Science Common Sense

371 - How do nutrient cycles work in an ecosystem?

Imagine a big circle where nutrients go around and around. In an ecosystem, nutrient cycles are like this circle. They help keep the environment healthy by moving essential nutrients like nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen.

Here's how it works:

1. Nutrients enter the ecosystem: They come from the air, water, or soil.
2. Plants use nutrients: They absorb the nutrients from the soil and use them to grow.
3. Animals eat plants: Herbivores eat plants and get the nutrients.
4. Decomposers break down waste: When plants and animals die, decomposers like bacteria and fungi break them down, releasing nutrients back into the soil.
5. Nutrients go back to the ecosystem: The cycle starts again, and the nutrients are reused.

This cycle keeps the ecosystem healthy and balanced, so everything has the nutrients they need to survive.