The role of soil organic matter in agroecosystem

Organska tvar tla je važan čimbenik u očuvanju ekosustava u svijetu te je njena prisutnost u tlima od ključne važnosti za nesmetano odvijanje nekoliko ključnih funkcija tla. Kao izvor biljnih hraniva i osnovni činitelj strukture tla, uloga organske tvari u agroekosustavu se ogleda kroz utjecaj na fizikalna, kemijska i biološka svojstva tla, ciklus kruženja hraniva, proces mineralizacije, sekvestraciju hraniva, degradaciju polutanata u tlu, kontrolu vrste i brojnosti organizama u tlu, fiksaciju CO2, i dr. Smanjenjem zaliha organske tvari u tlu lošom poljoprivrednom politikom i praksom je uzrokovalo i smanjenje prinosa i bioraznolikosti. Proteklih nekoliko desetljeća se čovjekovim aktivnostima sadržaj organske tvari i organskog ugljika u tlu smanjuje što uzrokuje mnoge štetne pojave poput erozije, slabljenja vitalnosti tla te pojačanog napada štetnika uzgajanih kultura. Mikroorganizmi imaju važnu ulogu u mnogim vitalnim procesima koji se odvijaju u tlu te je od iznimne važnosti očuvati bioraznolikost tla. Potrebna je jača kontrola implementacija skupa aktivnosti koji će dovesti do smanjivanja gubitaka organske tvari a samim time i zaustavljanja procesa uništavanja bioraznolikosti. Postoji skup aktivnosti koji pomažu u očuvanju i povećanju organske tvari tla poput upotrebe komposta, reducirane obrade tla, povećanja proizvodnje biomase te primjene zelene gnojidbe.Organic matter is an important factor in preservation of the global ecosystems and its presence in the soil is of crucial importance for the smooth running of several key soil functions. As the source of plant nutrients and the primary factor of soil structure, the role of organic matter in the agroecosystem is reflected through the influence on physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil, the cycle of plant nutrients, mineralization process, sequestration of the nutrients, degradation of pollutants in the soil, control of the species and number of organisms in the soil, CO2 etc. Reduction of the stock of organic matter in soil by poor agricultural practice has also led to decrease in crop yield and biodiversity. Over the past few decades human activity has reduced the content of organic matter and organic carbon in the soil causing many harmful effects like erosion, decrease of the soil vitality and intensified pest attack. Microorganisms play an important role in many vital processes that take place in the soil and it is of utmost importance to preserve soil biodiversity. There is a need for stronger control of the implementation of a set of activities that will reduce the losses of organic matter and thereby halt the process of destroying biodiversity. There is a set of activities which help in the preservation and increase of soil organic matter such as compost usage, reduced soil treatment, increase in biomass production and green fertilization