Biogeochemical Cycles
Our Environment of Class 10
The plants need some elements for their growth. These elements are referred to as nutrients.
There are some ten elements required by the plant in large amount, they are called macro-nutrients.
Some nutrients are required in very small amount called as micro-nutrients or trace elements.
In addition to ten macro and six micro nutrients, the plants also require a few other elements too, all of which participate in its organisation and metabolism. They are sometimes designated as biogenetic elements by some workers.
Except for carbon, which is obtained from the aerial environment in gaseous form, all other elements are obtained by the plant from the soil. The elements flow from the environment (soil and aerial) into and out of the plant in a cyclic manner. This flow of nutrients from abiotic to biotic components of the ecosystem and vice-versa constitute the biogeochemical cycles.
