How soil fertility changes. What does soil fertility depend on? Life in the soil: are bacteria alive?

Dear user, in the previous article you were provided with information on how. Let's find out now what does soil fertility depend on? on your site.

Fertility directly depends on the presence and amount of humus in it. Soils with a high humus content are characterized by: looseness, excellent water absorption, good air permeability and, most importantly, a high content of substances necessary for plants. Humus is formed as a result of the vital activity of microorganisms; when they come into contact with various organic compounds, it has the ability to glue soil particles into lumps, which gives it structure. According to the degree of fertility, the soil is divided into rich, medium or poor in humus.

In order to determine the presence of humus in the soil, let us again turn to plants. Using the table below, you can draw up a diagram of the placement of compactly growing groups of plants on your plot of land. You should pay attention to plants that grow in a group (at least three individuals) and look healthy. It should be borne in mind that quite often in areas that are allocated for garden plots, the soil has a heterogeneous composition: on the same 6 acres of land you can have all types of acid-base balance, mechanical composition, and fertility.

Plants that determine poor soil according to humus content:

Lingonberry Heather Arable clover Cranberry

Meadow Siberian Blueberry Lesser Sorrel Hairy Hawk

Plants that determine the average soil according to humus content:

Anemone buttercup Wintergreen rotundifolia Bedstraw Strawberry

Shield fern White cinquefoil Marigold marsh clover Medium clover

Plants that determine rich soil according to humus content:

Kopyten Ivan-tea Oxalis Nettle

Soil is a biological ecosystem on which any living organisms depend, their growth and vital functions. The future harvest is determined by its composition and characteristics.

Fertility is the ability to grow healthy plants, providing them with the necessary nutrition, oxygen and water. On good lands, high-quality fruits ripen in significant quantities. What does soil fertility depend on?

Factors affecting yield

• The natural structure of the soil, determined by the specifics of the climatic zone.
• Availability of groundwater and its depth.
• Level of land pollution.

This is not a complete list of what soil fertility depends on. There are also artificial factors. Rational farming, agrotechnical treatment, fertilization - these are all things on which soil fertility for growing agricultural products depends.

How to improve fertility

Black soil is considered the best soil. Its formation takes several hundred years, but destruction is possible in 3-5 years. Over time, humus is washed out, the soil structure becomes clogged, most microorganisms die, and the flow of oxygen and water to plants deteriorates. How can you improve soil fertility?

The restoration process depends on the soil structure. Before you can improve soil fertility, you need to know what it consists of. For example, peat, lime, ash, and sawdust are added to clay soils. They will make the soil looser and more permeable, suitable for farming.

For peat and chernozem soils, regular application of organic fertilizers (manure, compost, bird droppings) will be sufficient. In addition to nitrogen, they contain beneficial microorganisms that can increase fertility several times in a short time.

How can you improve soil fertility? First of all, you need to check its acid-base reaction. Taking into account the test results, take further actions. For acidic clay soils, it would be advisable to add slaked lime and dolomite flour in the fall before digging. Alkaline soils, on the contrary, are acidified with gypsum.

If the arable layer has become depleted as a result of long-term use, then you need to give it a break.

Holidays for the soil

The most fertile soil needs periodic rest. You cannot grow one crop in one place for several years. This leads to soil depletion.

Preservation of fertility

Natural processes are not immutable. And the natural fertility of the soil as a result of its use in agriculture changes dynamically, sometimes increasing, sometimes decreasing. The latter indicator is extremely undesirable, as it characterizes one of the main reasons for the decrease in the efficiency of growing products. How can you improve soil fertility?

Natural fertility is inherent in any soil because it is part of a specific ecosystem under specific conditions. But it is not enough for growing agricultural products. In addition, as a result of improper use, its structure is often damaged. Restoring soil fertility is a necessary agrotechnical technique in agriculture.

Consistent artificial improvement of arable land will make it possible to recoup costs and receive annual income from the sale of crops. The farmer’s task is not only to maintain, but also to preserve soil fertility.

Gray podzolic soils

On these lands, a wide variety of agricultural crops grown in the forest-steppe are cultivated: corn, winter and spring wheat, potatoes, flax, sugar beets, etc.

Dark gray forest soils are closest to chernozems and have a higher degree of fertility than light gray soils. Their agronomic properties are similar to gray soils and require a special approach and fertilization. Creating a thick cultivated layer and adding calcium to neutralize acidity is a common technique for all forest soils.

