Ecosystems maintain themselves by cycling energy and nutrients obtained from external sources.
Remember, all nutrients flow from nonliving (abiotic) to living (biotic) and back to nonliving (abiotic) in what is called a biogeochemical cycle-how vital elements move through and around the earth by naturally occurring physical, chemical and biological processes.
TWO MAJOR TYPES (ELEMENT) OF CYCLES
1. Gaseous: components manuever within the atmosphere. Main supply are the atmosphere and the ocean.
2. Sedimentary: lithosphere( another fancy word for earth’s top layer aka dirt) elements move from land to water to sediment. Main reservoirs are the soil and sedimentary rocks.
Remember, all nutrients flow from nonliving (abiotic) to living (biotic) and back to nonliving (abiotic) in what is called a biogeochemical cycle-how vital elements move through and around the earth by naturally occurring physical, chemical and biological processes.
TWO MAJOR TYPES (ELEMENT) OF CYCLES
1. Gaseous: components manuever within the atmosphere. Main supply are the atmosphere and the ocean.
2. Sedimentary: lithosphere( another fancy word for earth’s top layer aka dirt) elements move from land to water to sediment. Main reservoirs are the soil and sedimentary rocks.
Here are a few examples of Biogeochemical Cycle.
Phosphorus Cycle
The phosphorus cycle.
Phosphorus is an element with considerable importance to life. It is used in the ADP/ATP cycle, by which cells convert chemical energy into energy required for life. Phosphorus is first taken up by plants, then recycled through animals, until it is released in waste and decay. Dissolved phosphorus is carried to the sea by runoff and soil leaching. Bird droppings are also a primary source of phosphorus in seawater.
Phosphorus is an element with considerable importance to life. It is used in the ADP/ATP cycle, by which cells convert chemical energy into energy required for life. Phosphorus is first taken up by plants, then recycled through animals, until it is released in waste and decay. Dissolved phosphorus is carried to the sea by runoff and soil leaching. Bird droppings are also a primary source of phosphorus in seawater.
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen is an element crucial to life. Organisms require nitrogen for to form organic compounds such as protein, chlorophyll, and nucleic acids. Nitrogen makes up about 78% of the air we breathe, and 48% of gases dissolved in seawater. Gaseous nitrogen must be converted to a chemically usable form, however, before living organisms can utilize it. Bacteria are the only living things that can fix nitrogen from the air into other compounds. This happens in the nitrogen cycle, during which gaseous nitrogen is fixed into nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-), and ammonium (NH4+).
Autotrophs can take up nitrogen in these forms and incorporate it into their cells and tissues as protein. The nitrogen passes up the food web through trophic feeding and returns through the cycle when organisms die.
Autotrophs can take up nitrogen in these forms and incorporate it into their cells and tissues as protein. The nitrogen passes up the food web through trophic feeding and returns through the cycle when organisms die.
Carbon Cycle
Carbon is the fundamental element of life. This figure shows the major steps of the carbon cycle, and demonstrates how carbon moves between them. In addition to the 700 billion tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, approximately 1 trillion tons are dissolved in the ocean. The carbon cycle effectively describes the movement of carbon between the biosphere and the nonliving world.
Organisms take in carbon and form long carbon chains through biosynthesis. These chains compose the backbone of every known organic compound and provide a versatile foundation for a wide range of chemicals. The bonds found in carbon compounds represent a major store of chemical energy and are important in building tissue.
Organisms take in carbon and form long carbon chains through biosynthesis. These chains compose the backbone of every known organic compound and provide a versatile foundation for a wide range of chemicals. The bonds found in carbon compounds represent a major store of chemical energy and are important in building tissue.
Water Cycle
The Water Cycle (also known as the hydrologic cycle) is the journey water takes as it circulates from the land to the sky and back again.
The Sun's heat provides energy to evaporate water from the Earth's surface (oceans, lakes, etc.). Plants also lose water to the air (this is called transpiration). The water vapor eventually condenses, forming tiny droplets in clouds. When the clouds meet cool air over land, precipitation (rain, sleet, or snow) is triggered, and water returns to the land (or sea). Some of the precipitation soaks into the ground. Some of the underground water is trapped between rock or clay layers; this is called groundwater. But most of the water flows downhill as runoff (above ground or underground), eventually returning to the seas as slightly salty water.
The Sun's heat provides energy to evaporate water from the Earth's surface (oceans, lakes, etc.). Plants also lose water to the air (this is called transpiration). The water vapor eventually condenses, forming tiny droplets in clouds. When the clouds meet cool air over land, precipitation (rain, sleet, or snow) is triggered, and water returns to the land (or sea). Some of the precipitation soaks into the ground. Some of the underground water is trapped between rock or clay layers; this is called groundwater. But most of the water flows downhill as runoff (above ground or underground), eventually returning to the seas as slightly salty water.