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M. Schnitzer

Bio: M. Schnitzer is an academic researcher. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 82 citations.

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Book ChapterDOI
TL;DR: Humic substances are major organic constituents of soils and sediments and are widely distributed over Earth's surface, occurring in almost all terrestrial and aquatic environments as discussed by the authors, and Humic substances arise from the chemical and biological degradation of plant and animal residues and from synthetic activities of microorganisms.
Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter deals with humic substances and discusses its chemistry and reactions. Humic substances, major organic constituents of soils and sediments, are widely distributed over Earth's surface, occurring in almost all terrestrial and aquatic environments. Humic substances arise from the chemical and biological degradation of plant and animal residues and from synthetic activities of microorganisms. The products so formed tend to associate into complex chemical structures that are more stable than starting materials. Important characteristics of humic substances are their ability to form water-soluble and water-insoluble complexes with metal ions and hydrous oxides and to interact with clay minerals and organic compounds such as alkanes, fatty acids, dialkyl phthalates, and pesticides. The capacity of humic substances to adsorb water and plant nutrients was one of the first observations. Humic substances were thought to arise from the prolonged rotting of animal and plant bodies. The chapter also describes the synthesis of humic substances.

290 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jan 2003-Geoderma
TL;DR: In this paper, chemical methods and solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy were used to determine structural chemistry of soil organic matter at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, USA.

174 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the carbon of added glucose, cellulose, and Leuconostoc dextranicus polysaccharide had evolved as CO 2 from normal agricultural soils of Chile and California.
Abstract: During 4 months from 70 to 79% of the carbon of added glucose, cellulose, and Leuconostoc dextranicus polysaccharide had evolved as CO 2 from normal agricultural soils of Chile and California. The presence or additions of allophanic material reduced losses of glucose C by about 25% and of the C of the polysaccharides by 36–65%. From wheat straw, the polysaccharide fraction of wheat straw, and protein, C losses were 60, 78 and 67%, respectively, in the normal soils. Reductions related to allophane were about 41–67%. For a number of microbial cells, C loss reductions due to allophanic materials ranged from 31 to 55%. Carbon losses from catechol and ferulic acid were more related to reactivities of the phenols, the soil pH, and the organic matter content of the soil than to the presence or absence of allophanic material.

138 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, chemical and biological properties were evaluated in 1987 on an acidic silty loam soil following a long-term field study established in 1978 and cultivated with silage corn.
Abstract: Chemical and biological properties were evaluated in 1987 on an acidic silty loam soil following a long-term field study established in 1978 and cultivated with silage corn. Treatments included a control, solid cattle manure (20, 40 and 60 Mg ha−1 FYM) and pig slurry (60, 120 m3 ha−1 SLU) applied every 2 yr and annually, respectively. No fertilizer was applied. The results of this study have shown that neither treatment significantly affected soil pH values, total-N contents and C:N ratios compared to the control. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the soil was significantly higher with FYM treatment than with control or SLU application. The highest rates of FYM and SLU have also increased (P < 0.05) soil organic carbon, microbial activity and potentially mineralizable nitrogen. The soil microflora populations (bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, ammonifiers and nitrifiers) were greatly improved by both treatments. There were no significant differences in organic matter content or the relative amount of hu...

123 citations

Book ChapterDOI
26 Oct 2015

114 citations