Biogeochemical cycles

Biogeochemical cycles
Chemical: CO2 and water are
necessary for photosynthesis,
nitrogen is found in proteins and
nucleic acids, while phosphorus is
found in ATP and nucleic acids.
The chemicals circulate through
ecosystems in both living (biotic) and
nonliving (geological) components.

Types of cycles
Gaseous cycles: the element returns to and is withdrawn
from the atmosphere as a gas.
Carbon
Nitrogen

Sedimentary cycle: the element is absorbed from the

sediment by plant roots, passed to heterotrophs, and
returned to the soil by decomposers (usually in the same
area).
Phosphorus

Exception: Water cycle because it exists in liquid, gas and

solid.

The Water Cycle

The water cycle, also referred

to as the hydrologic cycle, is a
never-ending, natural
circulation of water through
Earths systems.

Water molecules move

continuously through the
water cycle following many
pathways: they evaporate
from a body of water or the
surface of Earth, condense
into cloud droplets, fall as
precipitation back to Earths
surface, and infiltrate the
ground.

During this cycle fresh water

is distilled from salt water.

Copyright McGraw-Hill Education

Steps:
Evaporation.- the water changes from a
liquid state to a gaseous state. The suns
rays cause fresh water to evaporate and
the salts are left behind. Water also
evaporates from land and plants
(transpiration).
Condensation.- gas changes into a liquid.
Droplets condense on tinier dust, salt or
smoke particle, which act as nucleus.
Water droplets grow as a result of
additional condensation of water vapour.
Precipitation.-. When cloud particles
become too heavy to remain suspended
in the air, they fall to the earth as
precipitation. Surface water may remain
as standing water (lakes, ponds) or
flowing water (rives and streams).
Infiltration.- water that percolates into the
ground. It results in groundwater or
aquifers.
Runof.- is the water flowing downslope
along Earths surface.

Copyright McGraw-Hill Education

Surface Water Movement

Runof

A number of conditions determine whether water on Earths surface

will infiltrate the ground or become runof.

Soil composition

The physical and chemical composition of soil afects its water-holding

capacity.

Soil composition

Soil that has open surface pores allows water to infiltrate. The particle
size that makes up a soil helps determine the pore space of the soil.

Large grain size

size
Copyright McGraw-Hill Education

Fine grain size

Mixed grain
Surface Water Movement

Runof
Rate of precipitation

If the rate of precipitation exceeds the rate of infiltration, the water will become
runof.

Slope

Water from precipitation falling on slopes flows to areas of lower elevation. The
steeper the slope, the faster the water flows.

Vegetation

Vegetation can slow the rate of runof of surface water. Raindrops are slowed when
they strike the leaves of trees or blades of grass, and they trickle down slowly.

Copyright McGraw-Hill Education

Surface Water Movement

The Carbon Cycle

In this cycle organisms exchange carbon dioxide with
the atmosphere.
In land: the plants take CO2 from the atmosphere
and incorporate it into organic nutrients (food)
when plants, animals and decomposers
respire a portion of carbon is given back to the
atmosphere as CO2.
In aquatic ecosystems: CO2 + water = bicarbonate
ion (HCO3-) a source of carbon for photosynthetic
organisms
when aquatic organisms respire,
the CO2 they give of becomes bicarbonate ion.

dolomite

limestone
Reservoirs:
a) Organic carbon in living and dead organisms. Before they
decompose, some remains are subjected to physical
processes that transform them into coal, oil and natural gas.
b) Inorganic carbonate.- accumulates in limestone and calcium
carbonate (CaCO3) shells of marine organisms. Calcium
carbonate sediments are changed by geological forces into

Carbon dioxide and global

warming
Atmospheric CO2:
1850 was 280 ppm and
today it is 350 ppm.
So, more CO2 is being
deposited than is being
removed, due to the
increase burning of
wood, fossil fuels and
forests destruction.
Other gases: nitric oxide
and methane.

Global warming as a result of the

greenhouse efect
Water vapour
is a
greenhouse
gas.
Clouds
reradiate
heat back to
Earth.

Earth
temperature
rises

More clouds
are formed

More water
evaporates

Interesting facts about global

warming
Industrial
Revolution

Today
0.6C more

2100
1.5-4.5 C

Increase rainfall in coasts and drier conditions inland.

The droughts will reduce agricultural yields and trees will die of.
Glaciers will met.
Ocean level will rise.
Inundation and disappearance of cities (New York, Miami, Boston, Galveston).

Nitrogen cycle
Nitrogen is found in amino acids, proteins and
nucleic acids.

Plants depend on bacteria to incorporate into

them inorganic nitrogen into organic compounds.

Steps:
1) Nitrogen fixation.- bacteria
in water and in soil (nodules
on the roots of legumes)
convert nitrogen gas(N2)
into ammonium (NH4+).
Plants use NH4+ and nitrate
(NO3-) from the soil to produce
amino acids and nucleic acids.
2) Nitrification.- production of
nitrates. This subcycle does not
necessarily depend on nitrogen
gas at all.
Atmosphere
Nitrogen gas (N2)
In the soil

Ammonium
(NH4+)

Cosmic
radiation

Nitrate

Nitrite producing
bacteria

Nitrite (NO2-)

Nitrate-producing
bacteria

Nitrate (NO3-)

Steps:
3) Denitrification.- convertion of nitrate
back to nitrogen gas, which enters the
atmosphere. This process is done by
denitrifying bacteria.

Nitrogen and Air Pollution

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) from burning
of fossil fuels and sulfur dioxide
(SO2) are converted to acids when
they combine with water vapour in
the atmosphere. Acids return to the
Earth.

Acid deposition consequences:

forests die
water cannot support normal fish
populations
Agricultural yields are reduced
Marble, metal, stonework corrosion

 Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) + water

vapour= acids.
Nitrogen oxides + hydrocarbons (HC) = smog.
(From fossil fuel combustion
paint solvents and pesticides)

Breathing ozone afects the respiratory and nervous

system, resulting in respiratory distress, headache and
exhaustion. Whereas plants have leaves mottling and
reduced growth.

video

Phosphorus cycle
Phosphorus moves from land and rocks to
the ocean and viceversa.
Plants take up
phosphate
from the soil

Decay and death of

organisms make
phosphate ions
available for
producers again.

Animals eat
producers and make
DNA, RNA and ATP.
They incorporate
phosphate into teeth,
bones, and shells.

Phosphorus cycle

Phosphorus moves
from land and rocks to
the ocean and
viceversa.
It runs of into the
aquatic ecosystem,
and algae acquire it.
Phosphorus does not
enter the atmosphere,
it is a sedimentary
cycle.
Plants take up
phosphate
from the soil

Decay and death of

organisms make
phosphate ions
available for
producers again.

Animals eat
producers and
make DNA,
RNA and ATP.
They
incorporate
phosphate into
teeth, bones,
and shells.

Phosphorus and water

pollution

Boost of phosphate due to fertilizers and detergent production,

livestock feedlots and discharge from sewage treatment plants lead
to eutrophication (over enrichment of waterways).
Eutrophication

Algae bloom, then when algae die of

Decomposers use up all the available oxyge

Massive fish kill