Original Organic 

 Matter 



1,000 lbs. C 

 12.5 lbs. N 



C : N Ratio 80 : 1 



'Microbial Cell 



125 lbs. C 

 12.5 lbs. 



ells 1 



^ 



Wast-e Products 

 -*-CO2-250lbs. C 

 ->-C0, - 83 lbs. C 



(A) Microbial Cells 



42 lbs. C 

 4.2 lbs. N 



Ammonia 



8.3 lbs. N 



^Residual Undecomposed 

 Organic Matter 



625 lbs. C 



(B) Microbial 

 Cells 



83 lbs. C 

 8.3 lbs. N 



-►CO,- 166 lbs. C 



(C) Residual Undecomposed 

 Organic Matter 



376 lbs. C 



Combining (A) and (B) 



Microbial Cell 



125 lbs. C 

 12.5 lbs 



:ells ] 



-(D) Microbial Cells 



42 lbs. C 

 4.2 lbs. N 



Ammonia 



8.3 lbs. N 



(C) Residual Undecomposed 

 Organic Matter 



376 lbs. C 



^^(£ 



(F) Residual Undecomposed 

 Organic Matter 



127 lbs. C 



-*-C0, - 83 lbs. C 



-►CO,- 166 lbs. C 



(£■) Microbial 

 Cells 



83 lbs. C 

 8.3 lbs. N 



Combining (D) and (E) 



Microbial Cells | 



125 lbs. C 

 12.5 lbs. N 



-(C) Microbial Cells 



42 lbs. C 

 4.2 lbs. N 



Ammonia 



8.3 lbs. N 



(F) Residual Undecomposed 

 Organic Matter 



127 lbs. C 



Combining (G) and (//) 



lial Cells 1 

 bs. C > 

 bs. N J 



Microb 



84 lbs 

 8.4 lbs. 



CN Ratio 10- 1 



-► CO, - 83 lbs. C 



(//) Microbial 



Cells 



42 lbs. C 



4.2 lbs. N 



No Residual 

 Undecomposed 

 Organic Matter 



-V CO2 - 85 lbs. C 

 -^ NH,-4.1 lbs. N 



-► CO2 - 56 lbs C 

 -►NH,- 5.6 lbs. N 



^Microbial Cells 

 28 lbs. C 

 2.8 lbs. N 



C:N Ratio 10:1 



Fig. 48.— Schematic representation of the changes in the carbon an(i nitrogen 

 of organic matter during the decomposition of material containing small 

 amounts of nitrogen. (Braces in each case indicate decomposition taking 



place.) 

 98 



