As soils develop in humid environments, rook-derived elements ave! gradually lost, and under constant conditions it seems that ecosystems should reach a state of profound and irreversible nutrient depletion. We show here that inputs of elements from the atmosphere can sustain the productivity of Hawaiian rainforests on highly weathered soils. nations are supplied in marine aerosols and phosphorus is deposited in dust from central Asia, which is over 6,000 km away.