Properties of Seawater: Other Dissolved Solids
Nutrients and organics
A nutrient is a compound required for the production of organic matter and it is required for plant growth. Nutrients cycles are governed by plant growth/decay. Organics are either used by organisms or buried
- Carbon - present in all organic molecules
- Nitrogen - found in proteins and nucleic acids
- Phosphorus and silicon – found in rigid parts of organisms
- Iron and trace metals - used for electron transport
- Calcium compounds – shells and other hard parts
