The Nutrient Cycle

Abstract

The circulation of nutrients is essential to the survival of all living things. The supply of water and oxygen, the temperature and acidity in the soil are of great significance to this process. In a tropical rainforest, the cycle is rapid because the temperature and humidity are just right. Nutrients are accumulated in the vegetation rather than in the soil. In the boreal forest, the reverse is true. Low temperatures and low pH mean that nutrients are accumulated in thick organic layers, which cause the trees to grow slowly. Experiences from natural systems can be useful when setting up a compost heap in your own garden. Along with fact-based texts, the chapter contains my own observations of the fascinating work of dung beetles and coprophilous fungi. I conclude with a reflection on sustainable gardening and how it may have been inspired by the conditions in the rainforest.

Compost—that sensual kingdom where

fetid waste is refined into fragrant

humus, to serve our growing friends.

Lars Krantz