Biomanipulation Biomanipulation Biomanipulation is the deliberate alteration of an ecosystem by adding or removing species, especially predators. Changing the fish population of bodies of water as a part of watershed management can facilitate desirable changes in aquatic ecosystems suffering from eutrophication characterized by domination by phytoplankton aiding ecosystem restoration, an application of restoration ecology. In ponds or lakes alternative stable conditions, one with high algae populations, little other plant life, and turbid water, another with low algae populations, a diverse plant population, and clear water, may exist. In addition to prevention of excess nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrates, removal of
Plant nutrition Plant nutrition Plant nutrition is the study of the chemical elements and compounds necessary for plant growth, plant metabolism and their external supply. In 1972, Emanuel Epstein defined two criteria for an element to be essential for plant growth: This is in accordance with Justus von Liebig's law of the minimum. The essential plant nutrients include carbon, oxygen and hydrogen which are absorbed from the air, whereas other nutrients including nitrogen are typically obtained from the soil (exceptions include some parasitic or carnivorous plants). There are seventeen most important nutrients for plants. Plants must obtain the following mineral nutrients from