Austin Levin

March 29, 2017

Leslie Drake

2:00 - 2:50

Does over-fertilizing farming land leave a lasting affect on the soil and

environment surrounding it?

Abstract

Over-fertilization of farming land has been something that is often blown off and ignored

by society because of how it has been seen. Many people do not see the everlasting affect it can

have on a society and environment surrounding. Fertilization isn't what plants exactly need, but it

enhances the opportunity for the plants go grow at an exceeding rate. Soils naturally contain

many nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium, and potassium that help the plants grow and

produce. As plants search for these nutrients that they need, it becomes essential to their

development and growth. When soil nutrients are missing or in short supply, plants suffer from

nutrient deficiency and stop growing. When the nutrient level is low, they can't produce our

everyday essential needs that everyone around the world needs. After these crops are harvested,

the nutrients are removed from the soil which causes fertilization to go through the process

again. Nutrients can be added from a variety of sources such as organic matter, chemical

fertilizers, and even by some plants. Farmers turn to fertilizing because it replenishes the soil to

continue producing good and healthy plants.

With this being a productive way of growing things and providing for everybody, the

danger of over-fertilizing is a concern. If this occurs, the extra fertilizer can runoff into streams

and creeks which pollutes our everyday water we use. This can have negative affects on

everything in the surrounding environment. Fertilizer is not plant food, it is simply a collection

of building blocks plants use to produce their own nutrients. With this being said, caution has to

be used in fertilizing because if it is overseen or ignored, the more our environment has a chance

of getting damaged or a chance of it hurting us due to the reliance on the environment.

 Everyday people all across the world consume many different foods and vegetables.

Almost everything people consume either comes from a farm or is grown somewhere and

distributed. Its the inevitable fact that it is a part of our everyday lives. Agriculture itself has one

of the biggest impacts on the world in general but without fertilization, much of our agriculture

would be affect tremendously. Think of it this way, agriculture impacts all of society every day in

several different ways such as the food people eat and the clothes they wear and also to the fuel

many put into vehicles. Now, the things listed above may not have direct contact or have a direct

effect due to numerous reasons. Even though fertilization can be seen as a controversial topic, it

still has one of the biggest impacts along with agriculture for everyday life. When people stop

and think about it, almost everything they do is tied to it. The milk they have with breakfast, the

100% cotton sheets, the list can go on for days. If the everyday person is asked about the affects

of fertilization or even if it should be taken serious, most of the time the question will be see with

little significance or purpose. An example of this stated through a descriptive PDF is Then I

have some breakfast, which is some eggs and cereal, and I notice that I need some milk. The

eggs come from chickens, the cereal comes from grains, and the milk comes from cows. (Then

I have, 2014). The everyday is presented clearly.

Now this big question is left here: What even is Fertilizer or Fertilization? Growing up,

spring time usually meant it was time for new plants to be planted, flowers to bloom, new life to

begin. Farmers are a prime example of this. They prepare the fields and area and begin planting

the valued crops needed for everyone around the world with everyday life. People and farmers

plan these things on how theyll have it set up or what soil theyll use and most importantly how

theyll fertilize the crop or plant. Fertilizer is a natural or artificial substance containing the

chemical elements that improve growth and productiveness of plants. Fertilizers enhance the
natural fertility of the soil or replace the chemical elements taken from the soil by previous

crops(Fertilizers enhance the, 2011). Modern chemical fertilizers include one or more of

the three elements that are most important in plant nutrition: nitrogen, phosphorus, and

potassium. Of secondary importance are the elements sulfur, magnesium, and calcium. Theyre

essentially a soil helper and enhances the crop. Synthetic Ammonia (NH3), is one of the big

name elements contained in these fertilizers. There are several other enhancers, but that is a big

name one. Farmers and people use different fertilizers to manipulate crops and plants. With this

being said an example would be to give a certain crop more magnesium that helps its growth

appear strongest and best. Different crops and plants vary with this. Some plants need more than

one element to become strong and healthy while others need one and theyre set.

As laws and rules are made about how much or how farmers can use the different

fertilizers, things start to shake up and get specific varying from state to state. As stated by the

State Fertilizer Laws of 2003, they have a specific minimum requirement guideline.

Minimum nutrient percentage (N, P2O5, K2O) allowed; some states also specify minimum

P2O5 for superphosphate.(Minimum nutrient percentage, 2003). With this being said, they

hold a specific and tedious requirement for the nutrients they are allowed to use. The states

regulate these very seriously and change the laws as the environment and society reacts and

adapts to it all. Although the states have to follow these guidelines, some states have even more

refined guidelines. For example, Michigan has a set requirement grouping to even package the

fertilizer and use it. It follows as 1. Product or brand name, 2. N-P-K grade, 3. Net weight, 4.