In light gray and gray lands, the layer of humus is small and amounts to 15-25 cm. Beneath it lies a brown illuvial horizon. It is loaded with aluminum and iron, which are toxic to plants. Therefore, plowing should be shallow, and loosening of the illuvial horizon should be done using a non-moldboard method. In this case, the underlying soils will not be brought to the surface, and fertility will not be affected. To deepen the arable layer, you can gradually (2 cm per year) plow the illuvial horizon while simultaneously introducing organic matter, mineral fertilizers and calcium compounds (lime, chalk, dolomite flour). Good results can be obtained by grass sowing.

In dark gray forest soils, the upper fertile layer reaches 40 cm. And the upper part of the illuvial layer is saturated with humus. Therefore, deep plowing with the application of manure, mineral fertilizers and calcium in the form of gypsum and lime in a 1:1 ratio would be advisable here.

Eroded soils

Weakly, moderately and heavily eroded soils require special attention from farmers. Their illuvial horizon is already involved in the upper arable layer. For such lands, it is rational to carry out deep loosening, liming, application of increased doses of mineral and organic fertilizers, and grass sowing.

In areas with eroded soils, measures are necessary to prevent further soil loss. These include: tillage terracing, cultivation across the slope, etc.

Forest-steppe chernozems

When growing crops on these lands, the main thing is to maintain soil fertility conditions. It is necessary to use their potential environmentally correctly and wisely. Processing should be carried out during the period of ripeness, with an annual alternation of deep plowing and shallow, non-moldboard loosening for various crops. This must be done to preserve the earthy-lumpy structure of chernozems and eliminate (reduce) humus losses from mineralization. For example, with no-moldboard flat-cut tillage for winter wheat, even without sufficient rainfall, it will take root well and produce decent seedlings. But for a high yield, deep moldboard plowing and simultaneous application of manure are required.

Preserving the fertility of black soils

The use of vermicompost has a high effect on agricultural yields on gray forest soils and chernozems. When using chernozems, great attention should be paid to measures for the accumulation and preservation of soil moisture.

Meadowlands

They are highly fertile, rich in humus and nutrients. Farm land use can be carried out on meadow-chernozem, meadow and meadow-bog soils. They successfully grow demanding crops.

The main disadvantage of such lands is the proximity of groundwater, which often contains salts (mineralized). Therefore, the most important factor in increasing plant productivity is the regulation of water regime.

Techniques for regulating soil fertility

Depending on the biological characteristics of plants and the nature of land use, there are techniques that allow you to obtain high yields without depleting the soil.

• Regulating the nutritional regime - applying mineral fertilizers.
• Comprehensive improvement of agrochemical, agrophysical, microbiological qualities - the use of organic fertilizers and the cultivation of herbs.
• Regulation of water-air balance - mechanical treatment.
• Monitoring agrophysical and chemical properties - the use of compounds containing calcium for liming or gypsuming of soils.

The use of any soil must ensure the reproduction of fertility necessary for the planned amount of environmentally friendly, economically profitable products per unit area.

The quality and composition of the soil on the site are of great importance, because the yield of planted crops depends on this. Today we will look at the main types and types of fertility, and also figure out how to determine the quality of the soil in a garden plot and what ways there are to improve its quality.

Soil that can partially or completely satisfy the plants’ need for nutrients is considered fertile. This means that all the necessary components are balanced in it, which allows the planted crops to grow and develop. Soil that lacks any substances is considered infertile or less fertile.
According to soil type they are divided into:

• clayey;
• sandy;
• sandy loam;
• loamy;
• limestone;
• swampy;
• black soil

Important! Soil fertility is determined by the degree of interaction of all its components with each other.

Types of fertility

The earth can be saturated with useful substances thanks to natural processes and by improving its quality using agricultural techniques. Fertility can also be viewed in terms of yield, or the profit received from a harvested crop. Based on these criteria, fertility is divided into the following types.

This definition is typical for soil with periodically high yields. In this case, everything depends on a combination of factors such as weather conditions and agricultural technology used on a specific plot of land.
For example, in a dry summer, the most fertile soil - chernozem - will yield less than podzolic soil.

Natural

This is a type of fertility that is due to the rich composition of the soil, regardless of weather and economic activity.

Artificial

The soil is saturated with necessary substances due to human economic activity, that is, it is enriched not in a natural way, but through fertilizers and planting.

Such fertility is a combination of qualitative properties of the landscape and agricultural technology used by humans. The unit of measurement in this case is the harvest or its value.

