Nutrient CyclesNutrient Cycles

Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science

A Generalized CycleA Generalized Cycle

Materials Materials oftenoften move move between the regions of between the regions of the earth-the earth-

- Atmosphere- Atmosphere

- Hydrosphere- Hydrosphere

- Lithosphere- Lithosphere

- Ecosphere- Ecosphere

Cycle TerminologyCycle Terminology

ReservoirsReservoirs: areas where things are stored; : areas where things are stored; things can move in and outthings can move in and out

SinksSinks: areas where materials are stored over : areas where materials are stored over long periods of time and in large quantitieslong periods of time and in large quantities

FluxesFluxes: processes that move materials : processes that move materials

CarbonCarbon

Importance: Life on Earth is carbon based- we Importance: Life on Earth is carbon based- we are made of molecules that contain carbon. are made of molecules that contain carbon.

Every cell in your body contains carbon!Every cell in your body contains carbon!

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle

ReservoirsReservoirs:: Ecosphere- Ecosphere-

Tissues of Tissues of plants, animals, plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, fungi, bacteria, etc.etc.

Lithosphere- Lithosphere- top soiltop soil

AtmosphereAtmosphere HydrosphereHydrosphere

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle

SinksSinks::- Fossil Fuels Fossil Fuels

(coal, oil, (coal, oil, natural gas)natural gas)

- Rock- limestoneRock- limestone

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle

FluxesFluxes::- PhotosynthesisPhotosynthesis- RespirationRespiration- Burning fossil Burning fossil

fuelsfuels- Burning treesBurning trees- DecompositionDecomposition- ConsumersConsumers

Short CycleShort Cycle

AtmosphereAtmosphere to to PlantsPlants via via photosynthesisphotosynthesis

6CO6CO22 + 6H + 6H22O -> CO -> C66HH1212OO66 + 6O + 6O22

Plants Plants to to Animals Animals via via eating or consumptioneating or consumption

Animals Animals to to Atmosphere Atmosphere via via respirationrespiration

CC66HH1212OO66 + 6O + 6O22 -> 6CO -> 6CO22 + 6H + 6H22O O

Long CycleLong Cycle

AtmosphereAtmosphere to to PlantsPlants via via photosynthesisphotosynthesis

6CO6CO22 + 6H + 6H22O -> CO -> C66HH1212OO66 + 6O + 6O22

Plants Plants to to Animals Animals via via eating or consumptioneating or consumption

Animals & Plants Animals & Plants to to Earth Earth via via decompositiondecomposition

Earth to Fossil Fuels via Earth to Fossil Fuels via compaction + millions of years!compaction + millions of years!

Fossil Fuels to Atmosphere via Fossil Fuels to Atmosphere via burningburning

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle

Human Impact:Human Impact:

Humans have Humans have increased the increased the amount of COamount of CO22

in the in the atmosphere atmosphere from burning from burning fossil fuels and fossil fuels and wood.wood.

Nitrogen Nitrogen

Importance: nitrogen is needed to make many Importance: nitrogen is needed to make many compounds found in the bodycompounds found in the body DNADNA ProteinProtein EnzymesEnzymes

The Nitrogen CycleThe Nitrogen Cycle

Reservoirs/Sinks:Reservoirs/Sinks: Atmosphere (78% Atmosphere (78%

NN22 gas, but we gas, but we

can’t use it!)can’t use it!) Ecosphere (tissues Ecosphere (tissues

of living things)of living things)

The Nitrogen CycleThe Nitrogen Cycle

FluxesFluxes Bacteria perform Bacteria perform

many processes in many processes in the nitrogen cycle the nitrogen cycle (nitrogen fixation, (nitrogen fixation, ammonification, ammonification, denitrification, denitrification, decomposition).decomposition).

LightningLightning ConsumersConsumers

FixationFixation

Taking N2 (gas) in Taking N2 (gas) in the atmosphere and the atmosphere and making it available making it available in the soilin the soil

Bacteria!Bacteria!

