Organic matter
Organic Matter
Organic matter (pronunciation: /ɔːrˈɡænɪk ˈmætər/) refers to the large pool of carbon-based compounds found within natural and engineered, terrestrial and aquatic environments. It is matter composed of organic compounds that have come from the remains of organisms such as plants and animals and their waste products in the environment.
Etymology
The term "organic" comes from the Greek word organikos, meaning "relating to an organ", and the term "matter" comes from the Latin word materia, meaning "substance" or "material". The combination of these words to form "organic matter" is used to describe carbon-based compounds, originally derived from living organisms.
Related Terms
- Decomposition: The process by which organic substances are broken down into simpler organic matter.
- Humus: The organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms.
- Compost: Organic matter that has been decomposed in a process called composting. This process recycles various organic materials otherwise regarded as waste products and produces a soil conditioner (the compost).
- Biomass: The total mass of organisms in a given area or volume.
- Carbon Cycle: The series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment.
- Soil Organic Matter (SOM): 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 organisms.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Organic matter
- Wikipedia's article - Organic matter
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