Download Cycles of Matter - Brookwood High School

Cycles of Matter
• Unlike the one-way flow of energy,
matter is ______________
Cycles of Matter
• Unlike the one-way flow of energy,
matter is recycled within and between
ecosystems.
Cycles of Matter
• Biogeochemical cycles –
Cycles of Matter
• Biogeochemical cycles –
Process in which elements, chemical
compounds, and other forms of matter
passed from one organism to another and
from one part of the biosphere to another
Cycles of Matter
• Biogeochemical cycles –
Biological
Geological
Chemical
Cycles are all connected
The Water Cycle
• Evaporation -
The Water Cycle
• Evaporation – process by which water
changes from liquid form to an
atmospheric gas
The Water Cycle
• Evaporation – process by which water
changes from liquid form to an
atmospheric gas
• Transpiration -
The Water Cycle
• Evaporation – process by which water
changes from liquid form to an
atmospheric gas
• Transpiration – process of water
evaporating from the leaves of plants
The Water Cycle
• Evaporation and
transpiration occur
The Water Cycle
• Evaporation and
transpiration occur
• Sun heats the
atmosphere
• Warm air rises, and
eventually cools
The Water Cycle
1. Evaporation: Sun
heats the atmosphere
causing warm moist air
to rise
2. Transporation: Heat
from the sun causes
plants to “sweat” and
lose water through
stomata into the
atmosphere.
The Water Cycle
3. Condensation: Moist
warm air will cool the
higher it rises which
causes water vapor to
condense and forms
clouds
The Water Cycle
4. Precipitation: When
enough water condenses
it will form droplets
which will return to
Earth’s surface in form
of precipitation – rain,
snow, sleet, or hail
The Water Cycle
5. Runoff: On land,
water runs along surface
until it enters streams,
rivers, lakes or the ocean
The Water Cycle
6. Seepage: Some water
also seeps into soil and
becomes ground water
and some of this water
can be soaked up
through the roots of
plants.
The Water Cycle
water cycle continue
both day & night.
Nutrient Cycles
Nutrient Cycles
• Benefits -
Nutrient Cycles
• Benefits –
– Every organism needs nutrients to build
tissues and carry out essential life functions
Nutrient Cycles
• Benefits –
1. Every organism needs nutrients to build
tissues and carry out essential life functions
a. Like water, nutrients are passed between
organisms and the environment through
biogeochemical processes
Nutrient Cycles
• Benefits –
2. In many ecosystems, nutrients are in short
supply
• Thus recycling nutrients is essential for the
ecosystem to keep functioning
Nutrient Cycles
• Benefits –
3. Prevents many chemicals from reaching
concentrations that would otherwise be toxic or
harmful to organisms
Nutrient Cycles
• Three cycles play especially prominent
roles in the biosphere
Nutrient Cycles
• Three cycles play especially prominent
roles in the biosphere
– The carbon cycle
Nutrient Cycles
• Three cycles play especially prominent
roles in the biosphere
– The carbon cycle
– The nitrogen cycle
Nutrient Cycles
• Three cycles play especially prominent
roles in the biosphere
– The carbon cycle
– The nitrogen cycle
– The phosphorus cycle
The Carbon Cycle
• There are four different kinds of processes
involved in the carbon cycle
The Carbon Cycle
• There are four different kinds of processes
involved in the carbon cycle
1. Biological processes -
The Carbon Cycle
• There are four different kinds of processes
involved in the carbon cycle
1. Biological processes – photosynthesis,
respiration, and decomposition of plants and
animals
The Carbon Cycle
• There are four different kinds of processes
involved in the carbon cycle
2. Geochemical processes – release of carbon
dioxide to atmosphere by volcanoes
The Carbon Cycle
• There are four different kinds of processes
involved in the carbon cycle
3. Mixed biogeochemical processes – burial of
carbon-rich remains of organisms and their
conversion into fossil fuels (coal and petroleum)
by the pressure of overlying earth
The Carbon Cycle
• There are four different kinds of processes
involved in the carbon cycle
4. Human activity – including mining, the
burning of fossil fuels, and the cutting and
burning of forests
The Carbon Cycle
• In the atmosphere,
carbon is present as
carbon dioxide.