How to determine the fertility of a site and what it depends on

The fertility of the soil on the site determines the successful cultivation and productivity of crops planted on it, so it is very important to determine the level of its fertility before planting plants.

Did you know? Our planet was originally a barren rocky area, and it took centuries for the soil to form. This happened under the influence of climatic conditions - winds, rain, temperature changes and many other factors.

One of the criteria for assessing soil is to determine its physical properties, namely: structure, composition, texture, as well as the location of groundwater. All this can be determined by eye, after a careful inspection of the land on the site. Fertile soil should be loose, porous and textured.

This structure is considered ideal and promotes good aeration, proper distribution and retention of moisture, as well as constant renewal of the soil, subject to proper planting and, if necessary, various fertilizers.

Chemical properties

Chemical analysis will allow us to learn much more about the quality of the soil; among the mandatory components that must be present in it, the following can be distinguished:

• phosphorus;
• potassium.

If during the research it turned out that all these indicators are within normal limits, then such soil can be considered fertile.

Important! A high content of potassium, salts and easily soluble chemical elements automatically deprives the soil of the definition of fertile.

Even if the studies did not show the best results, and it turned out that there is a deficiency of useful components, but harmful and toxic substances are in excess, you should not be upset, because this can be corrected. We'll look at how to do this a little later.

The presence of microorganisms and bacteria in the soil is not at all a negative characteristic, but, on the contrary, is necessary for its fertility. Microorganisms can significantly improve soil quality by loosening, retaining moisture, increasing heat, oxygenation and ventilation.
Soil in which there are few or no microorganisms and bacteria is considered poor.

Did you know? It is the soil that is the most powerful and effective water filter on Earth. This cleaning is three-stage and consists of biological, physical and chemical filtration.

Despite the fact that the formation and composition of soil is an incredibly complex natural process, we still have the opportunity to influence fertility and adjust its level. To do this, it is necessary to take into account a lot of nuances, and the fundamental ones are the application of fertilizers, compliance with the rules of crop rotation and agricultural technology.
Regardless of how fertile the soil is on your site, there are general rules for saturating or maintaining it:

• planting annual plants;

• soil rest every 4-5 years, that is, no crops are planted, the land “walks”, but at the same time in spring and autumn it is plowed and fertilized with organic matter;
• planting medicinal plants: this can be garlic, wormwood or other plants that can disinfect the soil.

Clay substrate is classified as low-fertility due to:

• dense structure;
• poor warm-up;
• insufficient air circulation;
• improper distribution of moisture (it lingers on the surface and does not enter the lower layers).

But, with all this, clay soil is considered quite rich, and if it is properly cultivated, many plants can be successfully grown on it.
Actions to improve soil quality should be as follows:

1. It is necessary to loosen the soil to a depth of more than 25 cm and thereby ensure aeration; this can be done by adding sand or, at the rate of 30 kg per 1 sq. m. m.
2. In order to increase the number of microorganisms and bacteria, manure or compost is added.
3. Liming is used to reduce acidity.

Important!Plants should be planted shallowly in clay soil; this will help the root system to develop well and receive the necessary moisture and nutrients.

Such soil is considered poor, since it contains practically no useful substances. But its structure cannot but please, because the sand quickly warms up and air circulates well in it.

It perfectly passes water, preventing it from stagnating, but in hot summers this is rather one of the disadvantages of this soil, since the moisture in it instantly evaporates, so peat, manure and compost should be added to it in order to ensure moisture retention.

It is best to do this in the autumn.
Regular feeding with complex fertilizers is very important.

They are used to enrich the soil. They need to be sown to a depth of 13-15 cm so that they receive enough moisture.

Did you know? 95% of what humanity eats comes from the earth.

Such soil is an excellent option, as it harmoniously combines good structure and a large amount of nutrients. It is necessary to feed sandy loam soil only when it is severely depleted. For this purpose, complex mineral fertilizers and organic matter are applied.

This soil has good characteristics and is suitable for growing most crops. There is no need to improve its quality, you just need to make sure that it is not depleted, and for this you need to regularly and timely apply complex mineral fertilizers.

Very poor soil, with quite a lot of rocky inclusions, but it can easily be improved if you apply a few tricks, namely:

• regularly loosen the soil;
• feed with mineral complexes;
• mulch the soil;
• plant green manure;
• add regularly for acidification.

If you follow these simple rules of agricultural technology, you can grow any crops on limestone.

