I am losing my mind over the terminology used in research articles. My background is in environmental science, and I am trying to understand what exactly these terms mean and how they differ.
The easiest part is probably distinguishing between “trace elements,” “minerals,” and “micronutrients,” although even there I still have not found a truly clear and consistent explanation.
What really drives me nuts is how these terms get combined in the literature. I keep seeing phrases like “trace element micronutrients” or “mineral micronutrients" or even "trace mineral micronutrients".
Then the same terminology appears in soil science, plant science, nutrition, environmental science, etc., often with slightly different meanings depending on the field.
Please help, otherwise I want be able to sleep during the night (even though I sleep very well and can fall asleep within a minute).