CO2
CO2
The Carbon Cycle
5. In the atmosphere,
carbon is present as
carbon dioxide.
a. This carbon dioxide
came from
1. Volcanic activity
2. Respiration
3. Burning of fossil fuels
4. Decomposition of
organic matter
CO2
CO2
The Carbon Cycle
• Plants take in carbon
dioxide
CO2
CO2
The Carbon Cycle
6. Plants take in carbon
dioxide
CO2
a. The carbon is used to
build carbohydrates
during photosynthesis
CO2
The Carbon Cycle
7. The carbohydrates are
passed along food webs
to animals and other
consumers
CO2
CO2
The Carbon Cycle
8. In the ocean
organisms use carbon to
make calcium carbonate
CO2
CO2
The Carbon Cycle
8. In the ocean
organisms use carbon to
make calcium carbonate
a. This calcium
carbonate accumulates in
marine sediments and in
the bones and shells of
organisms
CO2
CO2
The Carbon Cycle
b. These calcium
carbonate compounds
eventually break down
and the carbon returns to
the atmosphere
CO2
CO2
The Nitrogen Cycle
• Nitrogen fixation -
The Nitrogen Cycle
1. Nitrogen fixation – process where nitrogen
gas is converted to ammonia by bacteria
found in roots of plants called legumes
The Nitrogen Cycle
• Nitrogen required to
make amino acids,
which are used to
build proteins.
N2
NH3
NO3NO2-
The Nitrogen Cycle
2. Nitrogen required to
make amino acids,
which are used to build
proteins.
3. When organisms die,
decomposers return
nitrogen to the soil as
ammonia
N2
NH3
NO3NO2-
The Nitrogen Cycle
4. nitrogen gas (N2)
makes up 78% of
atmosphere
N2
NH3
NO3NO2-
The Nitrogen Cycle
4. nitrogen gas (N2)
makes up 78% of
atmosphere
5. Through nitrogen
fixation, nitrogen gas
converted to ammonia
N2
NH3
NO3NO2-
The Nitrogen Cycle
• Ammonia (NH3),
nitrate ions (NO3-),
and nitrite ions(NO2-)
are found in wastes
produced by
organisms
N2
NH3
NO3NO2-
The Nitrogen Cycle
6. Ammonia (NH3),
nitrate ions (NO3-), and
nitrite ions(NO2-) are
found in wastes
produced by organisms
7. These compounds
taken up by producers to
make proteins
N2
NH3
NO3NO2-
The Nitrogen Cycle
8. Soil bacteria convert
nitrates into nitrogen gas
in process called
denitrification
N2
NH3
NO3NO2-
The Phosphorous Cycle
1. Important to living organisms because it
forms part of DNA and RNA
2. Not very common in biosphere
The Phosphorous Cycle
3. Does not enter atmosphere
a. Instead it remains mostly on land in rock and soil
minerals, and in ocean sediments
b. As rocks wear down, phosphate is released
c. It is released into streams and rivers and eventually
makes its way to the ocean and is used by marine
organisms
d. On land it is absorbed by plants and passes up through
the food chain
Nutrient Limitation
E. Primary productivity – rate at which
organic matter is created by producers.
Nutrient Limitation
F. Limiting nutrient – single nutrient that
either is scarce or cycles very slowly,
limiting the growth of organisms in an
ecosystem
Nutrient Limitation
• Limiting nutrient – single nutrient that
either is scarce or cycles very slowly,
limiting the growth of organisms in an
ecosystem
– Examples –
• farmers add fertilizers that contain nitrogen,
phosphorus, and potassium to their crops
Nutrient Limitation
• Limiting nutrient – single nutrient that
either is scarce or cycles very slowly,
limiting the growth of organisms in an
ecosystem
– Examples –
• farmers add fertilizers that contain nitrogen,
phosphorus, and potassium to their crops
• In freshwater aquatic environment, phosphorus is
usually the limiting nutrient
Nutrient limitation
G. Algal bloom – immediate increase in the
amount of algae and other producers that
results from a large input of a limiting
nutrient
1. Often results when runoff from heavily
fertilized fields increases amount of limiting
nutrient