Which of the following is a potential consequence of inadequate nitrogen availability due to immobilization?

Inadequate nitrogen availability due to immobilization can lead to nitrogen deficiency in plants, which is a critical issue for crop health and productivity. When nitrogen is immobilized, it becomes unavailable for plant uptake because it gets bound up in microbial biomass or organic matter instead of being in the forms that plants can easily absorb.

As a result, plants may exhibit symptoms of nitrogen deficiency, including stunted growth, yellowing of leaves (particularly older leaves), and reduced crop yields. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plants as it is a key component of amino acids, proteins, and nucleic acids, thus playing a crucial role in their overall growth and development.

The other options do not directly relate to the consequences of inadequate nitrogen availability. Greater crop yields would typically require adequate nitrogen, over-fertilization can occur when excess nitrogen is applied rather than being a result of nitrogen immobilization, and while enhanced soil microbial activity can influence nutrient cycling, it does not result in a direct benefit to plant health in the case of nitrogen deficiency.