I have a question concerning the end products of compost (in gardening). Not just a general answer, but a specific answer from an organic chemistry point of view concerning a theoretical list of materials that an organic chemist would recognize as end products of compost. That is, if you separated the end components of finished compost into small "piles", what would they be?
In my example, one creates a compost pile for gardening containing the perfect amount of nitrogen and carbon containing materials from straw, cow manure, vegetable scraps, fruit waste, biochar, and coffee grounds. Then, bacteria multiply by the trillions, heat up the compost, and run their course. That's followed by fungal activity to further break down the material. After an unspecified time, bacteria no longer can sustain their activity, die off or become inactive. Fungal activity decreases. At this point, what is left? Are there piles of partially broken down lignin strands? Cellulose/glucose? Partially broken down cellulose? What chemicals remain?
I apologize if this is not the right sub-forum for this topic. I am trying to understand the end components of compost, and I think only the organic chemistry community would actually be able to understand this. I'm a little tired of hearing the term "black gold".
