Soil organic matter (SOM) are the organic components of soil; carbon-based materials, living, and non-living components in various states of decomposition. Examples are plant roots, microbes, and organic matter humans add to the soil. Soil organic matter is an essential component of healthy soil, and a good way to measure soil fertility. SOM is also the largest terrestrial reservoir of sequestered carbon. More SOM means increased ecosystem services including arability, water infiltration for reduced flooding, and mineral throughput for healthier plants with higher disease and drought resistance. SOM is therefore also a key indicator of soil health, allowing soils to perform, and giving humans the agricultural productivity on which our societies depend.
Depleting SOM and soil health can lead to desertification and loss of productivity, habitat, and biodiversity. SPUN works to demonstrate and advocate for the fungal elements that underpin soil organic matter.