Fertility

Soil fertility - the ability of the soil to satisfy the need of plants for nutrients, moisture and air, as well as provide conditions for their normal life. This is an emergent property of the soil: it appears only when its components interact. The soil consists of humus, water, air, clay and sand. Its fertility is significantly affected by the content of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium salts and other substances.

For a long time, people evaluate soil mainly from the point of view of its fertility. The crop depends on fertility.

Soil is a complex system that lives and develops according to its own laws; therefore, fertility must be understood as the whole complex of soil properties and processes that determine the normal development of plants. All processes occurring in the soil are interconnected. The exclusion or weakening of any component leads to a change in the entire composition of the soil and the loss of its valuable qualities. Soil degradation is a chain reaction that is difficult to stop. Land degradation reduces plant productivity. The soil in this case becomes susceptible to erosion and leaching of nutrients, which again leads to a decrease in the number of plants. Measures to restore soil fertility are long-term, very expensive and complicated, therefore it is so important to monitor the condition of the soil, preventing its severe depletion or pollution.

To determine the fertility of the soil, it is necessary to pay attention to its composition, acidity , attitude to water and oxygen. Possessing observation and basic knowledge of biology, it is possible to determine the state of soils and take the necessary measures to improve or maintain soil properties.