Micronutrient

Micronutrients are essential chemicals required by organisms in small quantities to perform various biogeochemical processes and regulate physiological functions of cells and organs.^[1] By enabling these processes, micronutrients support the health of organisms throughout life.^[2][3][4]

For humans, micronutrients typically take one of three forms: vitamins, trace elements, and dietary minerals.^[2][5] Human micronutrient requirements are in amounts generally less than 100 milligrams per day, whereas macronutrients are required in gram quantities daily.^[6] Deficiencies in micronutrient intake commonly result in malnutrition.^[2][7]

In ecosystems, micronutrients most commonly take the form of trace elements such as iron, strontium, and manganese.^[8] Micronutrient abundance in the environment greatly influences biogeochemical cycles at the microbial level which large ecological communities rely on to survive.^[9] For example, marine primary producers are reliant upon bioavailable dissolved iron for photosynthesis.^[10][8][11] Secondary and tertiary producers in oceans are therefore also reliant on the presence of sufficient dissolved iron concentrations.

Naturally, micronutrients are transferred between reservoirs through processes like fluvial transport, aeolian processes, ocean circulation, volcanism, and biological uptake/transfer.^[12][8][13] Anthropogenic activities also alter the abundance of micronutrients in ecosystems. Industrial and agricultural practices can release trace metals into the atmosphere, waterways, and soils and deforestation can lead to higher trace metal-containing-dust transport into oceans.^[14][15][16]