Physico-Chemical Characterization, Reactivity and Biodegradability of Soil Natural Organic Matter

Soil organic matter is one of the five main constituents of the soils with minerals, solutions, gases and organisms. It contributes to the original, specific and major properties of soils. It is strongly involved in the control of the availability and cycling of elements and water and in the behaviour and fate of inorganic and organic pollutants. The knowledge of the fundamental chemical, physico-chemical and biological properties of soil organic matter is of great interest to understand soil functioning processes and to define soil quality.