Mor humus

Mor humus is a type of humus found mostly in coniferous forests where there are few earthworms and micro organisms to decompose soil organic matter.[1]

The evergreen needles that litter the forest floor are slow to decompose, in part due to their chemical composition (low PH, high carbon), but also because of the generally cool temperatures and low microbial activity. Unlike other types of humus, the litter layer is substantial and well-differentiated from the fermentation layer, and the fermentation layer remains distinct from the humus layer.[2] It is one of three classifications of humus (decomposed material that can no longer be identified as plant origin after undergoing the humification process.)

Characteristics

Decomposition rate is very slow in mor soils. The fermentation later below the litter layer consists of plant remains still in varying degrees of decomposition. The humus layer of fully decomposed plant material lies beneath these two laters. In comparison, the fermentation and humus layers are not distinguishable in mull soils due to earthworm and micro organism activity that assists with rapid decomposition of organic materials.[3]

More soils are usually very acidic.[3] They are usually cold, wet soils under coniferous forests.[4] Soil mites are more common in acidic soils topped with mor humus than in other types of soils.[5] Mycorrhizal tips per unit of volume are greater in mor soils than mull soils.[6]

References
  1. https://www.britannica.com/science/mor
  2. MacKenzie, M. Derek. "Forest, Range and Wildland Soils" (PDF).
  3. A Textbook of Fungi. p. 38.
  4. Thrive in Ecology and Evolution. p. 201.
  5. A Field Guide to Eastern Forests, North America. p. 60.
  6. Handbook of Applied Mycology. p. 194.


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