Mobile nutrients
Mass flow
WATER FLUX
ROOT
SOIL MATRIX
Driver
transpiration pull
Transport
convective (with water)
Distance
long (cm to m)
Nutrients transported
NO₃⁻
Nitrate
SO₄
Sulfate
Ca
Calcium
Mg
Magnesium
K
Potassium
vs.
Immobile nutrients
Diffusion
DEPLETION ZONE
ROOT
SOIL MATRIX
Driver
concentration gradient
Transport
random (Fick’s law)
Distance
short (mm)
Nutrients transported
P
Phosphorus
Zn
Zinc
Cu
Copper
Mn
Manganese
Fe
Iron
K
Potassium