Module 4.2 Chemical elements are recycled in ecosystems. Microorganisms play a key role in achieving this.

Know the importance of respiration and photosynthesis and human activity in giving rise to short term fluctuations and long term global carbon dioxide concentration. Understand how carbon dioxide and methane cause more heat to be retained. Appreciate the role of microorganisms as decomposers and in the guts of animals in giving rise to carbon dioxide and methane. Appreciate the role of coccolithophores in the oceans for converting carbon dioxide into calcium carbonate in their shells and reducing its amount in the atmosphere. Analyse and interpret data which show the effect of global warming on yield of crop plants, life cycles/number of insects, distribution/numbers of wild animals and plants. Know the nitrogen cycle involves the conversion from organic nitrogen compounds to inorganic compounds which can then re-enter living organisms and be made into organic nitrogen compounds once again. Appreciate there are several steps and that without microorganisms they would not occur resulting in depletion of this element and collapse of the ecosystem. Know the processes of saprobiotic nutrition, ammonification, nitrification, nitrogen fixation and denitrification in relation to the nitrogen cycle. Know the forms of nitrogen as proteins, ammonium compounds, nitrites and nitrates Understand the environmental issues from the use of fertilisers (leaching and eutrophication) Analyse and interpret data which show eutrophication.

Key words Saprobiotic microorganisms: also known as saprophyte, this is an organism that obtains its food from the dead or decaying remains of other organisms. Ammonification: Nitrification Denitrification Nitrogen fixation Eutrophication: consequence of an increase in nutrients especially nitrates and phosphates, in freshwater lakes and rivers, that often leads to a decrease in biodiversity.

Carbon cycle The amount of carbon in the atmosphere has increased due to: The combustion of fossil fuels, such a coal, oil and peat. Deforestation, especially of the rainforests, removed loads of photosynthesising biomass which can no longer remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Saprophytic decomposers secrete enzymes on to the dead organisms. These enzymes break down complex molecules into smaller, soluble molecules that the saprophytic microorganisms absorb by diffusion. The carbon in the dead organism is then released as carbon dioxide during respiration of the decomposer. If decay is prevented then the organisms may become fossilised into coal, oil or peat. The greenhouse effect and global warming Average global temp is 17C Greenhouse gases traps heat in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide Methane Consequences: Climate change will affect the niches that are available in a community Melting of polar ice caps A rise in sea level Higher temperatures and less rainfall could lead to drought. Greater rainfall and intense storms

The nitrogen cycle Ammonification: Production of ammonia from organic ammonium containing compounds. o Urea o Proteins o Nucleic acid o Vitamins Saprobiotic organisms feed on these materials releasing ammonia, which then forms ammonium ions in the soil. Nitrogen returns to the nonliving component of the ecosystem. Nitrification: Plants use light energy to produce organic compounds. Bacteria however obtain energy from chemical reactions involving inorganic ions. Conversion of ammonium ions to nitrate ions. This is oxidation so releases energy. Carried out by nitrifying bacteria o Oxidation of ammonium ions to nitrite ions (NO2-) o Oxidation of nitrite ions to nitrate ions (NO3-) Requires oxygen to carry out reaction To increase productivity farmers should keep the soil aerated so ammonia can be converted into useful compounds which plants can use.

Nitrogen fixation: Nitrogen gas is converted into nitrogen-containing compounds. Industrially Or by lightening Or by nitrogen-fixing bacteria o Free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria reduce gaseous nitrogen to ammonia, which they then use to manufacture amino acids. Nitrogen-rich compounds are released from them when they die and decay. o Mutualistic nitrogen-fixing bacteria live in nodules on the roots of plants such as peas and beans. They obtain carbohydrates from the plant and the plant acquires amino acids from the bacteria.

Denitrification: When soil becomes waterlogged and therefore short of oxygen. Anaerobic denitrifying bacteria. Convert soil nitrates into gaseous nitrogen. Reduces availability of nutrients for plants. Aerated soils prevent this.

Use of natural and artificial fertilisers Natural (organic) fertilisers o Which consist of the dead and decaying remains of plants and animals as well as animal wastes such as manure and bone meal. Artificial (inorganic) fertilisers o Which are mined from rocks and deposits and then converted into different forms and blended together to give the appropriate balance of minerals for a particular crop. Compounds containing the three elements, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, are almost always present. How fertilisers increase productivity: o Plants require minerals for growth. o Nitrogen is an essential component of proteins and DNA. o Both are needed for plant growth. o Therefore if nitrates are readily available, plants are likely to develop earlier, grow taller and have a greater leaf area. o This increases the rate of photosynthesis and improves crop productivity.

Environmental consequences of using nitrogen fertilisers: Reduced species diversity o Nitrogen-rich soils favour the growth of grasses, nettles and other rapidly growing species. These out-compete many other species which die as a result. o Species-rich hay meadows only survive when soil nitrogen levels are low enough to allow other species to compete with the grasses. Leaching o Which may lead to pollution of watercourses o Rain water will dissolve any soluble nutrients such as nitrates and carry them deep into the soil, eventually beyond the reach of plants roots. o The leached nitrates find their way into watercourses such as streams and rivers that in turn may drain into freshwater lakes. o Nitrates in drinking water is harmful to humans and environment eutrophication. Eutrophication o Caused by leaching of fertiliser into watercourses 1. Nitrate is a limiting factor for algal growth. 2. As nitrate concentration increases as a result of leaching, and algae grow exponentially.

3. Algae grow at the surface of water so it gets densely populated with algae algal bloom. 4. This dense layer absorbs light and prevents it from penetrating to lower depths. 5. Light then becomes the limiting factor for the growth of plants and algae at lower depths and so they eventually die. 6. The lack of dead plants and algae is no longer a limiting factor for the growth of saprobiotic algae and so these too grow exponentially, using the dead organisms as food. 7. The saprobiotic bacteria require oxygen for their respiration, creating an increased demand for oxygen. 8. The concentration of oxygen decreases and nitrates are released from decaying organisms 9. Oxygen then becomes the limiting factor for the population of aerobic organisms. These die. 10. Anaerobic organisms increase in populations 11. These further decompose dead organisms and release some toxic wastes such as hydrogen sulphide which make the water putrid.