What is necessary for a nutrient cycle to function properly?

For a nutrient cycle to function properly, it is essential that it can reproduce the cycle. Nutrient cycling involves the continuous movement of nutrients through different components of the environment, including biotic (living organisms) and abiotic (non-living elements like air, water, and soil) factors. This process needs to be sustainable and self-perpetuating; when nutrients are taken up by organisms, they must eventually return to the soil, water, or atmosphere after decomposition, excretion, or death. This ongoing recycling ensures that ecosystems maintain their productivity and health over time, allowing for a stable and robust nutrient flow that supports various life forms.

While having multiple species can enhance the robustness of the nutrient cycle by promoting interactions and dependencies, it is not strictly necessary for the cycle to function. Similarly, large bodies of water and extreme environments may influence specific nutrient cycles, but they are not prerequisites for the basic function of nutrient cycling.