Bøger af Austin Campbell

Nutrient cycling is a cyclic process that includes the use, transfer and recycling of nutrients in the ecosystem. It involves the transfer of nutrients from the physical environment to living organisms and back to the physical environment. Nutrient cycling involves both biotic and abiotic components. Abiotic components include air, water and soil, whereas trees, animals and plants are biotic components. Gaseous cycling and sedimentary cycling are the two types of nutrient cycling. Gaseous nutrients such as carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen are recycled in water, air and soil. Contrarily, nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and potassium are recycled mostly in soil. Plants in forest ecosystems require these nutrients for their metabolism, development and reproduction. Nutrient cycle help ecosystems function and restore ecological equilibrium by sustaining species, and genetic and ecosystem variety. This book unravels the recent studies on nutrient cycling. It aims to serve as a resource guide for students and experts alike and contribute to the growth of research on this topic.

Forest ecosystem is a self-sustaining functional unit of nature wherein living organisms interact among themselves and with the surrounding physical environment. It is a type of terrestrial ecosystem. Both biotic and abiotic elements such as soil, trees, insects, animals, birds and humans are a part of the forest ecosystem. There are four major components of a forest ecosystem, namely, productivity, decomposition, energy flow, and nutrient uptake and cycling. Nutrient cycle refers to a system that involves the movement of substances and energy between living organisms and non-living elements of the environment. This happens when plants and animals ingest nutrients present in the soil, which are then released back into the ecosystem after they die and decompose. Nutrient cycling is crucial for meeting the nutrient supply of plants in the forest and increasing productivity of forests. This book unfolds the important aspects of nutrient uptake and cycling in forest ecosystems, which will be crucial to develop a complete understanding of the subject matter. It is a resource guide for experts as well as students.