Nutrients (1 Viewer)

[mitch_f1]

Hey all
Need a little bit of help. Just need to know why, in rainforests, the concentration of phosphorus, and potassium is higher in the biomass, than in the soil, as opposed to nitrogen, which is in higher concentration in the soil than in the biomass.

Is it something to do with the reactivity of the elements, or is it to do with what the plants need to absorb?

thanks
Mitch

 

[felixcthecat]

doesn't nitrogen naturally appear in soil for plants to grow? lolz, u should be more familiar with this than i am.. when is all this biomass and stuff supposed to be learnt anyway? i have no idea about this stuff..

 

[mitch_f1]

Nitorgen occurs naturally because of the leafe litter and animal compunds breaking down.

We are covering the topic now, hence the sudden influx of questions.

 

[felixcthecat]

maybe fast decomposition in rainforests allow a high nitrogen content in rainforests?

 

[Michiru]

in a rainforest, there is constant, if not daily influx of rain. Hence, the soil, especially the top layer will have very little phosphours and potassium (or any ions for that matter) becuase most will be washed away by the rain.

However, you will find that the soil deeper down will have high concentrations of phosphours and potassium.

 

[smuntz]

I am kinda worried. We finished this topic and we have not covered any of this stuff. THis sounds more like chemistry than geography.

 

[The_highwayman]

as long as u can talk about nutrient cycles and whatnot in ur ecosystem then i assume u'll be fine. My guess is that your teacher asked you this in order to introduce higher-order intellectual concepts into your essays etc.

Ask your teacher if you're worried? he/she would probably be able to explain it better than others here since he/she knows the context of the information and its reletive importance. I mean, thats what they're there for...to teach.