Clearly it contains a lot of water, and it gets nutrients from the soil. But it seems like plants continue to grow with no visible signs of soil degradation. Why doesn't the soil shrik in the pot?
2006-07-28 07:16:36 · 11 answers · asked by Privratnik 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Botany
most of the bulk plant material comes from carbon dioxide converted to cellulose, the woody material in plants.
2006-07-28 07:20:49 · answer #1 · answered by David K 3 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Plants use sunlight energy, water from rain and the ground and carbon dioxide absorbed from the air to make simple sugars, glucos. When many glucose suger units are linked up end to end they form a molecule called cellulose. Cellulose is rhe chief structural component of plant cell walls. and give the plant rigidiy and shape. Wood is primarily a bundle of cellulose foibers glued together by chemicals called lignins. Plants also make lignins. Most of the glucose ingredients do not come from the soil so there is no appreciable loss of soil when they grow. But plants use trace minersl, and nitrogen compounds and their soil should be fertilised from time to time.
Dan.
2006-07-28 14:21:50 · answer #2 · answered by Dan S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question: Plants get nutrients from the soil and use the light from the sun to metabolize them. Plants don't "eat" the soil they draw minerals etc. from it. See the attached web sites re the Krebs cycle and photosynthesis.
2006-07-28 14:23:35 · answer #3 · answered by canela 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does disappear. If you have a potted plant, and you don't change it for years, you will notice that the soil level does drop.
2006-07-28 14:20:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It uses the very small amounts of minerals in the soil and doesn't require potfuls of dirt. It will shrink over time though especially when underwatered.
2006-07-28 14:19:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It gets a lot of nutrients from sunlight, air and water. I grow orchids hydroponically, they get no nutrients from the ceramic media that support their roots- all the minerals come from the water and dilute fertilizer.
They bloom fine, and I don't have problems with root rot anymore!
2006-07-28 14:21:26 · answer #6 · answered by Megan S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
from the soil, via the roots. We are talking about at the molecular level - you can't see it.
2006-07-28 14:21:58 · answer #7 · answered by ceprn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
from the soil
2006-07-28 15:17:19 · answer #8 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
from the sun and nutrients in the soil . . . ?
2006-07-28 14:20:38 · answer #9 · answered by Kat 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Home Depot.
2006-07-28 14:24:50 · answer #10 · answered by JCL 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