nutrient cycling

ultimate sources of all nutrients

minerals in earth’s crust, gasses in earth’s atmosphere

ecological stoichiometry

elemental imbalances are defined by a mismatch between elemental demands of a consumer and that present in its resources

the release of mineral nutrients from parent rock depends on what

water availability, temp, enzymatic activity of organisms

the availability of nutrients derived from the atmosphere depends on

carbon and nitrogen fixation by living organims

carbon fixation by

photosynthesis, chemosynthesis

nitrogen fixation by

biological by bacteria, Haber-Bosch process

haber-bosch process

produces ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen

mineralization

process of converting organic matter into inorganic compounds

rates of decomposition and mineralization depend on

water availability, temp, detritivore species present, chemical composition of autotroph litter

nutrient loss

denitrification

bacteria transform nitrate into N2 gas

eutrophication

water bodies receive large inputs of nutrients, stimulating excess growth

immobilization

soil organisms take up bioavailable, inorganic forms of nutrients

leaching

loss of nutrients

nitrification

bacteria convert ammonia into nitrate

nitrogen fixation

N2 into NH4