AmmonificationAmmonification

Taking Taking elemental N2 in elemental N2 in the soil and the soil and turning it into as turning it into as NH4+ NH4+ AmmoniumAmmonium

Nitrogen fixing Nitrogen fixing bacteriabacteria

NitrificationNitrification

Taking Ammonium Taking Ammonium NH4+ and turning NH4+ and turning it into Nitrates it into Nitrates NO2- then into NO2- then into Nitrites NO3-Nitrites NO3-

This is usable by This is usable by plants!plants!

Done by two Done by two different types of different types of bacteriabacteria

DenitrificationDenitrification

Takes NO3- Takes NO3- (nitrate) and (nitrate) and turns back into turns back into gas N2gas N2

BacteriaBacteria

AssimilationAssimilation

Plants and animals Plants and animals take in the nitrogen take in the nitrogen and convert it into and convert it into the amino acids and the amino acids and DNA they need and DNA they need and useuse

Plants and animalsPlants and animals

AmmonificationAmmonification

Taking organic Taking organic nitrogen from nitrogen from decomposing plants decomposing plants and animals or animal and animals or animal waste and turning into waste and turning into Ammonium NH4+Ammonium NH4+

Bacteria, of courseBacteria, of course

The Nitrogen CycleThe Nitrogen Cycle

Our Impact:Our Impact:The Haber-Bosch The Haber-Bosch

Process removes Process removes NN22 from the from the

atmosphere and atmosphere and use it to make use it to make fertilizer.fertilizer.

PotassiumPotassium

Importance: It is a mineral that is needed for Importance: It is a mineral that is needed for muscle growth and for the normal function of muscle growth and for the normal function of cells and tissues.cells and tissues.

Potassium CyclePotassium Cycle Reservoirs/Reservoirs/

sinks: sinks: Lithosphere: Lithosphere:

Mineral Mineral deposits and deposits and surface soilsurface soil

Ecosphere: Ecosphere: Tissues of Tissues of living thingsliving things

Potassium CyclePotassium Cycle

Fluxes: Fluxes: WeatheringWeathering Uptake by plantsUptake by plants DecompositionDecomposition ConsumersConsumers

PhosphorusPhosphorus

Importance: needed for many biological Importance: needed for many biological compounds such as DNA and for bone compounds such as DNA and for bone formation.formation.

Phosphorus CyclePhosphorus Cycle

Reservoirs/Sinks: Reservoirs/Sinks: Lithosphere: Earth’s Lithosphere: Earth’s

crust and top soilcrust and top soil Ecosphere: tissue of Ecosphere: tissue of

living thingsliving things

Phosphorus CyclePhosphorus Cycle

Fluxes: Fluxes: DecomposersDecomposers ConsumersConsumers Weathering of rocksWeathering of rocks

Phosphorus CyclePhosphorus Cycle

Human Impact:Human Impact: Run-Run-off from farms contains off from farms contains high levels of high levels of phosphorus which make phosphorus which make their way into streams, their way into streams, rivers, etc.rivers, etc.

Too much of a good thing:Too much of a good thing:

Eutrophication: build-up of too many nutrients Eutrophication: build-up of too many nutrients such as nitrogen or phosphorus in a body of such as nitrogen or phosphorus in a body of water. water. Excess nutrients cause excessive algae growth.Excess nutrients cause excessive algae growth. The algae blocks sunlight from reaching the The algae blocks sunlight from reaching the

bottom, causing other algae to die.bottom, causing other algae to die. Bacteria populations increase and feed off of the Bacteria populations increase and feed off of the

dead algae and use up all the oxygen in the water.dead algae and use up all the oxygen in the water. Low oxygen levels cause other aquatic organisms Low oxygen levels cause other aquatic organisms

to die to leave the area.to die to leave the area.

EutrophicationEutrophication

EutrophicationEutrophication