Ecosystems

Nutrients

Differently from energy that gets in and out of the ecosystem according to a linear process, the    matter follows a circular route, passing from the abiotic section to living organisms, and then comes back to the abiotic section. These routes are defined as biogeochemical cycles. Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorous, and calcium are necessary to living organisms in large quantities and therefore they are defined as macronutrients. Other elements like iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc, etc. are necessary in lower quantities and for this reason they are defined as micronutrients. This division is purely academic, as organisms, in order to grow and reproduce, need all those substances in different quantities, according to the physiological moment of their development. Essential substances vary from species to species. Both the numeric development of a population and the individual growth of the organism depend on the element or compound that is present in the environment in the lowest quantity: the limiting factor.