Much of the SOM is insoluble in water but helps to retain water and water-soluble plant nutrients so that they can be taken up by plants roots.
{"Image DocumentName": "Much of the SOM is insoluble in water but helps to retain water and water-soluble plant nutrients so that they can be taken up by plants roots.", "Image ImageDescription": "Nutrients include inorganic minerals such as phosphorus, nitrogen and sulfur, which are needed for healthy plant growth. SOM also has many other important physical functions. There are spaces or pores that exist between the SOM which act to hold water (much like a sponge), oxygen and nitrogen. Some of the SOM along with fungi create aggregates that. allow for a more stable structure of the soil. This creates a soil layer that is more resistant to erosion; therefore, soils with greater amounts of SOM have. less degradation.", "Image XResolution": "37", "Image YResolution": "37", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Centimeter", "Image Software": "SlidePlayer", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered"}