1. Managing the Soil
Section 4.2

2. Managing Soil Nutrients
The nutrients plants require are found in the soil
Potassium
Nitrogen
Phosphorous
As plants grow they take in these nutrients
As plants are harvested these nutrients are removed from the ecosystem

3. Fertilizers Natural: Synthetic: From plant/animal waste Compost Manure
Manufactured by chemical processes
Farmers started using them in 1960s and saw increased crop yields

4. Environmental Impacts of Fertilizers
Synthetic fertilizers are very concentrated so they change the community of soil organisms
Can leach out of the soil and enter the water system.

5. Algal Blooms
Fertilizer in water systems causes an increase algae, which then dies and decomposes
The bacteria involved in decomposition use up a lot of dissolved oxygen which kills fish and other organisms

6. Water in the Soil Farmers often use irrigation to add water to crops
If there is too much water then drainage must be added

7. Soil Compaction
If soil is compacted it has decreased oxygen levels and water will have difficulty passing through.

8. Today’s Task
Pg. 128 #3, 4, 6, 8
Read Black Gold – page 129