water that infiltrates the soil if it is not absorbed by the roots of plants will die.
water that infiltrates the soil if it is not absorbed by the roots of plants will die.
what happens to water that infiltrates the soil if it is not absorbed by the roots of plants?
die
despite the growth of vegetation in a tropical rainforest, soil quality is often quite poor. rapid bacterial decay prevents the accumulation of humus. the concentration of iron and aluminium oxides by the laterization process gives the oxisols a bright red colour and sometimes produces mineral deposits such as bauxite. most trees have roots near the surface, because there are insufficient nutrients below the surface; most of the trees' minerals come from the top layer of decomposing leaves and animals. on younger substrates, especially of volcanic origin, tropical soils may be quite fertile. if rainforest trees are cleared, rain can accumulate on the exposed soil surfaces, creating run-off and beginning a process of soil erosion. eventually streams and rivers form and flooding becomes possible. there are several reasons for the poor soil quality: first is that the soil is highly acidic. the roots of plants rely on an acidity difference between the roots and the soil in order to absorb nutrients. when the soil is acidic, there is little difference, and therefore little absorption of nutrients from the soil. second, the type of clay particles present in tropical rainforest soil has a poor ability to trap nutrients and stop them from washing away. even if humans artificially add nutrients to the soil, the nutrients mostly wash away and are not absorbed by the plants. thirdly, the type of clay particles present in tropical rainforest soil has a poor ability to trap nutrients and stop them from washing away. even if humans artificially add nutrients to the soil, the nutrients mostly wash away and are not absorbed by the plants. finally, these soils are poor due to the high volume of rain in tropical rainforests washes nutrients out of the soil more quickly than in other climates.
rainforest
agricultural soil scientists study ways to make soils more productive. they classify soils and test them to determine whether they contain nutrients vital to plant growth. such nutritional substances include compounds of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. if a certain soil is deficient in these substances, fertilizers may provide them. agricultural soil scientists investigate the movement of nutrients through the soil, and the amount of nutrients absorbed by a plant's roots. agricultural soil scientists also examine the development of roots and their relation to the soil. some agricultural soil scientists try to understand the structure and function of soils in relation to soil fertility. they grasp the structure of soil as porous solid. the solid frames of soil consist of mineral derived from the rocks and organic matter originated from the dead bodies of various organisms. the pore space of the soil is essential for the soil to become productive. small pores serve as water reservoir supplying water to plants and other organisms in the soil during the rain-less period. the water in the small pores of soils is not pure water; they call it soil solution. in soil solution, various plant nutrients derived from minerals and organic matters in the soil are there. this is measured through the cation exchange capacity. large pores serve as water drainage pipe to allow the excessive water pass through the soil, during the heavy rains. they also serve as air tank to supply oxygen to plant roots and other living beings in the soil. in short, agricultural soil scientists see the soil as a vessel, the most precious one for us, containing all of the substances needed by the plants and other living beings on earth.
agricultural soil science