Nutrient Cycles Chapter 3: The Biosphere I. Biogeochemical Cycles a. a.k.a. nutrient cycles b. Nature does not throw anything away c. Cycle the path from nonliving environments to living organisms and then back to the nonliving environments again d. Energy and nutrients move through the trophic levels together. Ecology Chapter 3 1
Biogeochemical Cycles 4 main ways that matter is cycled through the environment: Biological activities performed by living orgs (eating, breathing, eliminating waste). Geological major movements of matter above/below the surface (volcanoes, rock formations). Chemical formation of clouds/precipitation, flowing water, lightning. Human activity mining, making fertilizers, burning fossil fuels. I. Biogeochemical Cycles e. Energy and nutrients move differently through the biosphere. Nutrients are used over and over by living systems recycled! g. Recycled nutrients nclude: water, carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, calcium, & phosphorus Ecology Chapter 3 2
Three Nutrient Cycles 1) Carbon Life [Quantity] 2) Nitrogen Proteins [Quality] 3) Phosphorous ATP [Energy] Tri phosphate Aug 18 12:52 PM II. The Water Cycle a. Begins with water vapor in the atomosphere condensing and falling to the ground as rain or snow b. Condensation changing from a vapor (gas) form into a liquid or solid form c. Some water is stored as ground water water retained beneath the surface of the Earth that supplies wells and springs Ecology Chapter 3 3
Nutrient & water cycles.notebook II. The Water Cycle d. Remaining water is heated by the sun and re enters the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration Evaporation changing from liquid form into gas (vapor) form Transpiration the evaporation of water from plant leaves 1) Condensation 2) II. The Water Cycle 6) 3) Accumulation 5) 4) Ecology Chapter 3 4
Two things that water can do once it gets to the ground 1)Accumulation (runoff) 2)Percolation (becomes ground water ) There are two ways water can get back into the atmosphere 1) Evaporation 2)Transpiration through tree leaves III. The Carbon Cycle a. The movement of carbon through the environment b. Carbon dioxide in the air or dissolved in water is used by photosynthetic plants to build organic molecules c. Carbon atoms return to the air and water three main ways: i. Respiration the use of oxygen to make organic molecules during cellular respiration; carbon dioxide is a by product of this reaction Ecology Chapter 3 5
III. The Carbon Cycle c. Carbon atoms return to the air and water three main ways: ii. Combustion the burning of carbon stored in wood or fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) Carbon cycle's major reactions 1) Photosynthesis [light building] CO2 + H2O Aug 18 1:02 PM C6H12O6 + O2 Energy conversion reaction (rxn) that is converting electromagnetic energy (visible light) into chemical potential energy 2) Respiration C6H12O6 + O2 3) Combustion C8H18 + H2O (Octane) (C6H1206)2100 + O2 (Cellulose) Burning Gas Burning wood light CO2 + H2O + ATP Cell's currency C2O + H2O CO2 + H2O Ecology Chapter 3 6
Nutrient & water cycles.notebook III. The Carbon Cycle IV. The Nitrogen Cycle a. The movement of nitrogen through the environment. b. The atmosphere is about 78% nitrogen gas c. Nitrogen needed to build proteins (muscle is protein) and nucleic acids d. Nitrogen fixation changing free N2 in the atmosphere into compounds soil microorganisms combining nitrogen with hydrogen to form ammonia Ecology Chapter 3 7
Nutrient & water cycles.notebook IV. The Nitrogen Cycle e. The nitrogen cycle has four important stages: i. Assimilation absorption and incorporation of nitrogen into organic compounds by plants ii. Ammonification the production of ammonia by bacteria during the decay of organic matter iii. Nitrification the production of nitrate from ammonia iv. Denitrification the conversion of nitrate into nitrogen gas IV. The Nitrogen Cycle Ecology Chapter 3 8
Aug 18 1:27 PM V. The Phosphorus Cycle a. Phosphorus essential parts of both ATP and DNA; present in soil and rock as calcium phosphate, which dissolves in water to form phosphate ions b. Phosphate is absorbed by plant roots which is the eaten by animals and reused Ecology Chapter 3 9
Nutrient & water cycles.notebook The Phosphorus Cycle Ecology Chapter 3 10