Abstract:Distribution of nutrients in soils is highly heterogeneous (nutrient patchiness) due to natural and anthropogenic factors. In agricultural soils, this inherent patchiness is increased by fertilizers application. As a fertilizer granule dissolves, its salts diffuse outwards and water move inwards. This creates local, transient gradients in ionic concentrations and moisture contents. In the nutrient patch, soil physico-chemical properties, microbial community and activity, nutrient transformation and availabi...