What is the difference between energy flow and nutrient cycling?
Energy flows one-way through the ecosystem and is lost as heat; nutrients (carbon, nitrogen) are recycled repeatedly.
Energy flows one-way through the ecosystem and is lost as heat; nutrients (carbon, nitrogen) are recycled repeatedly. A reliable way to keep them apart is to focus on what each one is defined by, not just the similar-sounding words.
Key point
energy flow vs nutrient cycling
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