What is the process called that involves the movement of materials within both living and nonliving components of an ecosystem?

The process that involves the movement of materials within both living and nonliving components of an ecosystem is known as the biogeochemical cycle. This cycle encompasses the pathways through which essential elements, such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, circulate through various reservoirs, including the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. It highlights the interconnectedness of biological processes and geological formations, demonstrating how materials are transported and transformed in ecosystems.

In the biogeochemical cycle, elements can move through various forms—like gases, dissolved forms in water, or solid forms in soil—and can be taken up by living organisms, re-entered into the environment through processes like decomposition, and potentially utilized again by different organisms. This continuous flow ensures that nutrients are recycled within the ecosystem, which is vital for sustaining life.

Other processes mentioned play critical roles in ecosystems as well. Nutrient cycling specifically refers to the recycling of inorganic and organic matter back into the production of living matter, energy flow outlines how energy is transferred through food webs, and ecological succession describes changes in species composition over time in an ecosystem. However, none of these encompass the full breadth of material movement across both living and nonliving entities in the way that biogeochemical cycles do.