natural and artificial fertilisers

Question 1

What is the purpose of fertilisers?

Answer 1

To replace the nutrients removed by livestock which are important limiting factors to plant growth.

Question 2

What is a natural fertiliser?

Answer 2

Dead and decaying remains of plants and animals, manure and bone meal, as they decay mineral ions are released which are taken up.

Question 3

What is an artificial fertiliser?

Answer 3

Contains a mixture of inorganic compounds of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Question 4

What are the advantages of natural fertilisers?

Answer 4

Not easily lost by leaching, improves soil structure.

Question 5

What are the disadvantages of natural fertilisers?

Answer 5

Variable nutrient content, slow release of nutrients in decomposition, may contain plant or animal pathogens that cause disease.

Question 6

What are the advantages of artificial fertilisers?

Answer 6

Exact composition is known, nutrients available immediately.

Question 7

What are the disadvantages of artificial fertilisers?

Answer 7

More easily leached into rivers, expensive and energy consuming to manufacture, applied in a concentrated form - can cause osmotic.