Biochemical Cycles- closed circles or cycles of materials from nonliving to living organisms and back to nonliving.Examples : Water, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus

Biology, Geology and Biology, Geology and ChemistryChemistry

Cycles Nutrients through Cycles Nutrients through the Ecosystemthe Ecosystem

I. General InformationI. General Information

A. Biogeochemical cycles A. Biogeochemical cycles

materials cycle between the materials cycle between the living and physical (non-living) living and physical (non-living) parts of an ecosystemparts of an ecosystem

B. Types of cyclesB. Types of cycles

1. Water1. Water

2. Energy2. Energy

3. Carbon3. Carbon

4. Nitrogen4. Nitrogen

II. Water CycleII. Water Cycle

II. Water CycleII. Water Cycle

A.A. Driven by Driven by the Sunthe Sun

B. Steps of Water CycleB. Steps of Water Cycle1. 1. EvaporationEvaporation – –

a. Sun heats Eartha. Sun heats Earth

b. Hb. H22O evaporatesO evaporates

c. Hc. H22O goes into atmosphere asO goes into atmosphere as

HH22O vaporO vapor

II. Water CycleII. Water Cycle

2. 2. CondensationCondensation

HH22O condenses O condenses

(goes from gas to liquid) (goes from gas to liquid)

to formto form

cloudsclouds

II. Water CycleII. Water Cycle

3. 3. PrecipitationPrecipitation

HH22O leaves clouds, falls on EarthO leaves clouds, falls on Earth

E.g. rain, snow, sleet, E.g. rain, snow, sleet, hailhail

4. 4. Percolation /Percolation / InfiltrationInfiltration

HH22O enters soil, becomes O enters soil, becomes groundwatergroundwater

II. Water CycleII. Water Cycle

5. 5. Run–offRun–off

Some HSome H22O moves on surface to O moves on surface to rivers, rivers, lakes & oceanslakes & oceans

6. 6. TranspirationTranspiration

HH22O released from plant O released from plant leaves,leaves,

returns to atmospherereturns to atmosphere

II. Water CycleII. Water CycleC. Where is the HC. Where is the H22O on Earth?O on Earth?

1. Oceans1. Oceans97.2%97.2%

2. Glaciers2. Glaciers2.15%2.15%

3. Lakes3. Lakes0.009%0.009%

4. Soil4. Soil0.005%0.005%

5. Atmosphere5. Atmosphere0.001%0.001%

6. Streams6. Streams0.0001% 0.0001%

II. Water CycleII. Water Cycle

III. Carbon CycleIII. Carbon Cycle

III. Carbon CycleIII. Carbon Cycle

A.A. How does carbon enter the How does carbon enter the living part of the cycle?living part of the cycle?

1. 1. PhotosynthesisPhotosynthesis Plants, algae, & cyanobacteria Plants, algae, & cyanobacteria use COuse CO22 to make to make organic compounds (sugars)organic compounds (sugars)

2. 2. Nutrients move C through trophic Nutrients move C through trophic levelslevels

Consumers move organic Consumers move organic compounds compounds

III. Carbon CycleIII. Carbon CycleB. How does carbon get back into the B. How does carbon get back into the

physical part of the cycle?physical part of the cycle?

1. 1. Cellular RespirationCellular Respiration OO22 used used

to break down sugarsto break down sugars COCO22 released released into into

atmosphereatmosphere

III. Carbon CycleIII. Carbon Cycle

2. 2. CombustionCombustion Fossil fuels & wood burned Fossil fuels & wood burned

CO (carbon monoxide) released CO (carbon monoxide) released to to atmosphereatmosphere

Factory & Auto emissions release Factory & Auto emissions release CO to CO to atmosphereatmosphere

III. Carbon CycleIII. Carbon Cycle4. Decomposition of waste and dead 4. Decomposition of waste and dead

materialsmaterials Some dead organisms become fossil fuelsSome dead organisms become fossil fuels Some dead organisms and waste decay, Some dead organisms and waste decay,

returning nutrients to the soilreturning nutrients to the soil Erosion – Erosion –

– CaCOCaCO22 from shells from shells

returned to system returned to system as sediment as sediment – Shelled organisms dieShelled organisms die– Sediment returns C to ecosystem by erosion Sediment returns C to ecosystem by erosion

(wind & water)(wind & water)

III. Carbon CycleIII. Carbon Cycle

IV. Nitrogen CycleIV. Nitrogen Cycle

IV. Nitrogen CycleIV. Nitrogen Cycle

A.A. General informationGeneral information

1. N needed to make proteins1. N needed to make proteins

Proteins = large molecules Proteins = large molecules that that perform almost all perform almost all of living of living organisms’ vital organisms’ vital f(x)s f(x)s (functions)(functions)

IV. Nitrogen CycleIV. Nitrogen Cycle

2. N hard to convert into a form 2. N hard to convert into a form

usable by plantsusable by plants

3. Most steps of N cycle occur in the 3. Most steps of N cycle occur in the soilsoil

4. Bacteria very important to the N 4. Bacteria very important to the N cyclecycle

IV. Nitrogen CycleIV. Nitrogen Cycle

B. Steps of the N cycleB. Steps of the N cycle

1. 1. Nitrogen fixationNitrogen fixation

Bacteria work with Bacteria work with

legumeslegumes

(peas, beans, peanuts)(peas, beans, peanuts)

to take Nto take N22 from atmosphere, from atmosphere,

put it into the soilput it into the soil

IV. Nitrogen CycleIV. Nitrogen Cycle2. 2. AmmonificationAmmonification

Animals & plants Animals & plants deposit deposit

nitrogenous nitrogenous wastewaste

DecomposersDecomposers (bacteria & fungi) (bacteria & fungi)

convert convert organic Norganic N(proteins) to (proteins) to ammonia (NHammonia (NH33) )

IV. Nitrogen CycleIV. Nitrogen Cycle3. 3. NitrificationNitrification

Another kind of bacteria convert Another kind of bacteria convert nitrogen compoundsnitrogen compounds

NHNH3 3 → → NHNH44 + + →→ NONO22- - + NO+ NO33

--

4. 4. DenitrificationDenitrification

Another kind of bacteria Another kind of bacteria

convert nitrites and nitratesconvert nitrites and nitrates

to nitrogen gasto nitrogen gas

NONO22- - + NO+ NO33

- - →→ NN22

IV. Nitrogen CycleIV. Nitrogen Cycle

5. 5. Assimilation-Assimilation- the absorption the absorption

and incorporation of and incorporation of

Nitrogen into plant and Nitrogen into plant and

animal compounds animal compounds

IV. Nitrogen CycleIV. Nitrogen Cycle