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Humus, the organic material of soil, is made up of what?
AWeathered rock ground into fine particles
BLiving roots and their attached root hairs
CMicroorganisms and dead plants and animals
DMineral salts dissolved in the soil solution
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. Microorganisms and dead plants and animals
1. The organic material of soil is called humus.
2. It is made up of microorganisms, both dead and alive, together with dead animals and plants in varying stages of decay.
3. Humus improves soil structure and provides plants with water and minerals.
4. Weathered rock is the inorganic material of soil rather than the organic fraction.
_Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 31 "Soil and Plant Nutrition", section 31.2 The Soil_
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