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Plant Biology - Mineral Nutrition

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    Study Guide Plant Biology – Mineral Nutrition 1. Essential Elements 1.1 Essential Elements in Plant Nutrition (Easy Explanation) What Are Essential Elements? Most of a flowering plant’s dry weight — over 95% — comes from just three elements : • Carbon (C) • Hydrogen (H) • Oxygen (O) Plants get these mainly from air and water . The remaining 5% of a plant’s dry weight comes from minerals absorbed from the soil . Although plant roots can absorb many elements from the soil, only 14 of them are actually necessary for healthy growth. When we add these 14 soil elements to carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, we get a total of 17 essential inorganic nutrients needed by plants. 1.2 Macronutrients and Micronutrients Plants do not need all nutrients in the same amount. Based on how much the plant needs, nutrients are divided into two groups: Macronutrients (needed in large amounts) • From air and water: • Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O) • From soil: • Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), • Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Sulfur (S)

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    Study Guide Micronutrients (needed in small amounts) Iron (Fe), Boron (B), Chlorine (Cl), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Molybdenum (Mo), Nickel (Ni) Important note: Some scientists debate whether nickel is truly essential. Because of this, some textbooks list only 16 essential elements instead of 17. 1.3 When Is an Element Considered “Essential”? An element is called essential only if it meets all three of these conditions: 1. It is required for normal growth and reproduction 2. It cannot be replaced by another element 3. It is part of a molecule that is clearly vital to plant structure or metabolism 1.4 How Plants Use These Elements Plants absorb nutrients in different chemical forms : • Some as positively charged ions (cations) • Others as negatively charged ions (anions) Once inside the plant, these elements perform many important jobs, such as: • Helping enzymes work (as catalysts or activators ) • Controlling water movement and maintaining turgor pressure • Regulating cell membrane permeability • Forming structural parts of cells • Taking part in electron transport systems • Acting as buffers to keep cell pH stable

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    Study Guide 1.5 Other Elements Found in Plants Interestingly, about two - thirds of all naturally occurring elements have been found inside plants. • Some are used by specific plant species • Others have no known function , but are absorbed anyway because they are present in the soil Plants safely store these unused elements: • Inside vacuoles • As crystals • Or as insoluble compounds These substances remain in the plant for its entire life. 1.6 Plants as Mineral Indicators Because plants absorb elements from soil, they can help humans locate mineral deposits . • Scientists and prospectors collect plant samples • The tissues are tested using spectroscopic analysis • This can reveal the presence of minerals like gold or uranium Some plants grow only in soils rich in a specific element . These are called indicator plants . 1.7 Table of Essential Elements

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