Question

What is humus? What are its functions?

Answer 1

Hint:
Humus makes the soil porous by increasing its water holding capacity and air. It is a partially decayed organic matter which exists in the top layer of the soil. When dead plant and animal matter (including aerobic compost) breaks down further, specifically through the action of anaerobic organisms, humus is the dark organic matter that forms in the soil.

Complete answer:
The humus is the part of soil matter that does not have the structure of plants and animals. Humus affects the soil’s density and leads to the ability of soil to retain water and nutrients.

Humus is considered a natural compost in agriculture. It comes from the forest and natural sources. It is used to improve the soil condition, and it refers to that layer of the soil that has organic matter.

The humus found in the soil is centuries old, and if the humus is not protected, then it will get transformed into a less stable form. It is mainly composed of carbon, and the other components are nitrogen, sulphur, and phosphorus.

The humus is commercially available, and its practical uses can be seen through its presence in the garden sores and in online shops. To make it robust, the humus is added to different types of soils. It helps the plants to grow stronger and healthier.
Humus is rich in nutrients and which helps in plant growth. To warm up the soil, humus absorbs heat.

Note:
Humus is the byproduct of the decomposition of animal materials and plants.To enrich the soil, the ground-dwelling animals like earthworms incorporate the humus with the soil. It is mostly used to fertilize the soil.There are many nutrients in humus that enhance soil health, the most significant being nitrogen. The proportion of humus carbon to nitrogen (C: N) is 10:1.