How do nutrients enter the ecosystem in sedimentary biogeochemical cycles?

In sedimentary biogeochemical cycles, nutrients primarily enter the ecosystem through the weathering and erosion of rocks and minerals. This process breaks down solid materials into smaller particles, releasing essential nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur into the soil and water. These nutrients are then made available for biological uptake by plants and microorganisms, which are crucial for the functioning of ecosystems.

Weathering can occur through physical, chemical, or biological processes, and contributes to the gradual cycling of nutrients from geological sources into living systems. This means that sedimentary nutrients are fundamentally tied to the geological landscape and contribute to soil health, plant growth, and ecosystem productivity over time.

While metabolic processes of organisms do play a role in cycling nutrients after they have entered the ecosystem, they do not serve as the initial mechanism for nutrient introduction in sedimentary cycles. The assertion that nutrients come only from chemical fertilizers, or strictly from atmospheric gases, overlooks the essential natural processes involved in nutrient cycling in sedimentary contexts.