BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
1) What are biogeochemical cycles and examples of them on Earth?
2) Why are they important?3) How do you interpret models of
biogeochemical cycles?
DAY 1: Biogeochemical Cycles Biogeochemical cycles are cycles that connect
biological, geological and chemical processes on earth.
They are important in making recycling the nutrients, minerals and water essential for life.
Unlike the one-way flow of energy, matter is recycled within and between ecosystems.
Matter can cycle through the biosphere because biological systems do not use up matter, they only change it.
Matter can neither be created nor
destroyed, only transferred or transformed
Day 2: Carbon Cycle
Carbon is an essential organic compound, and an important ingredient in living tissue.
Sources of carbon are plant and animal respiration, burning fossil fuels, and auto and factory emissions.
Day 2: Carbon Cycle
Plants absorb carbon through photosynthesis.
6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6
+ 6O2
Carbon is released into the soil when organisms, like bacteria, decompose plants and animal wastes.
Day 3: Nitrogen Cycle Important nutrient for all living things and in protein formation.
Nitrogen fixing bacteria found in soil and some plants (e.g. legume plants) , nitrifying algae and lightning (in minor amounts) can take nitrogen out of the atmosphere.
Day 3: Nitrogen Cycle
Plants absorb nitrogen through their roots and animals eat the plants.
Denitrifying bacteria release nitrogen to the atmosphere.
Day 4: Water Cycle
Label the parts of the water cycle:
a) runoffb) power sourcec) condensationd) precipitatione) Evaporation
(transpiration from plants)