Nutrient dynamics in seagrass ecosystems

Abstract

The term'nutrient' applies to any material that, taken into a living organism, serves to sustain it in its existence, promoting growth, replacing losses, or providing energy. In the framework of primary production ecology, the term'nutrients' is usually understood as 'inorganic nutrients', that is, inorganic salts or ions that provide the elements necessary for plant survival, growth, and reproduction. Almost all the natural occurring elements are found in plant tissues; however, only a reduced number (17) are necessary for plant growth: these are called essential elements. © 2006/2007 Springer. All Rights Reserved.