% C. Properties of HA and its salts Differential Solubility Humus Coal Acid nature of HA Silicic acid from Silicates Combines with Bases Sweet Humus poor fertility in peats

Sprengel, 1826, 1837

Berzelius, 1806, Identified black coloured HS soluble in alkali, 1839 Text Book Yellow coloured crenic and apocrenic Acids, and of Chemistry inert Humin equivalent to Sprengels Humus coal Isolation, Composition and Properties of Salts Humus Nutrition Theory Organic Manure Application

Sibirtzev, 1901

Role of crenic and apocrenic acids in soil forming processes crenic acids podzol soils

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II. First Half of 19th century Contd.

Scientist
Malaguti, 1835

Contribution
Artificial Humic Substances identical with Natural HS Humification is a dehydration process C22H12O11=C12H12O6 + 5H2O

Mulder, 1840, Natural and Artificial HS Chemical 41, 61 and 62 Composition and Properties identified three
types of HS Insoluble in alkali (Humin and Ulmin), Soluble in alkali (HA, Brown & UA, Black), Soluble in water (Crenic & Apocrenic Acids, Black) HS chemically individual compounds - N, a contaminant Purified and dehydrated chemical composition determined Ulmin, C40H32O11 Humin, C40H30O15 UA, C40H28O12, HA, C40H24O12 or C40H30O15 CA, C40H24O16, AA, C24H12O12

Scientist II. First

Contribution Half of 19th century Contd.

German HS not chemically individual cpds 1836, 37, 41, Humus Nutrition Theory Cultivated 42 & 45 soils had less humus than virgin soils Isolated 16 different HS Mainly three groups of Berzelius and Mulder HA & UA, Crenic & Apocrenic and humin & Ulmin, based on composition rather than structure criticized A Manufacturer Of HS N as constituent of humus not contaminant Other HS isolated Mudeous acid of Johnson, Fumic acid of Thenard, Lignoic acid of Hesse, Hymatomelanic acid of Hoppe - Seyler

Summary of Investigations Second Phase

1. Studies on Chemical Nature of HS 2. Isolation of New HS Crenic & Apocrenic Acids 3. New Classification Schemes of HS

1.HS Chemically individual cpds 2.Chemical nature, structure & properties not known 3.Chemical methods to reproduce humification of plant materials

Second Half of 19th century

Scientist
Eggerts, 1889

Contribution

Van 1888

Crenic & Apocrenic acids natural products criticized HA, UA & Humus Coal Bemmelen, complexity of chemical composition HS amorphous and colloidal HS complex mixture of plant & animal residues in varying stages of decomposition cannot be separated

Baumann, 1909

Baumann & Gully, Acid nature of HS not due to functional 1910 groups but colloidal properties

Liebig, 1840

Mineral Nutrition theory as against humus theory Humus only C source

Second Half of 19th century

Scientist
Grandeau, 1872

Contribution
Mineral Humus Theories combined Organo Mineral Plant Nutrition Theory HS dominant role in dissolving, absorbing and exchange reactions in soils Humus not chemical or physical but biological with diverse activities of microbes, protozoa, and various other organism

Pasteur, van Post, Darwin, 1882, Kostychev, 1886, 89, Muller, 1887, Ramann 1888

Kostychev, 1890, Humus source of plant nutrients Schloesing, 1902, promotes soil structure favourable air Dehrain, 1888, and water regimes in soil Dehrain and Demoussy, 1896

Second Half of 19th century Contd.

Scientist
Dokuchaev, 1883 Kostychev, 1886

Contribution

The Russian Chernozems Soils of the Chernozem of Russia Biological Activity Perennial Grassy Vegetation Chernozem Formation Sibirtzev, 1900 - 01 Role of Crenic and Apocrenic acids in podzol formation Hoppe Seyler, 1889 Biochemistry of decomposition of some organic substances Omelyansii, 1902 Biochemistry of decomposition of Cellulose Van Iterson, 1904 Anaerobic Decomposition of Cellulose Snyder, 1898 and Humification of isolated carbohydrates, Suzuki, 1906 08 oils and fats

Second Half of 19th century Contd.

Scientist
Kostychev, 1886 Hebert, 1892 Dehrain, 1902 Walksman, 1937

Contribution
HS formed by synthesis between proteins and encrusting substances Lignoprotein complexes nucleus of humus form the

Summary

HS formed by two reciprocal processes decomposition and synthesis Participation of two or more plant materials in the process Biological activity plays a major role in humus synthesis Resistant compounds like lignins and pectins encrust soluble cpds like proteins