Nutrient Cycle

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-019233",
  "term": "Nutrient Cycle",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. The cycle of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus through the physical and biotic components of the environment; one of the ecological processes.\n\n2. The circulation of chemical elements and compounds, such as carbon and nitrogen, in specific pathways from the non-living parts of ecosystems into the organic substances of the living parts of ecosystems, and then back again to the non-living parts of the ecosystem. For instance, nitrogen in wood is returned to the soil as the dead tree decays; the nitrogen again becomes available to living organisms in the soil, and upon their death, the nitrogen is available to plants growing in that soil.",
  "references": [
    "Bureau of Land Management Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health: Glossary at http://www.blm.gov/nstc/library/pdf/1734-6.pdf",
    "USDA Forest Service Forest Planning Glossary of Terms"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/nutrient-cycle/"
}