Nährstoffleitung

Nährstoffleitung refers to the process by which nutrients are transported within an organism or between organisms. In multicellular organisms, this typically involves specialized systems like the circulatory system in animals or the vascular tissues (xylem and phloem) in plants. The circulatory system, for instance, uses blood to carry absorbed nutrients from the digestive system to all cells of the body. Similarly, plants utilize xylem to transport water and dissolved minerals from the roots upwards, and phloem to move sugars produced during photosynthesis from the leaves to other parts of the plant where they are needed for growth or storage.

On a broader ecological scale, nutrient cycling represents a form of nutrientleitung between different components of an ecosystem. This includes the movement of nutrients from dead organic matter back into the soil through decomposition, their uptake by plants, and their consumption by herbivores and subsequently carnivores. These processes ensure the continuous availability of essential elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon for life. Disruptions to nutrientleitung, whether within an organism or an ecosystem, can have significant consequences for health and ecological stability.