Tag: Soil science

According to the World Health Organization, over two billion people worldwide suffer from micronutrient malnutrition, highlighting the critical role these nutrients play in global health. To understand their function and impact, it's essential to first grasp the distinction: what are organic and inorganic micronutrients?

While garlic is a potent superfood known for its numerous sulfur compounds, research indicates it does not naturally produce or contain fulvic acid. This article clarifies the distinction between garlic's inherent properties and the humic substances found in the soil where it grows, explaining the source of this common health myth.

According to the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, the most common elements on Earth, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur (CHNOPS), are also the most important nutrients for plants. To truly grasp where do nutrients originate, we must look beyond our dinner plates and delve into the fundamental processes of the planet.

Did you know that commercially available urea contains approximately 46% nitrogen by weight, making it the most concentrated solid nitrogen fertilizer on the market? This chemical compound provides essential nutrients found in urea through a biological process that fuels plant development and lush vegetative growth.

Over 400 'dead zones' exist worldwide due to nutrient excess in waterways, highlighting their critical location and cycling in ecosystems. But where are nutrients located in the context of our daily lives, from the food on our plate to the larger environment that sustains all life? Nutrients are fundamental chemical elements and compounds found across all biotic and abiotic components of the planet, from organic food sources to mineral-rich soil.

Scientists estimate that life first emerged from chemical building blocks on early Earth more than 3.5 billion years ago. Understanding where did nutrients come from is a story of planetary geology, ancient microbes, and the evolution of life itself.

According to botanical studies, over 95% of a plant's biomass comes from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but the remaining percentage, though small, is absolutely critical for its survival and development. Mineral nutrition is the process by which plants and other organisms absorb, transport, and assimilate inorganic nutrients from their environment to support metabolic functions and growth.

According to the National Institutes of Health, a large percentage of the population does not meet the recommended daily intake for magnesium, a deficiency that can upset the body's mineral balance and impact the overall Ca to Mg ratio. Understanding the ideal calcium-to-magnesium ratio is essential for human health, as these two minerals work in concert across numerous biological and environmental processes.

Over 96% of the human body is composed of just four elements, but the remaining essential minerals are indispensable for proper function. Understanding what are the functions of mineral matter is crucial across multiple fields, including human health, animal husbandry, and crop science. These inorganic nutrients are absorbed from the environment and play diverse, critical roles that are necessary for all life to thrive.

According to scientists, plants need 17 specific chemical elements to complete their life cycle. These elements are not just beneficial; they are absolutely critical for growth, development, and reproduction, and a lack of any single one can severely limit a plant's health and productivity.