Soil Organic Matter and Biological Activity
Editors: Vaughan, D., Malcolm, R.E. (Eds.)
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- About this book
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It has long been recognized that soil organic matter is the key to soil fertility. As a nutrient store it gradually provides essential elements which the soil cannot retain for long in inorganic form. It buffers growing plants against sudden changes in their chemical environment and preserves moisture in times of drought. It keeps the soil in a friable, easily penetrated physical condition, well-aerated and free draining, providing young seedlings with an excellent medium for growth. But it has another property, the nature and extent of which have been the subject of argu ment and controversy ever since scientists began to study the soil, and that is its ability to affect growth directly, other than by providing nutrient elements. Any one wishing to learn about these effects has been faced with a daunting mass of literature, some confusing, often contradictory, and spread through a multitude of journals. Individual aspects have been covered from time to time in reviews but there has obviously been a need for a modern authoritative text book dealing with the many facets of this subject, so the publication of this volume is timely. The editors and authors are all specialists in their fields, fully familiar with the com plex nature of soil organic matter and with the particular difficulties arising in any study of its properties. Where controversies exist they have presented all sides of the argument and have highlighted areas where further work is badly needed.
- Table of contents (13 chapters)
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Introduction Soil Organic Matter — A Perspective on its Nature, Extraction, Turnover and Role in Soil Fertility
Pages 1-35
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Influence of Humic Substances on Growth and Physiological Processes
Pages 37-75
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Influence of Humic Substances on Biochemical Processes in Plants
Pages 77-108
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Phenolic Acids in Soils and their Influence on Plant Growth and Soil Microbial Processes
Pages 109-149
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Origin, Nature and Biological Activity of Aliphatic Substances and Growth Hormones Found in Soil
Pages 151-174
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Table of contents (13 chapters)
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Bibliographic Information
- Bibliographic Information
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- Book Title
- Soil Organic Matter and Biological Activity
- Editors
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- D. Vaughan
- R.E. Malcolm
- Series Title
- Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences
- Series Volume
- 16
- Copyright
- 1985
- Publisher
- Springer Netherlands
- Copyright Holder
- Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
- eBook ISBN
- 978-94-009-5105-1
- DOI
- 10.1007/978-94-009-5105-1
- Hardcover ISBN
- 978-90-247-3154-1
- Softcover ISBN
- 978-94-010-8757-5
- Edition Number
- 1
- Number of Pages
- XV, 469
- Number of Illustrations
- 9 b/w illustrations
- Topics
