BIOGEOCHEMICAL

CYCLES
What are Biogeochemical Cycles?
- Bio – life
- Geo – Earth

- literally “life-earth-chemical”
cycle
- also called nutrient cycles
 Biogeochemical Cycles cont’d
- natural processes that recycle nutrients
from the non-living environment to
living organisms, then back to the non-
living environment

- A nutrient is a substance an organism

needs to live, grow or reproduce e.g.,
carbon, oxygen and nitrogen
 Biogeochemical Cycles
Macronutrients
- nutrients needed in large amounts
- make up > 95% of all organism’s mass
- e.g., C, N, P, K, H, O

Micronutrients
- the 30+ elements required by organisms in
small amounts - e.g., iron, zinc
 Carbon Cycle
Carbon (C)
- basic building block of carbohydrates, fats,
proteins and nucleic acids (such as DNA)

- the main source of C for organisms is CO2

from the atmosphere or dissolved in surface
water
 Carbon Cycle cont’d
The 3 largest reservoirs of C are :

1. earth’s rocks

2. fossil fuels

3. ocean beds
 Carbon Cycle cont’d

Atmosphere
(CO2) Diffusion

Photosynthesis
Combustion

Respiration, Decomposition

Plants Consumption Animals

Burial and compaction

Fossil fuels Oceans

Limestone
 CARBON CYCLE

Atmosphere 750

Vegetation 610

Soils
1580
 Carbon Cycle cont’d

Two ways that humans have disturbed

the cycle:

1. Forest & brush clearing

2. Burning fossil fuels and wood

 Carbon Cycle cont’d

- These activities have resulted in an increase

in the level of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere.

- 0.036% of the atmosphere is carbon

dioxide gas

- Increases in the level of carbon dioxide

linked to global warming
 Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen
- organisms need N to make proteins,
DNA and other nitrogen compounds

- nitrogen gas, N2,makes up 78% of

atmospheric volume

- N2 cannot be used directly by plants or

animals
 Nitrogen Cycle cont’d

Ways Humans Intervene in N Cycle:

1. Adding excess nitrate and ammonia to

aquatic ecosystems in agricultural runoff
and discharge of municipal sewage. Leads to
eutrophication.

2. Emitting large quantities of nitric oxide

when fuel is burned. Leads to acid rain.
 Phosphorus Cycle
- is the movement of P through water, earth’s
crust and living organisms

- P, mainly in the form of phosphates, is an

essential plant & animal nutrient

- P is found is essential to bones, teeth & plant

and animal cell membranes
 Phosphorus Cycle

Phosphate rocks

Erosion Fertilizer

Upliftment
of the ocean
floor Aquatic plants Aquatic animals

Ocean Floor
 Phosphorus Cycle cont’d

2 chief ways humans intervene with the P cycle:

1. Mining large quantities of phosphate rock to

produce commercial inorganic fertilisers and
detergents

- Phosphorus is a non-renewable resource and

inefficient use may lead to shortage in the
future and global food problems.
(ScienceDaily, 2010)
 Phosphorus Cycle cont’d

2. Adding excess phosphate to aquatic

ecosystems in runoff or animal wastes from
cropland, sewage discharge & livestock
feedlots

- Excess phosphorus leads to growth of algae

which blocks waterways. In extreme cases
death of the algae results in oxygen deficiency
and fish kills.
 Hydrologic Cycle
- describes the movement of H2O between
oceans and land masses

- collects, purifies and distributes Earth’s

fixed supply of water

- organisms are made up primarily of H2O

 The Water Cycle

Source: http://web.ccsd.k12.wy.us/Science/04/0202watrcycl.html
 The Water Cycle

CONDENSATION

AQUIFER
 Hydrologic Cycle cont’d

2 main ways humans interfere in H2O cycle:

1. Withdrawing large quantities of fresh

water

2. Clearing vegetation from land for

agriculture, mining, roads, construction,
etc.