Nutrients increase the substance of the plant or animal body.
A nutrient is something that nourishes , that is, increases the substance of the animal or plant body . These are chemical products that come from outside the cell and that it requires in order to develop its vital functions. Nutrients are absorbed by the cell and transformed through a metabolic process of biosynthesis (known as anabolism ) or through degradation, to obtain other molecules .
Among the various substances that make up food, nutrients are those that actively participate in metabolic reactions. Water, oxygen and minerals are the basic nutrients that plants consume, while humans and animals eat plants and other animals.
Vitamins , proteins, lipids and carbohydrates are some of the substances that are part of the nutrients consumed by all living beings that do not have photosynthetic capacity (that is, they are not plants).
Types of nutrients
According to their function in metabolic reactions, nutrients can be classified into two large groups: essential nutrients (vital for the organism since it cannot synthesize them, but obtains them from the environment) and non-essential nutrients (they are not vital and, in certain cases, they can be synthesized by precursor molecules).
Another classification of nutrients can be made according to the volume in which the cells consume them. Macronutrients are needed in large daily quantities (such as protein) and form the basis of the diet. Micronutrients , on the other hand, are required in small quantities and usually act as regulators of energy processes.
Thanks to nutrients, cells obtain the nutrients necessary for their functioning.
Different cycles
The path taken by substances essential for life, both through the physical and biological environment, is known as the nutrient cycle and is considered a fundamental concept for ecology . Among the essential cycles are that of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and water. There are many more vitally important compounds and elements, although in considerably smaller quantities.
Two of the most significant cycles for the life of the planet are detailed below:
* carbon cycle : these are the different stages in which the Earth's ecosystem uses carbon. Basically, it begins at the moment in which plants take advantage of the carbon dioxide existing in the atmosphere, or present in water in a state of dissolution, through the process of photosynthesis. A percentage of this carbon is integrated into plant tissues as carbohydrates, proteins and fats; The rest is returned to its place of origin through breathing. In this way, herbivorous animals consume it while feeding, and then reorganize and degrade its compounds. Some of it is released through respiration, and another is stored in the tissues, which will later be ingested by carnivorous animals. In all cases, the carbon is broken down and released in the form of carbon dioxide, which the plants use to restart the cycle ;
* water cycle : all the aquatic portions of the Earth are constantly changing, but the amount is always the same. First, the ocean surface evaporates and begins to rise. During its upward journey, the vapor cools, turning it into condensed water , which results in the formation of clouds. Depending on the temperature of the atmosphere, water precipitates in the form of snow or rain, thus returning to the Planet. Once on the surface, part of it will be consumed by living beings, while the rest will be distributed between the soil and bodies of water, such as rivers and oceans.