How do some mountains have an ecosystem around the peak? Wouldn’t the nutrients from the soil of any wash down and make it difficult?
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In permanent ice and snow fields the nutrients come from pollen and dead arthropod fall out on the snow. Some photosynthesis occurs in algae within snow crust too (bringing in carbon from the air). These ‘aeolian nival’ communities are fascinating and bizarre. They have things like snow worms and carnivorous caterpillars.
In a more standard peak with vegetation, yes, some wash out occurs but low nitrogen/phosphorus communities exist everywhere. You get adaptation to low N/P levels. Tropical rainforest, much of Australia and bogs all have the same problem.
To some degree some leeching of P out of rocks may occur, and this will be taken up by any plant that can do so. N from animal decay / nitrogenous waste, plausibly from animals migrating up and down slopes annually, will help too (eg if goats pick up most of their nitrogen in winter at low climes, then move to high meadows and forests in summer they will carry nitrogen with them).
Source: lectured in biology for 10+ years.
Edit. Typos.
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