Certified Crop Advisor Practice Exam

Nutrient concentrations __________ change with depth?

1. Rarely

2. Usually

3. Never

4. Sometimes

The correct answer is: Usually

Nutrient concentrations usually change with depth due to several factors affecting soil profiles. As you move deeper into the soil, various processes such as leaching, organic matter decomposition, and microbial activity significantly influence the availability and concentration of nutrients. For example, in the top layers of soil, organic matter may be abundant, leading to higher concentrations of certain nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. As depth increases, nutrient concentrations may decline because these nutrients can leach down through the soil with water movement or become less accessible to plants as soil conditions change. Additionally, deeper soil layers often contain minerals that may not release nutrients readily compared to the upper layers with more biological activity. Understanding this variability in nutrient concentration with depth is crucial for effective soil management and crop production, enabling farmers to tailor their fertilization practices based on the specific nutrient profile of the soil at different depths.