Si and Na are beneficial to some plants. In agricultural plant production, it is essential
to provide these elements to plants in appropriate amounts from the viewpoints of
both economics and environmental conservation. Excessive application, especially
of N and P, must be avoided because these elements cause eutrophication problems
when released into rivers, lakes, or bays.
Essential elements for animals include F, Cr, Co, Se, and I (Nielsen 1984;
Haenleina and Ankeb 2011). For example, animals in New Zealand have been
reported as Co deficient in the case that their animal feeds were produced in
Co-deficient soil (Lee 1974).
When present in appropriate abundances, the essential and beneficial elements in
soil confer positive effects on ecosystem services. In contrast, excessive concentrations of Cd, Cu, As, Hg, Zn, Cr, and other heavy metals in soils are detrimental to
ecosystem health. Excessive concentrations of labile Al (Adams 1984) and Ni have
negative effects on sensitive plants.
1.2.2 Environmental Factors
The essential, beneficial, and other elements in soil exist as organic or inorganic
constituents with various stabilities. The chemical forms, and quantities of these soil
constituents depend on environmental factors such as temperature, moisture, activities of organisms, topography, time, and redox conditions (which are themselves
C O N F
B
P S Cl
Si
H
Mg
Ca
Na
K
CMn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn
Se
Mo
I
Decomposition
Nutrients
Water
Soil
Light CO 2 and
Temperature
Product
Fertilizers
Fig. 1.1 Essential nutrient elements for plants and animals (underlined and italicized elements are
essential only to plants or animals, respectively; all others are essential to both plants and animals).
Animals receive some of their essential elements through plants, which absorb them from soil
1.2 Elements Important for Ecosystem Services and Environmental Factors. . .
3
to provide these elements to plants in appropriate amounts from the viewpoints of
both economics and environmental conservation. Excessive application, especially
of N and P, must be avoided because these elements cause eutrophication problems
when released into rivers, lakes, or bays.
Essential elements for animals include F, Cr, Co, Se, and I (Nielsen 1984;
Haenleina and Ankeb 2011). For example, animals in New Zealand have been
reported as Co deficient in the case that their animal feeds were produced in
Co-deficient soil (Lee 1974).
When present in appropriate abundances, the essential and beneficial elements in
soil confer positive effects on ecosystem services. In contrast, excessive concentrations of Cd, Cu, As, Hg, Zn, Cr, and other heavy metals in soils are detrimental to
ecosystem health. Excessive concentrations of labile Al (Adams 1984) and Ni have
negative effects on sensitive plants.
1.2.2 Environmental Factors
The essential, beneficial, and other elements in soil exist as organic or inorganic
constituents with various stabilities. The chemical forms, and quantities of these soil
constituents depend on environmental factors such as temperature, moisture, activities of organisms, topography, time, and redox conditions (which are themselves
C O N F
B
P S Cl
Si
H
Mg
Ca
Na
K
CMn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn
Se
Mo
I
Decomposition
Nutrients
Water
Soil
Light CO 2 and
Temperature
Product
Fertilizers
Fig. 1.1 Essential nutrient elements for plants and animals (underlined and italicized elements are
essential only to plants or animals, respectively; all others are essential to both plants and animals).
Animals receive some of their essential elements through plants, which absorb them from soil
1.2 Elements Important for Ecosystem Services and Environmental Factors. . .
3