Compost is a nutrient-rich, dark, crumbly material that helps improve soil health and provides essential nutrients to plants. Compost results from the management of the natural decomposition process that turns the nutrients from once-living materials into humus, the rich, organic component of soil. Here's your illustrated guide to that process:

the decomposition process
the organisms in your compost pile
chemical decomposers-microorganisms
physical decomposers-larger organisms