soils – Climate, Forests and Woodlands

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019

Dynamics of Nutrient Cycling

Adapted from: Peter M. Bierman and Carl J. Rosen. Nutrient Cycling and Maintain Soil Fertility in Fruit and Vegetable Crop Systems. Department of Soil, Water and Climate, University of Minnesota. Available at: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/m1193.html#nutcyc

Introduction

Plants require four factors for growth and reproduction: light, water, the right temperature, and nutrients. Plant nutrients are chemical elements that are mostly absorbed by plant roots as inorganic chemicals dissolved in water, and it is important to understand both the biological and chemical processes that …

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019

Understanding Decomposition and Its Controls

Written by Sabrina Kleinman

Decomposition is the breakdown of dead organic material into smaller particles, which helps release nutrients and carbon for plant and microbial production. Decomposition converts these dead materials into organic materials, inorganic nutrients, and CO₂. The process involves a series of integrated physical and chemical reactions that are performed by a vast array of soil organisms, enzymes, chemicals, and physical processes. This breakdown limits the amount of carbon that can be stored within an ecosystem, …

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019

Dynamics of Nutrient Cycling, cont.

Adapted from: Peter M. Bierman and Carl J. Rosen. Nutrient Cycling and Maintain Soil Fertility in Fruit and Vegetable Crop Systems. Department of Soil, Water and Climate, University of Minnesota. Available at: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/m1193.html#nutcyc

Soil fertility can be maintained when nutrients are efficiently recycled through the soil food web and soil-plant-animal system. Nutrient cycling is conveniently illustrated in diagrams that range from very simple (Fig. 1) to extremely complex (Fig. 2).

Basic Plant Nutrient Cycle

Figure 1. This diagram illustrates how

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May 16, 2019May 16, 2019

Basic Soil Components

Written by Tom DeGomez, University of Arizona, Peter Kolb, Montana State University, and Sabrina Kleinman, University of Arizona

A soil is simply a porous medium consisting of minerals, water, gases, organic matter, and microorganisms. The traditional definition is: Soil is a dynamic natural body having properties derived from the combined effects of climate and biotic activities, as modified by topography, acting on parent materials over time.

There are five basic components of soil that, when present in …

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019

Understanding Soils in Forests

Written by Sabrina Kleinman

Soil is an important component of forest and woodland ecosystems as it helps regulate important ecosystem processes, such as nutrient uptake, decomposition, and water availability. Soil also represents one of the largest carbon pools on the planet whose alteration can impact carbon storage and carbon emissions. Soil carbon helps soils retain water, increases soil’s capacity for holding on to important nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous, and serves as a source of energy for belowground organisms …

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019

Soils and Water Availability

Written by Peter Kolb, Montana State University

Soil water availability is the capacity of a soil to hold water that is available for plant use. A soil is simply a porous medium consisting of minerals, organic matter, water, and gases. The traditional definition of soil is: Soil is a dynamic natural body having properties derived from the combined effects of climate and biotic activities, as modified by topography, acting on parent materials over time.

Figure 1. Diagram

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