Which of the following statement is correct?
a. Dead plant and animals remains, including fecal matter, constitute detritus,
b. Detritus is the product of decomposition.
c. Breakdown of complex inorganic matter into organic substances like CO₂ and nutrients is called as decomposition.
d. Decomposition is a single step process.

Identify the correct order of steps in decomposition.
a. fragmentation, catabolism, leaching, humification and
mineralisation
b. fragmentation, humification, catabolism and
mineralisation
c. fragmentation, leaching, catabolism, humification and
mineralisation
d. fragmentation, leaching, catabolism, mineralisation
and humification.

What is the process by which Detritivores break down the detritus into smaller particles.?
a. Degradation
b. Decomposition
c. Fragmentation
d. Leaching

What does the process of leaching refers to-
a. Accumulation of a dark coloured amorphous substance
B. Organic solvents reabsorbed by the plants
c. Inorganic solvents get precipitated out of the soil
d. Water soluble inorganic nutrients go down into the soil horizon and get precipitated as unavailable salts.

In the process of decomposition ‘catabolism’ is performed by-
a. Earthworms
b. Bacteria
c. Bacteria and fungi
d. Fungi

Which of the following statement is incorrect?
a. All the steps in decomposition operate simultaneously on the humus.
b. Humus is an accumulated dark coloured amorphous substance.
c. Humus is highly resistant to microbial action and undergoes decomposition at an extremely slow rate.
d. Being colloidal in nature humus serves as a reservoir of nutrients.

Which of the following is the substrate in the process of mineralisation?
a. Detritus
b. Humus
c. Organic matter
d. None of the above

Which of the following does not affect rate of decomposition?
a. Substrate composition
b. Soil moisture
c. Temperature of soil
d.CO₂

Decomposition would be fast if the detritus contains-
a. Cellulose
b. Lignin and chitin
c. Nitrogen and water soluble sugars
d. Cellulose and pectin

Which of the following promotes the process of decomposition?
a. Warm and moist environment
b. low temperature
c. Anerobiosis
d. Lignin and chitin rich detritus