For a mineral nutrient to pass once around a nutrient cycle, it must pass in and out of the biotic component of the ecosystem several times in one year. Accordingly, biota are not often a simple subs ystem of process/functional ecosystems CIRCULAR COMPARTMENT abiotic Biotic FALL worn eats leaf defecates ngus bsorbs nutrients fungus die enters soil ents Roots die WINTER SPRING Roots grow down old recover nutnents 2飞 Rhizosphere SUMMER When is biota part of an ecosystem process?For a mineral nutrient to pass once around a nutrient cycle, it must pass in and out of the biotic component of the ecosystem several times in one year. Accordingly, biota are not often a simple subsystem of process/functional ecosystems. When is biota part of an ecosystem process?