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Mineral Equilibria in Ecosystem Geochemistry
Author(s) -
Johnson Noye M.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1937638
Subject(s) - ecosystem , weathering , surface runoff , environmental science , earth science , ecology , flux (metallurgy) , thermodynamic equilibrium , geology , chemistry , geochemistry , biology , thermodynamics , physics , organic chemistry
In terrestrial ecosystems the composition of runoff water may not reflect chemical equilibrium conditions, but rather chemical flux conditions through an open system. The irreversible flow of chemicals through the boundaries of an ecosystem, as exemplified by chemical weathering, may assume a time—invariant mode (steady—state) which resembles a state of equilibrium in a closed system.