Why Don't We Have to Fertilize Forests?

Agricultural fields require specific amounts of fertilizer to maintain yields, however forests maintain biomass with the use of additional fertilizers.  This short video poses the question of why we have to fertilize corn fields but not forests.

Why do we have to fertilize corn fields but not forests?

• What do plants need to grow?
• Why do some plants do well in an ecosystem, while others do not?

Students could:

• Investigate the concepts of biogeochemical cycles, nutrient cycling, the nitrogen cycle, and energy flow through ecosystems.
• Diagram the inputs and outputs of a cornfield and a forest as a system and include quantitative data where possible.
• Collect basic biomass data from a school campus or nearby forest and compare it back to agricultural systems. 

• World Population Review: Corn Production by State: This website provides an updated data set of corn production by state.
• US Forest Service | The Structure, Distribution, and Biomass of the World's Forests: A high level, in-depth analysis of forest ecosystems around the world.
• Oregon State University Extension: It Is Best to Cut Grass Often and Leave Clippings on Lawn: This website connects this discussion to lawn care - specifically the idea of bagging your grass clippings vs leaving them on your lawn.