Organic matter in the agricultural soils of Tasmania, Australia - A review

A review of both the living and non-living components of soil organic matter (SOM) in the agricultural soils of Tasmania, Australia, and the relationship of SOM to the functions of soil has been undertaken. The relationships between soil organic carbon (SOC) and other inherent and dynamic soil properties of Tasmanian soils, SOC stocks, the components and the controlling factors are reviewed. The dynamic nature of SOM is reviewed as targets, rates of change and trends on different soil orders and under different management as well as the correlation to soil physical, chemical and biological properties. Information on macro fauna, meso fauna, fungi and bacteria is considered to acknowledge that SOM is a dynamic, changing resource that reflects the balance between the living components that add new organic matter and the loss of organic matter from the dead component.