Guaranteed analysis, 5. Name and address of the registrant or license(To comply with

Michigans, 2016). Even though the governmental guidelines are slightly different, the states

can still adapt and help the rules become better and more specific. Once crops are harvested for
human consumption, the natural supply of nutrients in the soil must be re-filled. This is why

farmers add nutrients to their soils. Nutrients can be added from a variety of sourcesorganic

matter, chemical fertilizers, and even by some plants. This maintains the soil fertility, so the

farmer can continue to grow nutritious crops and healthy crops. Farmers turn to fertilizers

because these substances contain plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Fertilizers are simply plant nutrients applied to agricultural fields to supplement required

elements found naturally in the soil. Regardless of the source of the fertilizer, all plants use the

same inorganic forms of fertilizer in the soil.(Regardless of the source, 2015).

With any situation, there are positives and negatives to fertilization. There are many

different levels for each element that is used in the fertilizer. Specifically in this example,

Nitrogen is pointed out and used to define the advantageous levels. The critical level of N in

many plants is around 3 percent. For several crops, when the N level in leaves drops below 2.75

percent, N deficiency symptoms appear and yield and quality decline.(The Critical level,

2008). Nitrogen is a key element used when making an advantageous and quality fertilizer.

Having the numerous fertilizers, different plants can grow and exceed expectations and help

society as whole. Some fertilizers even used don't harm or hurt the surrounding environments.

Most people have the biggest concern with this and see it as a valid and vital issue.

Its easy to point out the positives and brag about the reasons to use fertilizers, but its just

as easy to throw the negatives into play. Polluting the environment is the biggest concern for

society as it should be due to numerous reasons. Runoff is scene as a huge issue for surrounding

environments because they are dangerous and can lead to so much more. Nitrogen runoff from

farms has contaminated surface and groundwater and helped create massive dead zones in

coastal areas, such as the Gulf of Mexico. And ammonia from fertilized cropland has become a
major source of air pollution, while emissions of nitrous oxide form a potent greenhouse

gas(Nitrogen runoff from, 2009). Runoff is hard to fix and control in general, so adding the

fertilizer elements makes the situation even more dangerous. Another big one is root burn. Root

burn is a condition in which the roots of plants suffer damage from the overuse of fertilizers.

According to Optimara/Holtkamp Greenhouses, low-quality fertilizers often contain Urea,

which is a source of nitrogen. It is not organic and some plant roots are sensitive to it. But over

fertilizing with high-quality fertilizers can also lead to root burn due to an overabundance of

soluble salts in the soil. (According to Optimara, 2010). The salts essentially burn the roots,

and even sometimes the foliage. Plants that suffer from root burn become stunted, wilted and are

often unable to flower. In severe cases of root burn, the roots may not be able to carry any water

to the plant. Anything people do can be overdone and leave affects negatively and this goes for

the plants and crops as well. Excess nutrients can damage the soil and the crop itself. In

addition, excessive nutrients can cause adverse effects on plant growth, increase the potential for

environmental contamination due to leaching, and represents a waste of resources(In

addition, 2017). The over fertilization is the affect of farmers and people putting too much or

wasting too much on the crops. As stated before the fertilizer is good for the crops and society,

but too much can hurt everyone and everything.

Runoff was mentioned above, but how the runoff affects things was specifically

mentioned. Eroded sediment also affects humans by disrupting drainage systems, increasing the

cost of water treatment, filling up reservoirs and obstructing waterways(Eroded sediment

also, 2006). With the specifics being pointed out, people can really begin to see the severe

impact that it has. The drainage system is used in everyday life for society. Once it enters the

water system, chains of events essentially start and begin to unfold in a negative way. If it enters
our water system thinks can go downhill drastically. Not only will it hurt people, but it will begin

to hurt their property and things leaving nasty and dangerous effects. Filtration plants begin to

resurface and become more and more important. Examples of recognizing over fertilization for

plants follows as Crust of fertilizer on soil surface, Yellowing and wilting of lower leaves,

Browning leaf tips and margins (Crust of fertilizer, 2008). These are the quick and easy ways

to tell and recognize and throw up the red flag.

Although the positives and negatives can often control the discussion of fertilizers,

preventing and learning how to control the over fertilization and pollution is often times

overlooked and seen as nothing. States have regulations that affect the different types of

fertilizers with specific and minimum requirements. The stricter the requirements and laws, the

more likely accidents are to not happen. There are also other types of ways to prevent these

issues from arising. When fertilizing, using the correct amount of fertilizer can reduce the

amount of pollutants reaching waterways, save water and money, and result in a healthier

landscape. Overfertilizing can aggravate pest problems, stimulate excessive plant growth, and

demand frequent irrigation.(When Fertilizing, using, 2002). The obvious but inevitable ways

are often times the best and easiest. As the research question gets circled around and back to its

point, over fertilization does have an everlasting affect on surrounding environments when not

taken care of or cautioned with. With the environments not being able to adapt and stay solid, the

nutrients are just to much to handle. Farmers over use it and let these nutrients and elements

control everything and that has a negative affect on not just the environment but society as a

whole. The chain of events that unfolds can have a dangerous and everlasting one in a way that

nobody can control.

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