Nutrient Pools & Limiting Factors Flashcards
Limiting factors: (3)
A plants growth cannot be greater than is allowed by the one limiting factor.
Includes limits of nutrients as well as sunlight, water and heat.
As concentration of limiting factor increases, the plant growth will increase correspondingly.
If excess nutrient concentrations are available then the plant may
Take up too much, leading to toxicity; result is reduced plant growth and possible plant death
Plant-available pool:
Particles are dissolved in
Soil solution where they can be absorbed by plant roots.
Labile pool:
Exchangeable nutrients can
Move readily between surface and solution.
Stable nutrient pool:
Long term reservoir of
Essential elements.
Plant-available pool:
Usually less than
1% of total soil nutrient content.
Plant-available pool:
Major changes in concentration over
Short periods of time from loss by leaching and uptake by plants.
Labile pool:
Considered as
Plant available.
Labile pool:
Includes nutrients held in
Soluble minerals and decomposing organic matter.
Stable nutrient pool:
Released over a
Long time by mineral weathering.
Stable nutrient pool:
90% of soil nutrients are
Locked up in minerals (mica & feldspars) and are non-exchangeable.
