Pla nt Nu tr iti on

 Plants require certain chemical elements to

complete their life cycle
 Plants derive most of their organic mass
from the CO2 of air
 But they also depend on soil nutrients such as
water and minerals CO2, the source
of carbon for
CO2 H2O

O2
Photosynthesis,
diffuses into Through
leaves from the stomata, leaves
air through expel H2O and
stomata. O2.

Roots take in
O2 and expel
CO2. The plant
uses O2 for cellular
respiration but is
a net O2 producer.
O2
Minerals
Roots absorb
CO2
H2O and
minerals from H2O
the soil.
 Ma cro nutrients a nd
Mic ronutr ie nts
 More than 50 chemical elements
 Have been identified among the inorganic
substances in plants, but not all of these are
essential
 A chemical element is considered essential
 If it is required for a plant to complete a life
cycle
 Nine of the essential elements are called
macronutrients
 Because plants require them in relatively large
amounts
 The remaining eight essential elements are
known as micronutrients
 Because plants need them in very small
amounts
Co mmon Deficie ncies
 nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus
Healthy

Phosphate-deficient

Potassium-deficient

Nitrogen-deficient
Nit rogen F ix ation

 Nitrogen is often the mineral that has the

greatest effect on plant growth
 Plants require nitrogen as a component
of
 Proteins, nucleic acids, chlorophyll, and
other important organic molecules
Soi l B acteri a and Nitrogen
Avai labil ity
 Nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert atmospheric N2
to nitrogenous minerals that plants can absorb
as a nitrogen source for organic synthesis
Atmosphere
N2 N2
Atmosphere
Nitrate and
Soil nitrogenous
organic
compounds
Nitrogen-fixing
N2 bacteria
exported in
Denitrifying xylem to
bacteria shoot system
H +

(From soil)
NH3 NH4+
Soil (ammonia)
NH4+ NO3–
(ammonium) Nitrifying (nitrate)
bacteria

Ammonifying
Organic bacteria
material (humus) Root
So il
 Soil quality is a major determinant of plant
distribution and growth
 Along with climate
 The major factors determining whether particular
plants can grow well in a certain location are the
texture and composition of the soil
 Texture
 Is the soil’s general structure
 Composition
 Refers to the soil’s organic and inorganic chemical
components
 Te xtu re a nd
Co mposit ion of So il s
 Various sizes of particles derived from the
breakdown of rock are found in soil
 Along with organic material (humus) in various
stages of decomposition
 The eventual result of this activity is topsoil
 A mixture of particles of rock and organic
material
 The topsoil and other distinct soil layers, or
horizons
 Are often visible in vertical profile where there is
a road cut or deep hole
The A horizon is the topsoil, a mixture of
broken-down rock of various textures, living
organisms, and decaying organic matter.
A
The B horizon contains much less organic
B
matter than the A horizon and is less
weathered.
C The C horizon, composed mainly of partially
broken-down rock, serves as the “parent”
material for the upper layers of soil.

Figure 37.5
 After a heavy rainfall, water drains away
from the larger spaces of soil
 But smaller spaces retain water because of its
attraction to surfaces of clay and other
particles
 The film of loosely bound water
Soil particle surrounded by
 Is usually available to plants
film of water

Root hair

Water
available to
plant

Air space
(a) Soil water. A plant cannot extract all the water in the soil
because some of it is tightly held by hydrophilic soil
particles. Water bound less tightly to soil particles can be
absorbed by the root.
 Acids derived from roots contribute to a
plant’s uptake of minerals
 When H+ displaces mineral cations from
clay particles

Soil particle Cation exchange in soil. Hydrogen ions (H+) help

K+ – – + make nutrients available by displacing positively
K charged minerals (cations such as Ca2+) that were
– –
– – – bound tightly to the surface of negatively charged
– –
Ca2+ soil particles. Plants contribute H+ by secreting it
Cu2+ K+ Mg2+
from root hairs and also by cellular respiration,
which releases CO2 into the soil solution, where it
H+ reacts with H2O to form carbonic acid (H2CO3).
H2O + CO2 H2CO3 HCO3 + H+
–
Dissociation of this acid adds H+ to the soil
solution.

Root hair