Find out the percentage of humus in the soil.

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Two pupils live next door to each other. The father of one pupil is a keen gardener and he recycles all the biodegradable household and garden waste in his compost heap, which he then spreads over his garden. The pupil after a biology lesson on microbes claimed that the soil from his garden would contain a higher percentage of humus than his neighbours. Investigate his claim.

For our experiment we have to find out the percentage of humus in the soil.

Research

 Waste from the kitchen and garden don’t have to be thrown away. It can be condensed and reuse as a fertilizer through the process that is called composting.

A compost heap can be built by layering different kinds of waste in a bin, leaving a small space between the layers so that the air in side can circulate. Air us demanded for the aerobic microbes in the heap so that they can function and work properly, with out the air the anaerobic microbes, which don’t need air, will take over the compost heap and the process will go slow.

Bacteria play an important role as recyclers in the compost. Just like fungi it feeds on dead and dying organisms, breaking down their tissue and cells into nutrient rich molecules some of which remain in the soil and water, which is known as decomposition.

Compost is made by harnessing the natural decomposition process carried out by certain species of micro organisms, primarily bacteria and fungi, live in intimate association with their food supply on the surface of dead plants, in soil, or in animal waste. The microorganisms make the best compost if they have three things, air, moisture, and a supply of fixed nitrogen. The process also goes faster if the temperature is kept quite high. By breaking down these materials with their digestive enzymes, tiny creatures release and absorb the nutrients with in. in a well managed compost pile the micro organisms, eat and reproduce as a by product pf their intense biochemical activity. No matter how long decomposition takes, its final stage, the pile is half its size and resembles dark soil called humus, which is highly beneficial to garden soil. It takes a long time before bacteria and fungi can break humus down completely. So humus provides a long-term store of useful substances such as nitrogen, which plants can eventually use.

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A good compost heap is a matter of providing the appropriate environmental conditions for microbial life.

Humus depends on the action of living soil organisms, such as bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and certain kind of beetles, meaning that the heap with the most living organisms that are in it the more humus it will produce.

As humus decomposes, plant residues are converted into stable forms that are stored in the soil, and are used by plants as food. This does well to the garden as it helps the plants to grow and to stay alive. The amount of humus that is ...

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