fast
and slow cycles 
Navigating the site:
The above phrase is an acronym to recall
the vital atomic elements needed to understand
the dynamic qualities of biogeochemical
cycles.
atomic
means pertaining to the 112 or so elements on the periodic table arranged
according to their masses and their requisite numbers of protons and
neutrons.
Elements refers to any basic building
block that 
accounts for the function of any underlying cause of things; such as glucose a molecule (left) built of elements or hydrogen and oxygen atoms binding to form the compound water (right).
Dynamic refers to different rates of changes that occur over time and the cycles refer to the recurrent patterns in these alterations of material from one condition to another in the course of a measurable duration.
C . H O P K I N S ' • C A F E
C. Hopkins' Cafe is made from the initial letters or the chemical abbreviation of the atomic elements on which life regularly depends. The chemist's shorthand name is from each atomic element derived from all types and forms of materials cycled by forces on the earth.
These materials fortunately exist in three forms or phases of the same substance:
By which all things are composed.
H2O
H 
for hydrogen: abundant, gas
O for oxygen: faster cycling, gas
N for nitrogen: fast cycling , gas
C for carbon: fast & slow cycling, gas
P for phosphorus: slow cycling, solid
S for sulfur: slow cycling, solid
K for potassium: slower cycling, solid
Ca for calcium: slowest cycling, solid
C for carbon: variable cycling , solid
Mg for magnesium slowest cycling, Mineral
Me for mercury variable cycling, Mineral
Nutrients come in two quantities:
1. Major trace elements are: calcium, potassium, Magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, carbon, oxygen, sodium and nitrogen
2. Minor trace elements are: copper, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, boron, zinc, iodine, and iron.
Nutrients come in two qualities:
Fast cycling and readily available; oxygen, sodium and nitrogen, sulfur,
Slow cycling and scarcely available; calcium, potassium, Magnesium, phosphorus, carbon, copper, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, boron, zinc, iodine, and iron.
Biogeochemical cycles account for the characteristics, robustness and resilience of ecosystems to withstand stress, rapid change, or population explosions. Justus Leibeg over 150 years ago defined a "law of the Minimum," by which he understood that the material element, or nutrient, needed in only trace amounts -- but necessary to the viability of production is the most serious limiting factor.
For example, plants cannot photosynthesize without magnesium in the chloroplast -- a part of the plant cell with its own genetic material. Magnesium is not needed in large amounts but is a serious limiting factor and an example of the law of the minimum. This is particularly true in tropical climates.
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