Concepts
6 concepts
process
animal-driven nutrient cycling
The contribution of animals to ecosystem nutrient fluxes through excretion, with supply determined by animal biomass, excretion rates, and time spent in the ecosystem
process
bioaccumulation
The accumulation of substances like sodium in organisms through their food chain, allowing carnivores to obtain adequate salt from prey
process
nutrient spiraling
The downstream transport and repeated cycling of nutrients through uptake and release in stream ecosystems
process
phosphorus uptake
The removal of phosphorus from the water column by organisms for metabolic processes
process
stoichiometric homeostasis
process
ecosystem function
The roles that invertebrates play in the flow of energy and cycling of nutrients in wetlands