Biogeochemical Cycles
All organisms are interconnected by vast global
recycling systems known as nutrient cycles, or
biogeochemical cycles
A biogeochemical cycle is a complete path that a
chemical substance takes through the four major
components of earth’s system: atmosphere,
hydrosphere (ocean, rivers, lakes, groundwater
and glaciers), lithosphere (rock and soil) and
biosphere (plants and animals).
A biogeochemical cycle is a chemical because
chemicals are cycled, bio because the cycle
involves life and geo because a cycle may include
atmosphere, water, rocks and soils.
Within these cycles, reservoirs or pools are where
the particular nutrient is stored.
The Importance of studying biogeochemical cycles
Quantifying the pools of the nutrient elements
and gaining a better understanding of the
biological, chemical and physical factors
regulating them.
Improve understanding of the interactions
among the various biogeochemical cycles.
Assessing anthropogenic disturbance of
biogeochemical cycles and their impacts on
ecosystem functioning, atmospheric chemistry,
and human activities.
Developing a scientific basis for decision making
about managing these cycles.
Exploring technical and institutional approaches
Any element (chemical substance) that an organism
needs to complete its lifecycle is called a nutrient.
Out of 118 known elements only around 24 are required for
life.
Macronutrients: Elements required by organisms in
large amounts are called macronutrients.
e.g. Carbon (C), Oxygen (O), Hydrogen (H), Nitrogen
(N), Phosphorus (P), Sulfur (S), Calcium (Ca),
Magnesium (Mg), and Potassium (K)
Include the “Big Six”, which are the building blocks of
life
Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus,
sulfur
Each plays a special role in organisms
Micronutrients: Elements required by organisms in
small or trace amounts are called micronutrients.
e.g. Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Chlorine (Cl), and
Iodine (I)
Life and Global Chemical Cycles
For life to persist elements must be
available at the right time, in the
right amount, and in right
concentrations relative to one
another
Too much of some elements – can
be toxic
Too little of some element – can
limit growth and development
Neutral – some elements are
neutral for life
IMPORTANT BIO ELEMENTS FOR LIVING BEINGS
•Carbon (C): is the basic building block for
organic compound. Along with oxygen and
hydrogen, carbon form carbohydrate.
•Nitrogen, along with these other three and
sulfur forms protein.
•Phosphorus is the energy element, it occurs
in the compounds called ATP and ADP,
important in transfer and use of energy
within cells.
•Calcium is important for bones of human
being, and shells of different marine
CARBON CYCLE
The carbon cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is
exchanged between the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and
atmosphere of the Earth.
Significance of the ‘C’ cycle
If the carbon cycle removes too much CO from the atmosphere,
2
then the earth will cool; if the cycle generates too much, then the
earth well get warmer.
Thus, even slight changes in the carbon cycle can affect climate
and ultimately the types of life that can exist on various parts of
the planet.
Reservoirs of carbon (C)
- Atmosphere – mainly as carbon dioxide, also as
methane
- Hydrosphere - in surface water and ground water as
bicarbonate or carbonates
- Lithosphere - as minerals, e.g. magnesium and calcium
carbonate, and as fossil fuels, e.g. gas, coal, petroleum
- Biosphere – as carbohydrate
Carbon enters the atmosphere through the
respiration of living things, burning of organic
compounds and by diffusion from the ocean
It is removed from the atmosphere by
photosynthesis of green plants, algae and bacteria
Photosynthesis is a series of chemical reactions by
which living green plants, with sunlight as an
energy source, convert carbon dioxide (CO2) and
water (H2O) to sugar/ glucose (C6H12O6) and oxygen
(O2).
The general chemical reaction for photosynthesis is
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
Photosynthesis produces oxygen as a by-product,
and that is why we have free oxygen in our
atmosphere.
Effects of human activities on the Carbon
cycle
Burning carbon-containing fossil fuels and burning
wood faster than it is re grown
Removal of forests and other vegetation without
sufficient replanting
Effects:
Add excess carbon dioxide to the atmosphere
Enhance earth’s natural greenhouse effect
Increase the earth’s average temperature,
resulting in global warming
Alter climate patterns
Disrupt global food production and wildlife
habitats
CARBON CYCLE
NITROGEN CYCLE
The nitrogen (N) cycle is the process by which N is
converted between its various chemical forms.
This transformation can be carried out by both
biological and non-biological processes.
Reservoirs of nitrogen (N)
- Atmosphere (as nitrogen, nitrous oxide and other
nitrogen gases)
- Biosphere (as protein)
- Hydrosphere and lithosphere (as dissolved nitrates
and ammonium)
Nitrogen is present in the environment in a wide variety
of chemical forms including organic nitrogen,
ammonium (NH4+), nitrite (NO2-), nitrate (NO3-),
nitrous oxide (N2O), nitric oxide (NO) or inorganic
nitrogen gas (N2).
Important processes in the nitrogen cycle include:
Nitrogen fixation: Atmospheric nitrogen must be processed,
or "fixed" to be used by plants. The process of converting
inorganic, molecular nitrogen from the atmosphere to
ammonium or nitrate is called nitrogen fixation.
Some fixation occurs in lightning strikes (non biological
nitrogen fixation),
but most fixation is done by bacteria (biological nitrogen
fixation).
Ammonification: When a plant or animal dies, or an animal
expels waste, the initial form of nitrogen is organic. Bacteria,
or fungi in some cases, convert the organic nitrogen within
the remains back into ammonium (NH4+), a process called
ammonification or mineralization.
Nitrification: The conversion of ammonia to nitrate by
bacteria.
Denitrification: The process of releasing nitrates back to
molecular nitrogen by bacteria. This completes the nitrogen
cycle.
NITROGEN CYCLE
NITROGEN CYCLE
EFFECTS OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES ON THE NITROGEN CYCLE
Human activities such as fossil fuel combustion, use of artificial
nitrogen fertilizers, and release of nitrogen in wastewater have
dramatically altered the global nitrogen cycle.
Adding large amount of nitric oxide (NO) by burning fossil fuel at
high temperature, which help to create acid rain.
Inorganic fertilizers can leach through soil and contaminate ground
water.
Adding nitrogen compounds to aquatic ecosystems from agricultural
runoff and discharge of municipal sewage which may be harmful to
that ecosystem.
Destruction of forest, grass land and wetlands increase nitrogen at
troposphere
Agricultural runoff and discharge of sewage
Removing nitrogen from topsoil by harvesting nitrogen-rich crops.
Add large amount of nitric oxide (NO) by burning fuel at high
temperature, which help to create acid rain.
Livestock waste and commercial inorganic fertilizers applied to the
soil warm the atmosphere and deplete ozone in the atmosphere.
Inorganic fertilizers can leach through soil and contaminate ground
water.
