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Nutrient Cycle
• How are • Every living organism needs nutrients
nutrients
to build tissues and carry out essential
important
life functions. Like water, nutrients
in living
are passed between organisms and
systems?
the environment through
biogeochemical cycles.
• In many ecosystems, nutrients are
often in short supply.
• Nutrient cycling prevents many
chemicals from reaching toxic
concentrations.
• Nutrients
• All the chemical substances
that an organism needs to
sustain life are its nutrients.
• Three nutrient cycles play
prominent roles in the
biosphere:
– The carbon cycle
– The Nitrogen cycle
– The phosphorous cycle
The Carbon Cycle
• What are • There are four different kinds of
the four
processes involved in the carbon cycle.
processes
involved in 1. Biological processes such as
the carbon
photosynthesis, respiration, eating and
cycle?
decomposition of plants and animals.
2. Geochemical processes such as the
release of carbon dioxide to the
atmosphere by volcanoes.
3. Mixed biogeochemical processes
such as the burial of carbon-rich
remains of organisms and their
conversion into coal and petroleum
by the pressure of the overlying
earth.
4. Human activity, including mining,
the burning of fossil fuels, and the
cutting and burning of forest.
•
Human activity causing ozone
depletion and global warming.
The Carbon Cycle
CO2 in Atmosphere
CO2 in oceans