On the basis of organic matter content, soils are characterized as mineral or organic. Mineral soils form most of the world’s cultivated land and may contain from a trace to 30% organic matter. Organic soils are naturally rich in organic matter principally for climatic reasons. Although they contain more than 30% organic matter, it is precisely for this reason that they are not vital cropping soils. This soils bulletin concentrates on the organic matter dynamics of cropping soils. In brief, it discusses circumstances that deplete organic matter and the negative outcomes of this. The bulletin then moves on to more proactive solutions. It reviews a “basket” of practices in order to show how they can increase organic matter content and discusses the land and cropping benefits that then accrue. Soil organic matter is any material produced originally by living organisms (plant or animal) that is returned to the soil and goes through the decomposition process (Plate 1). At any given time
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