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Types of Nutrient Cycle


Based on the replacement period a nutrient cycle is referred to as Perfect or Imperfect cycle.


A perfect nutrient cycle is one in which nutrients are replaced as fast as they are utilised. Most gaseous cycles are generally considered as perfect cycles.

In contrast sedimentary cycles are considered relatively imperfect, as some nutrients are lost from the cycle and get locked into sediments and so become unavailable for immediate cycling.

Based on the nature of the reservoir, there are two types of cycles namely Gaseous and sedimentary cycle


Gaseous Cycle - where the reservoir is the atmosphere or the hydrosphere, and


Sedimentary Cycle - where the reservoir is the earth’s crust.


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Spiders can’t chew or swallow inject their prey with poison using their fangs. The poison turns the insides of insect to a watery goop and the spider just sucks it up.