Iv. Kuznetsova, THE CONTENT AND COMPOSITION OF ORGANIC-MATTER IN CHERNOZEMS AND ITS ROLE IN THE FORMATION OF A WATER-STABLE STRUCTURE, Eurasian soil science, 31(1), 1998, pp. 36-44
The composition of chernozem organic matter (at C(org)greater than or
equal to 3% and Cha : Cfa greater than or equal to 1.5) favors the for
mation of the optimum (above 40%) content of water-stable aggregates >
0.25 mm in diameter. When chernozems are plowed, organic matter is min
eralized by 22-35%, and the content of water-stable aggregates >0.25 m
m decreases by a similar extent. The most pronounced decreases are obs
erved for the content of detritus and fulvic acids in organic matter a
nd for the content of fractions >1 mm in diameter in the composition o
f water-stable aggregates, which implies the involvement of detritus a
nd fulvic acids along with humic acids in forming aggregates of this s
ize.