Biogeochemical CyclesHow do nutrients cycle through the environment?

MATTER

Matter

• Is any material that has mass and occupies space.

• Is never used up and never goes away.– It cycles round and round.

• The Law of Conservation of Matter is a principle that states that matter may be transformed from one type of matter to another, but it can’t be created or destroyed.

NUTRIENT CYCLING Nutrients cycle through the environment endlessly

Nutrient Cycling

• Question: What do you know about nutrition and nutrients?

Nutrient Cycling

• Nutrients are matter that organisms require for their life processes.

• Two types– Macronutrients which are

required in large amounts and include nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus.

– Micronutrients which are required in small amounts.

Nutrient Cycling

• Endlessly circulate through the environment in biogeochemical cycles.

• Carbon, oxygen, phosphorus, nitrogen are nutrients that cycle through all of Earth’s spheres and organisms.

NITROGEN CYCLE

The nitrogen cycle relies on bacteria that make nitrogen useful to organisms and bacteria that can return it to the atmosphere.

Nitrogen Cycle• Nitrogen– Makes up 78% of the

atmosphere and is the sixth most abundant element.

– Is an essential • Ingredient of DNA & RNA

(proteins) that build organisms.

• Nutrient for plant growth– This means that the

nitrogen cycle is vital to all organisms.

Nitrogen Cycle

• Nitrogen gas cannot cycle out of the atmosphere and into organisms.– The nitrogen cycle

chemically changes nitrogen gas to make nitrogen available to organisms that need it.

Nitrogen Cycle

• Nitrogen fixation converts nitrogen gas intoammonia– This accomplished by

• Intense energy of lightning.• Nitrogen-fixing bacteria

– Live in soil or associated with soybean, clover, and legumes.

– Use the process of nitrification to produce nitrate ions (NO3

-) that plants can use.

Nitrogen Cycle

• Denitrification bacteria complete the nitrogen cycle by converting nitrates in soil or water back to nitrogen gas.