Download Biogeochemical Cycles

HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
4
3
5
2
5
1B
6B
1A
6C
6A
7
LABEL AND EXPLAIN THE PROCESSES AT EACH NUMBER IN THE DIAGRAM ABOVE
1A. Evaporation of water from oceans
1B. Evaporation of water from land sources (water and soils)
2. Transpiration releases water vapor from plants
3. Atmospheric winds transport water vapor
4. Condensation occurs
5. Precipitation occurs (rain, snow, sleet)
6A. Runoff of surface rains into bodies of water
6B. Plant uptake of water from soil
6C. Infiltration and percolation of water into the ground
7. Water enters the ground water supplies
GIVE EXAMPLES I EXPLAIN WHY WATER IS IMPORTANT TO LIVING THINGS
1. EVERY CELL IS DEPENDENT UPON WATER FOR METABOLIC PROCESSES
2. NECESSARY TO DISSOLVE MATERIALS IN AN ORGANISM AND IN THE ENVIRONMENT
3. WATER IS THE UNIVERSAL SOLVENT – CARRIES COMPOUNDS IN OTHER CYCLES AND
TRANSPORTS THEM AROUND THE WORLD, STORES COMPOUNDS AS WELL.
4. PLANTS REQUIRE IT FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS – THEREFORE ALL FOOD IS DEPENDENT
UPON WATER SUPPLY
5. WATER IS NECESSARY TO DISTRIBUTE HEAT AROUND THE WORLD
GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW HUMANS ARE INTERFERING WITH THE WATER CYCLE
1. GROUND AND SURFACE WATER POLLUTION DUE TO ACID RAIN
(CARBON/SULFUR/NITROGEN) CAUSED BY INDUSTRY/FACTORIES
2. AGRICULTURE IRRIGATION AND DEPLETION OF GROUND AND SURFACE WATER
3.
DEFORESTATION AND CLEARING OF GRASSLANDS REDUCES VEGETATION AND
INTERFERES WITH TRANSPIRATION AND RE-ABSORPTION OF WATER BY PLANTS.
4. GLOBAL WARMING IS INCREASING THE RATE OF EVAPORATION, LOSS OF GLACIERS
AND OTHER SURFACE ICE
5. LIVESTOCK RELEASE LARGE AMOUNTS OF PHOSPHORUS AND NITROGEN WASTE
WHICH CAN CAUSE EUTROPHICATION IN PONDS/LAKES
CARBON CYCLE
2B
2A
8A,B
1
7
4
9
5
10
3
6
LABEL AND EXPLAIN THE PROCESSES AT EACH NUMBER IN THE DIAGRAM ABOVE
1. Photosynthesis absorbs carbon from the atmosphere
2A. Respiration by animals releases carbon into the atmosphere
2B. Respiration by plants releases carbon into the atmosphere
3. Decomposition of plants and animals releases carbon
4. Atmospheric carbon is absorbed by and released by the oceans
5. Marine organisms perform photosynthesis and respiration
6. Marine organisms with shells and calcium skeletons (corals) from sediments
7. Erosion of ancient limestone and other carbon based rocks
8A. Combustion of fossil fuels
8B. Combustion of forest fires, volcanic eruptions also release carbon
9. Clearing of land destroys biomass releasing stored carbon
10. Extraction of fossil fuels releases carbon
GIVE EXAMPLES I EXPLAIN WHY CARBON IS IMPORTANT TO LIVING THINGS
1. STRUCTURE OF ALL LIVING CELLS – ALL ORGANISMS ARE “ORGANIC”
2. STORES ENERGY IN THE CHEMICAL BONDS WITH DIFFERENT ELEMENTS
3. CARBON IS A KEY ELEMENT IN OUR BIOMOLECULES
4. USED BY MANY ORGANISMS TO PRODUCE SHELLS/SKELETONS
5.
Carbon (dioxide) is a greenhouse gas – allowing life to survive on Earth
GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW HUMANS ARE INTERFERING WITH THE CARBON CYCLE
1. DEFORESTATION / LOSS OF VEGETATIVE HABITATS REDUCES CARBON SINK
2.
SLASH AND BURN TECHNIQUE RELEASES MORE CARBON & REMOVES CARBON SINK
3. BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS RELEASES LARGE AMOUNTS OF CARBON WHICH IS A
GREENHOUSE GAS
4. CARBON SEQUESTRATION (DEEP UNDER GROUND) AND PROPOSED COLLECTION
METHODS
5. RESPIRATION OF 7 BILLION PEOPLE
NITROGEN CYCLE
8A,B,C
7
1
3
2
6
4
9
5A
5B
LABEL AND EXPLAIN THE PROCESSES AT EACH NUMBER IN THE DIAGRAM ABOVE
1. Plants absorb nitrogen from the soil
2. Consumers eat the plants
3. Decomposition of organisms and their waste products
4. Ammonification of wastes to produce ammonium
5A. Nitrification of ammonium into Nitrites
5B. Nitrification of Nitrites into Nitrates
6. Denitrification of Nitrates into gaseous N2
7. N2 is released into the atmosphere
8A. Lightning and volcanic eruptions “fix” atmospheric N2 to Nitrates
8B. Production of fertilizers fix Nitrogen, Use of legumes as crops fix Nitrogen
8C. Burning of fossil fuels fixes nitrogen
9. Nitrogen fixing bacteria in soils and some plant roots convert to Nitrates
GIVE EXAMPLES I EXPLAIN WHY NITROGEN IS IMPORTANT TO LIVING THINGS
1. NITROGEN IS NEEDED TO FORM MANY BIOMOLECULES FOR PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
NUCLEIC ACIDS & NUCLEOTIDES – DNA/RNA
2.
