Download nutrient-cycling-bio

Biogeochemical Cycling
WHAT ARE THE PATTERNS OF
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
organic molecules – carbon based molecules
ex: carboyhydrates (C6H12O6), proteins,
lipids, nucleic acids
inorganic molecues – non-carbon-based molecules
ex: carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), nitrogen (N2)
HOW DO NUTRIENTS GO FROM
LIVING TO NONLIVING
producers – take inorganic molecules from the environment to
make:
 organic molecules AND
 wastes
consumers – take organic molecules from producers to make:
 their own organic molecules AND
 wastes
decomposers – break down organic molecules from producers and
consumers (wastes and dead organisms) to make:
 inorganic molecules which are returned to the environment (soil,
water, air)
WHAT IS SO GREAT ABOUT CARBON?
Carbon has FOUR valence electrons and
therefore PLAYS WELL with others and can make
complex organic compounds.
CARBOHYDRATES
PROTEINS
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Below is a two-dimensional ChemDraw model of leucine,
one of the twenty AMINO ACIDS available for building
proteins. Leucine differs from the other amino acids only
in its side chain, shown in green.
NUCLEIC ACIDS
LIPIDS
ENERGY FLOWS ONE WAY THROUGH
ECOSYSTEMS, BUT MATTER CYCLES THROUGH
ECOSYSTEMS
Energy enters the biological system as light energy, or photons, is
transformed into chemical energy in organic molecules by cellular
processes including photosynthesis and cellular respiration, and ultimately
is converted to heat energy.
This energy is dissipated, meaning it is lost to the system as heat;
once it is lost it cannot be recycled. Without the continued input of solar
energy, biological systems would quickly shut down. Thus the earth is an
open system with respect to energy.
NUTRIENTS NEEDS TO GET REUSED
THERE IS NO NEW SOURCE OF CARBON,
NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS OR WATER ON EARTH
During decomposition these materials are not destroyed or lost, so the earth is a
closed system with respect to elements.
The elements are cycled endlessly between their biotic and abiotic states within
ecosystems. Those elements whose supply tends to limit biological activity are
called nutrients.
AS YOU INVESTIGATE EACH CYCLE……
KEEP IN MIND
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With each of these cycles, where is
most of that nutrient stored?
How does it get into plants?
Animals? And back again?
WATER CYCLE
Reservoirs of water (forms)
 Salt water
 Ground water
 Glaciers/ice caps
 Fresh water (only
 Atmosphere
 Living matter
Usable forms for life
 Liquid/gas
Processes in the water cycle
 Evaporation – liquid to gas
 Condensation – gas to liquid
 Precipitation – rain, snow, hail, mist,
etc.
 Runoff – precipitation that flows off
land and into waterways
 Infiltration – precipitation that filters
into the ground
 Transpiration – plants take water from
the soil that evaporates from the leaves
CARBON CYCLE
Reservoirs of carbon (forms)

Atmosphere – carbon dioxide (CO2)

Living matter – carbohydrates, lipids, proteins,
nucleic acids

Water – bicarbonate (HCO3-)

Rocks - oil, coal, natural gas CH2O , limestone
(CaCO3), dolomite (MgCO3)
Usable forms for life

Carbon dioxide (autotrophs only)

Biological molecules (autotrophs and heterotrophs)
Processes in the carbon cycle

Cellular respiration – converts carbohydrates to
carbon dioxide and water (&ATP)

Photosynthesis – converts carbon dioxide and water
to carbohydrates (& oxygen)

Combustion – converts hydrocarbons to carbon
dioxide and water (& other pollutants)

Decomposition – converts carbohydrates to carbon
dioxide and water (& ATP)

Dissolving – converts atmospheric carbon dioxide
to bicarbonate

Sedimentation: carbon is deposited at bottom of
oceans\lakes as carbon sink

Extraction: humans extract fossilized carbon

Geology (pressure and time) – converts calcium
carbonate to limestone and carbohydrates to coal
(etc.)
PHOSPHORUS CYCLE
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The largest reservoir of phosphorus is in
sedimentary rock.
WEATHERING: When it rains,
phosphates are removed from the
exposed rocks and are distributed
throughout both soils and water.
ASSIMILATION: Plants take up the
phosphate ions from the soil.
phosphates moves from plants to
animals when herbivores eat plants
and carnivores eat plants or herbivores.
The phosphates absorbed by animals
eventually returns to the soil through the
EXCRETION of urine and feces,
DECOMPOSITION of plants and animals
turns phosphate to soil
LEACHING/RUNOFF – phosphate is
washed away from soils and carried by
streams to oceans and lakes
75% of the Earth is covered by water, however most of this is not available for
drinking (salt & frozen)
If you want to practice the carbon cycle use the link below to play The Carbon Cycle Game.
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/climate/carbon_cycle.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vJ_1ojjlxw
Circle of life carbon cycle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VElJhGLKX0
Andrew Friedland
Water Cycle websites
http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/droplet.html
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.watcyc.watercycle/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_c0ZzZfC8c&feature=fvwrel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RayAm2Uigdc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StPobH5ODTw&feature=related
too funny!