Question

Describe the mechanism of decomposition by explaining the various processes involved in it.

Answer 1

Five distinct steps or phases make up the entire breakdown process:

1. Fragmentation: The term "fragmentation" refers to the waste products' breaking down of garbage into smaller pieces. It's the beginning of the breakdown process.
2. Leaching: A significant amount of inorganic, water-soluble nutrients could be present in the broken particles. During the removal process, these nutrients dissolve in water, soak deeply into the soil, and precipitate.
3. Catabolism: It's time to transform the remains into less complex inorganic compounds after the complicated material has been reduced to smaller particles and the inorganic nutrients have been eliminated. Different bacterial and fungal enzymes carry out this process through the process of catabolism.
4. Humification: It is the process by which a substance, called a dark-coloured layer of organic material, forms on the soil. It is highly resistant to the actions of bacteria, making it difficult for it to break down. Because the humus layer gives the soil outstanding fertility, it is extremely nutrient-rich.
5. Mineralization: It is the process's last stage. The process of breaking down soil to release inorganic nutrients is called mineralization.