8.1.6

Fertilisers

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Fertilisers

Fertilisers replace nutrients lost from the soil during harvesting and removing livestock to help maximise yields in agriculture.

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Agricultural impacts on soil

  • Agriculture leads to depleted levels of nutrients in the soil (e.g. nitrogen and phosphates).
  • This is because when crops are removed for harvest, they are not decomposed and the nutrients are not returned to the soil for reuse.
  • Removing livestock for slaughter also decreases nutrient levels because they are not replaced by decomposition.
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Using fertilisers

  • Fertilisers can be used to replace the nutrients (e.g nitrogen and phosphate) lost through agriculture.
  • Increasing nutrient levels by fertilisers allows farming to continue without negative impacts on the crop or livestock quality.

Types of Fertilisers

There are two types of fertiliser:

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Artificial fertilisers

  • Artificial fertilisers (e.g. ammonium nitrate) are inorganic.
  • Artificial fertilisers are produced specifically for replacing nutrients.
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Natural fertilisers

  • Natural fertilisers (e.g. composted food waste, manure) are organic.
  • Natural fertilisers are taken from organic matter and used to replace nutrients.

Jump to other topics

1Unity & Diversity - Molecules

2Unity & Diversity - Cells

3Unity & Diversity - Organisms

4Unity & Diversity - Ecosystems

5Form & Function - Molecules

6Form & Function - Cells

7Form & Function - Organisms

8Form & Function - Ecosystems

9Interaction & Interdependence - Molecules

10Interaction & Interdependence - Cells

11Interaction & Interdependence - Organisms

12Interaction & Interdependence - Ecosystems

12.1Populations & Communities

12.2Transfers of Energy & Matter

13Continuity & Change - Molecules

14Continuity & Change - Cells

15Continuity & Change - Organisms

16Continuity & Change - Ecosystems

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