Classification: General Business Use
Fertilizer
Ca(NO3)2
CaSO4*2H2O
All P Fertilizers
Lime
CaO, Ca(OH)2
CaCO3
CaMg(CO3)2
Calcium Cycle
Other
Shells
Slag
Marl
Animals
Decomposition of Plant
and Animal Residues
Ca2+ removed
As plant matter
4x in leaves vs. grain
OFF
Moisture
ON
OFF
Plants
pH of Soil
Dissolution
Uptake decreases with
Presence of high Al3+
ON
Temporarily held on exchange
sites, but tightly held on
charged soils
Mining
Major Form
Click on ON or OFF
To see how the cycle
Is effected by moisture
Main Cycle
Higher availability of Ca2+
Improves uptake of NH3
More Info
Calcium Minerals
Lime, Calcite, Dolomite,
Gypsum, Florapatite,
Plagioclases, Gabbro,
Basalts
Leaching
CaCl2, CaSO4
Soil Microbes
OFF
Moisture
Weathering
(dissolution)
ON
Authers:Jason Warren, James
Johnson, Derrel White, Lori
Gallimore and Micah Deleon
Classification: General Business Use
Fertilizer
Ca(NO3)2
CaSO4*2H2O
All P Fertilizers
Lime
CaO, Ca(OH)2
CaCO3
CaMg(CO3)2
Other
Shells
Slag
Marl
Animals
Decomposition of Plant
and Animal Residues
OFF
Moisture
ON
Ca2+ removed
As plant matter
4x in leaves vs. grain
OFF
Plants
pH of Soil
Dissolution
ON
Temporarily held on exchange
sites, but tightly held on
charged soils
Mining
Calcium Minerals
Lime, Calcite, Dolomite,
Gypsum, Florapatite,
Plagioclases, Gabbro,
Basalts
Movement of calcium
In the presents of moisture
Main Cycle
More Info
Leaching
CaCl2, CaSO4
Uptake decreases with
Presence of high Al3+
Higher availability of Ca2+
Improves uptake of NH3
Major Form
OFF
Moisture
Weathering
(dissolution)
ON
Soil Microbes
Classification: General Business Use
Fertilizer
Ca(NO3)2
CaSO4*2H2O
All P Fertilizers
Lime
CaO, Ca(OH)2
CaCO3
CaMg(CO3)2
Other
Shells
Slag
Marl
Dissolution of Fertilizer,Lime and
Other sources of Ca2+ can not occur
Animals
Decomposition of Plant
and Animal Residues
OFF
Moisture
ON
Ca2+ removed
As plant matter
4x in leaves vs. grain
OFF
Plants
pH of Soil
Dissolution
ON
Temporarily held on exchange
sites, but tightly held on
charged soils
Mining
Calcium Minerals
Lime, Calcite, Dolomite,
Gypsum, Florapatite,
Plagioclases, Gabbro,
Basalts
Leaching
CaCl2, CaSO4
Main Cycle
More Info
Uptake decreases with
Presence of high Al3+
Higher availability of Ca2+
Improves uptake of NH3
Major Form
OFF
Moisture
Weathering
(dissolution)
ON
Soil Microbes
Classification: General Business Use
More Information on Calcium
Form taken up by plants:
Deficiency symptoms:
Mobility in soil:
Effect of pH on availability:
Mobility in plant:
Sources of Calcium:
Role of nutrient in plant growth:
Mayo Clinic about Calcium
and Osteoporosis
Role in microbial growth:
Interactions with other nutrients: References:
Concentration in plants:
Content present in soils:
Main Cycle
More Info
Classification: General Business Use
More Info. on Calcium
• Form taken up by plants
Ca+2
• Mobility in Soil
No, slight mobility in soil solution
• Mobility in plant
Movement occurs in xylem to the leaves
(one way ticket)
Main Cycle
More Info
Classification: General Business Use
More Info. on Calcium
• Role of nutrient in plant growth:
Required for cell wall rigidity, cell division of
meristems and root tips, normal mitosis, membrane
function, acts as a secondary messenger, aids in
storage of phosphates in vacuoles, actively involved
in photosynthesis and found in the endoplasmic
reticulum
• Role in microbial growth:
Needed for Rhizobium and Azotobacter
Main Cycle
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Classification: General Business Use
More Info. on Calcium
• Interactions with other nutrients:
– Since Ca+2 is so directly related to pH in solution, it
effects all of the other nutrients. When NO3-N is
applied to soil, Ca+2 absorption increases in the
plant. Increases in Ca+2 in soil decreases Al+3 in
acid soils, as well as decreasing Na+ in sodic soils.
Increases in Ca+2 taken up by plants cause
deficiencies of Mg+2 and K+. MoO4-2 and H2PO4availability increases with increases in Ca+2
concentrations.
Main Cycle
More Info
Classification: General Business Use
More Info. on Calcium
• Concentration in plants:
– Fresh weight of plants typically contains 0.1-5.0%,
can contain up to 10% dry weight in leaves before
plant experiences toxicity
• Deficiency symptoms:
– First seen in the younger leaves of plants, loss in
plant structure, under extreme deficiencies gel-like
conditions, root development no longer takes
place, stunted plant growth
Main Cycle
More Info
Classification: General Business Use
More Info. on Calcium
• Content present in soils:
–
–
–
–
Main Cycle
Tropical soils: 0.1-0.3%
Temperate soils: 0.7-1.5%
Calcareous soils: >3.0%
Largely dependent on parent material of soil and
rainfall
More Info
Classification: General Business Use
More Info. on Calcium
• Effect of pH on availability:
Depends on mineral
• Sources of Calcium:
– Lime (CaO) (Ca(OH)2), Calcite (CaCO3), Dolomite
(CaMg(CO3)2, Gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O), any
Phosphorus fertilizer, Anorthite (CaAl2Si2O3),
biotite, apatite, augite & hornblende.
Main Cycle
More Info
Classification: General Business Use
More Info. On Calcium
• References
Amjad, Z. (ed.) 1998. Calcium Phosphates in Biological and
Industrial Systems. Klower
Academic Press. Boston, MA.Lindsay, W.L. 1979. Chemical
Equilibria in Soils. John Wiley & Sons. New York, NY.
pp. 86-102.
Marschner, H. 1995. Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants.
Academic Press. New York, NY. pp. 285-298.
Tisdale, S.L., Nelson, W.L., Beaton, J.D. and Havlin, J.L.
1993. Soil Fertility and Fertilizers. Macmillan Publishing
Company. pp. 289-296.
Main Cycle
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