ENZYMES
HORMONES
3.
AMINO ACIDS & PEPTIDES
TISSUES OF ORGANISMS
4.
ALLOW THE MUSCLES TO CONTRACT
USED TO MAKE HEMOGLOBIN & ANTIBODIES
5.
COLLAGEN - FIBROUS PROTEIN IN YOUR CARTILAGE AND TENDONS
CAN BE USED AS AN ENERGY SOURCE IN YOUR CELLS (LAST RESORT)
GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW HUMANS ARE INTERFERING WITH THE NITROGEN CYCLE
1. BURNING FOSSIL FUELS RELEASES NO INTO THE ATMOSPHERE – LEADING TO ACID
RAIN
2. LIVESTOCK WASTE CONTAINS LARGE AMOUNTS OF N2O GAS - GENERALLY IN URINE
3.
PRODUCTION AND USE OF FERTILIZERS INCREASES N2O IN THE ATMOSPHERE
4. IN LARGE AMOUNTS, RUNOFF CAN CAUSE FISH KILLS AND EUTROPHICATION IN
LAKES CAUSING ALGAL BLOOMS, HYPOXIA & DEATH TO AQUATIC ORGANISMS
5.
CULTIVATE NITROGEN FIXING CROPS (TO FERTILIZE THE LAND) BUT RELEASES LARGE
AMOUNT OF N2O INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
PHOSPHORUS CYCLE - AN EXTREMELY LONG CYCLE
- NO ATMOSPHERIC STAGE!!!
6
Decomposition of
plants&animals
1
2
4
3
7
8
5
LABEL AND EXPLAIN THE PROCESSES AT EACH NUMBER IN THE DIAGRAM ABOVE
1. Phosphates are leached (released) from rocks and sediments
2. Phosphates runoff into water supplies or soils
3. Plants take up phosphates, animals eat plants
4. Decomposition releases phosphates into the soil
5. Marine organisms use phosphates and become bottom sediments after death
6. Mining of phosphates for use in fertilizers and detergents
7. Phosphates are released in runoff from agriculture fields, sewage systems
8. Phosphates are released in animal waste
GIVE EXAMPLES I EXPLAIN WHY PHOSPHORUS IS IMPORTANT TO LIVING THINGS
1. PHOSPHORUS IS NECESSARY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF NUCLEIC ACIDS AND
NUCLEOTIDES
2. IMPORTANT PART OF PHOSPHOLIPID LAYER OF CELL MEMBRANES
3. PHOSPHORUS IS A PRIMARY COMPONENT OF THE ENERGY MOLECULE ATP
(ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATE) WHICH TRANSPORTS CHEMICAL ENERGY THAT IS USED
BY OUR MUSCLES AND OTHER ACTIVITY.
4. PHOSPHORUS ALSO ACTS AS A BUFFER, NEUTRALIZING ACIDS TO MAINTAIN NORMAL
pH IN THE BLOOD.
5. IMPORTANT ELEMENT TO AID IN BONE AND TEETH STRUCTURE
GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW HUMANS ARE INTERFERING WITH THE PHOSPHORUS CYCLE
1. PHOSPHATE MINES EXPOSE PHOSPHORUS AND IN TURN CREATE RUNOFF
(MINED FOR FERTILIZERS & DETERGENTS)
2. REMOVING VEGETATION REMOVES PHOSPHATE FROM ENVIRONMENT
3. PHOSPHORUS IS COMMON IN SEWAGE - DETERGENTS OFTEN CONTAIN PHOSPHATES
LEADS TO EUTROPHICATION & HYPOXIA
4. PHOSPHORUS IS PRESENT IN AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF – FOUND IN FERTILIZERS
LEADS TO EUTROPHICATION
5.
-
SULFUR CYCLE
3
4B
A
4A
2B,C,D
2A
1A
LABEL AND EXPLAIN THE PROCESSES AT EACH NUMBER IN THE DIAGRAM ABOVE
1. Rocks are “sinks” for sulfur – Sulfur is exposed by weathering/erosion
2A. Sea vents release sulfur into ocean water
2B. Volcanoes release sulfur into the atmosphere
2C. Burning of fossil fuels releases sulfur into the atmosphere
2D. Sulfur in bedrock upwells into ground water and surface water
3. Acid rain forms from atmospheric sulfur
4A. Sulfur in soil is taken up by plants to create biomolecules
4B. Decomposition of animals and plants releases sulfur into the soil
GIVE EXAMPLES I EXPLAIN WHY SULFUR IS IMPORTANT TO LIVING THINGS
1. COMPONENT OF PROTEINS
2. USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF COLLAGEN, WHICH IS A SUBSTANCE THAT FORMS
CONNECTIVE TISSUES, CELL STRUCTURE AND ARTERY WALLS.
3. SULFUR IS A PART OF KERATIN, GIVING STRENGTH TO HAIR, SKIN AND NAILS.
4.
5.
GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW HUMANS ARE INTERFERING WITH THE SULFUR CYCLE
1. BURNING FOSSIL FUELS RELEASES SULFUR CAUSING ACID RAIN
SO2 IS CONVERTED TO SULFURIC ACID – H2SO4
2. REFINING AND SMELTING ORES (GOLD,COPPER,etc) RELEASES SULFUR
3. MINING FOR COAL RELEASES SULFUR FROM BEDROCK – ACIDIFYING AQUATIC
HABITATS
4. SULFUR IN THE ATMOSPHERE CAN INTERFERE WITH INSOLATION AND CAUSE A
COOLING OF THE EARTH
5.