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1、CompostingA T H O M ER o b e r t R y n k thatis, it requires oxygen. The desired decomposers need oxygen towork their magic. The oxygen consumed during composting must 5be continually replaced by aeration (air flow through the materials).Good aeration is encouraged by placing bulky composting ingred
2、i-ents in the pile to create pathways for air movement, and by“turning” the materials to loosen and mix them. If oxygen becomesscarce, anaerobic decomposition takes place. Anaerobic decom-position is undesirable in a compost pile because it is slower,creates unpleasant odors, and produces little hea
3、t.Nutrients The decomposer organisms obtain many nutrients fromthe composting ingredients, but carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) areparticularly important. A well-balanced proportion of carbon andnitrogen usually ensures a good supply of all nutrients and allowscomposting to proceed rapidly. A balance of
4、carbon and nitrogencan be achieved by combining carbon-rich or “brown” materialswith nitrogen-rich or “green” materials (see “Recipes for Success”).Degradability The speed at which composting occurs is largelydetermined by the degradability of the materials, that is, how easilythey decompose. Microo
5、rganisms easily digest materials contain-ing a high proportion of sugars, starches, and proteins, such asFigure 2. Basics of the composting processHeatWater Carbon DioxideOrganicIngredientscontaining carbon,nitrogen, other nutrients,water, minerals,microorganisms, etc.Compostcontaining organicmatter
6、, nutrients,minerals, water,microorganinisms, etc.TheCompostingProcessAir (oxygen)6food scraps, manure, and green vegetation. Straw, plant stems,and, especially, woody materials take longer to decompose andmay even pass through the composting process with little change.You will notice that many nitr
7、ogen-rich materials (greens) tend todecompose quickly, while the carbon-rich materials (browns) areless degradable. The degradability of a material is enhanced byshredding and by ensuring that adequate amounts of nitrogen andwater are available.Moisture Microorganisms need moisture to carry out thei
8、r work. Ifthe materials are dry, the process slows down. On the other hand,too much water makes the compost pile soggy and dense, whichhinders aeration. Composting materials should be moist but notdripping wet.Surface area The decomposer organisms work on the surface ofparticles. Because smaller par
9、ticles offer more surface area,composting is generally faster when materials are chopped,shredded, or cut into pieces. However, a pile with only fine particlesis dense and therefore does not aerate well. Particles in the rangeof 1/4 to 2 inches usually compost well. As decompositionprogresses, parti
10、cles shrink in size and tend to compact. Turninghelps to loosen the compacted particles and improves aeration.Temperature Heat generated by the microorganisms duringcomposting raises the temperature of the composting materials.The temperatures in a compost pile often rise above 120F andsometimes exc
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