Such soils are classified as infertile, but it is quite simple to cultivate and enrich them; to do this, you need to perform the following steps:

• dig the soil deeply in order to raise the sandy layers;
• add manure, compost, slurry or biological additives to normalize the number of microorganisms;
• feed the soil by applying fertilizers high in phosphorus and potassium.

To normalize acidity, lime is added.

A real luxury is chernozem - an ideal soil that does not require improvement in quality, and its disadvantages include only the fact that it is in short supply. If there is such land on your site, then it should be valued, namely: do not allow it to be depleted, apply mineral fertilizers in a timely manner, plant green manure and give it a rest when necessary.

Video: 8 ways to increase soil fertility

In order to grow crops, you need not just safe soil, but also one with fertile properties. Soil fertility is influenced by factors such as acidity, salinity, the presence of necessary minerals and microorganisms, as well as carbon dioxide saturation. Sometimes these factors are not given the necessary attention, but they are the ones that influence the quality of future crops.

Responsible for how well plants will receive the necessary substances and in what volume. This largely depends on the presence of humus in it - a useful substance that affects the looseness and ability of the earth to retain moisture and heat. The presence of useful minerals, trace elements and vitamins in the soil also depends on the quality of humus. Without them, plants are not able to fully grow. Sometimes they try to make up for their shortage with various additives and fertilizers, without understanding the reasons for the shortage. Thus, when choosing the wrong additives, even more damage is caused to the soil. Doing it yourself may not identify all deviations and lead to incorrect results.

Humus appears during the death of microorganisms living in the soil. This is an excellent natural fertilizer that is responsible for the quality of the soil and its ability to provide everything the plants need. But it is also responsible for how resistant the plants will be to various diseases and pests. Humus helps break down pesticides and salts so that these compounds become safe, and also improves various soil properties.

In order for all elements of soil fertility to provide good results, it is necessary that their balance be maintained. An excess of one substance can lead to changes in properties and deterioration of fertility.

Basic elements of soil fertility

Soil characteristics can vary significantly even within the same country. It depends not only on the geographical location, weather conditions and type of terrain. Even human activity can greatly influence the formation of soil and its properties. Nowadays, as a result of various human activities, the amount of fertile soil and its quality are decreasing.

Soil is a complex structure formed from various factors. The following soil fertility factors can be identified:

• Ability to absorb water. Water is one of the most important criteria for the existence of life. The condition of the plants depends on the quality of the liquid and its quantity. A lack of fluid can cause the soil to become poor and have low fertility properties. Also, one violation entails others, and if there is a lack of water, looseness may be impaired.
• The presence of necessary vitamins, minerals and microorganisms in it. In addition to moisture, plants also need various nutrients. They are responsible for the correct and complete growth of plants. Also, the absence of minerals or microorganisms disrupts the natural balance in the soil composition. This may also lead to changes in properties. But over time, the soil can become depleted and reduce the supply of nutrients. In order to prevent this or make up for the shortage, it is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the land, as well as follow special rules. To compensate for the lack of substances in the soil, you can resort to soil enrichment. But in this case, it is necessary to first examine the composition and properties of the soil. Incorrect enrichment methods can further harm the earth. It is also best to take breaks in planting so that the soil restores its natural reserves of nutrients and rests.
• Ventilation. Air is also important for all life on earth. With proper air circulation, the soil is saturated with oxygen. Oxygen is necessary not only for plants, but also for microorganisms and bacteria found in the soil. The presence of harmful microorganisms and diseases in the soil also depends on it.
• Atmosphere pressure. Correct atmospheric pressure affects the movement of air, which disperses moisture and carries it throughout the area. Without such air movement, moisture will not fully evenly flow into the ground and nourish the plants.

Therefore, soil fertility depends on the content of many substances in it that nourish plants and maintain the correct properties of the soil. But it is important to monitor these indicators and maintain them, avoiding complete depletion of the land and loss of fertile properties.

There are many ways that can improve these indicators. Some are best used only after detailed soil analysis and expert advice. So, in order to better saturate the soil with oxygen, it is best to apply fertilizers no deeper than 3-4 meters. The layers of the earth are in constant motion and the oxygen supplied along with fertilizers will be on the top layer of the earth. This will help the crop grow healthy and of high quality. Knowledge of such subtleties and the ability to notice changes in the soil in time are the key to a high-quality harvest.

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What is soil acidity?

Just like other factors, acidity also affects soil quality. It has a great influence on plant health. Acidity appears due to various weed plants that secrete juice during their growth and life. A small number of such plants can have a good effect on the soil and saturate it with trace elements and minerals. But if there are too many of them, then the acidity level can significantly exceed the permissible standards. Such soil will no longer be suitable for growing plants.

