Ammonium (NH₄⁺)
Definition
Ammonium (NH4+) is rapidly taken up in the soil by soil life and then converted to nitrate (NO3-).
Occurrence in soil
The proportion of ammonium in soil is generally low. Higher levels are, for example, found after applying animal manure, and slow-acting fertilisers often also show higher ammonium levels.
Soil and plant interaction
A crop can absorb ammonium. Ammonium could also attach to the clay humus complex (CEC), but this is unusual because soil life converts it too quickly.
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