Acidity can negatively affect plant development, even if other indicators are in order. Acidity is determined by hydrogen ions that accumulate in the soil. It becomes unsuitable for many types of plants due to the fact that the plants are not able to absorb the plants contained in the soil. Plants stop receiving the necessary substances and, as a result, their growth and yield as a whole deteriorate. But there are also those types of domestic crops that thrive in such an acidic environment and this does not affect their growth.

Biological substances and vitamins, which are often used to cultivate land, can prevent the appearance of weeds. But most often, hand weeding is used to control weeds. This is a labor-intensive process that may not always lead to the desired results. After all, land completely cleared of weeds can change its properties. Therefore, all changes must occur gradually so that the earth has time to recover. It is best to eliminate weeds in several stages, taking short breaks.

Acidity is not always caused by weeds. There are other methods of deoxidizing the earth that help restore its natural composition. For this, limestone, ash, special green fertilizers and deoxidizers can be used.

Soil saturation with carbon dioxide

But this is not all that soil fertility depends on. Also, the presence of carbon dioxide is an important component of fertile soil. It is widely believed that carbon dioxide can negatively affect plants, but in fact it speeds up natural reactions in the soil. In this way, the minerals and chemical compounds contained in the earth are enriched. Thus, saturating the soil with carbon dioxide allows you to increase the speed of plant growth and productivity.

Humus and manure are natural fertilizers that effectively improve all soil indicators. They also contribute to an increase in carbon dioxide levels and increase productivity. The greater the productivity of the gas, the greater its ability to saturate plants with necessary substances.

But enriching soil with carbon dioxide or biological microelements is a complex process that requires special attention. You cannot thoughtlessly add various fertilizers and additives trying to achieve a good result. On the contrary, they can further deteriorate the condition of the soil and lead to its deterioration. If you add too many substances, this may lead to a change in properties and structure.

The application of various fertilizers should be carried out after a comprehensive soil analysis. It will not only help analyze the condition of the soil, but also its composition, properties and degree of fertility. This way you can find out how suitable it is for growing plants and how best to improve soil fertility.

And for the inspection to be as accurate and high-quality as possible, it is best to have it carried out by a highly qualified specialist. This cannot be done without special equipment and knowledge of all the intricacies of the process. By entrusting this research to the experts of the EcoTestExpress laboratory, you can be sure that you will receive the most accurate results. The test is carried out on many indicators and high-precision laboratory equipment is used. And knowing what soil fertility depends on and following the test results, experts can suggest how to most effectively improve the condition of the land.

The soil is a complex biological ecosystem, consisting of many components, which determines the rate of growth and development of the crop. Various processes occur in the soil, the interdependence of which is the key to its fertility.

The factors on which fertility depends are as follows:

Natural soil structure (chemical composition) and specific features of the climatic zone;
- groundwater and its location relative to the soil;
- the level of environmental and soil pollution in a given area;
- climate of the area.

The chemical composition of the soil is of utmost importance for its fertility. The presence or absence of certain elements can have a detrimental effect on the quality of the crop. The soil must have a sufficient amount of nitrogen, potassium and the main component - humus.

Humus is an organic component of soil that is the main nutrition for plants. Fertility largely depends on the presence and quantity of this component. Rich soil contains 8 to 12% humus. Soil with a high nutrient content is dark in color and ideal for plant root systems.

The presence of salts and microelements in the soil is also important. The chemical composition largely depends on the climate zone. However, an excess amount of minerals and trace elements can have a detrimental effect on the condition of plants, therefore, when enriching the soil, it is necessary to calculate correctly and not overdo it with the amount of minerals.

Equally important are physical properties, which include the ability to absorb and retain moisture, as well as porosity, which is very important for the process. The temperature of fertile soil should exceed 10 ° C at a depth of 20 cm, moisture content should be at least 60%. The amount of oxygen is at least 12%, and preferably up to 25%.

In many ways, the fertility of mail depends on the vital activity and activity of microorganisms, which contribute to the formation of humus and the processing of chemical elements into a form accessible for absorption by plants.

How to make the soil fertile

To enrich the soil, it is necessary to periodically feed it, fertilize it and carry out timely monitoring. It is useful to alternate planting different crops, and also to give the soil a rest without planting anything for several years in a row. The fact is that some plants and crops greatly deplete the soil, sucking out all the nutrients from it, so the earth needs rest and restoration.