1. Matter Cycles
matter

2. Matter Cycles
The Law of Conservation of Matter states that matter is neither created or destroyed
In biological systems, this also holds true
We will be focusing on four matter cycles, also called nutrient or biogeochemical cycles
These are the Carbon, Water (hydrological), Nitrogen and Phosphorus cycles

3. The Carbon Cycle

4. The Carbon (C) Cycle
Even though it cycles we are going to start in the atmosphere
CO2 (carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere is picked up by photoautotrophs and turned into sugars
These sugars support the building of C containing molecules that make up living organisms
Another organism eats the plants, transferring the C to the next organism

5. The Carbon (C) Cycle
This C may be passed on to another organism if it gets eaten
CO2 is reenters the atmosphere by cellular respiration from most organisms
Dead organisms and waste decomposes and more CO2 is reenters the atmosphere
Fossil fuels are underground stores of C, when dug up are burned (combustion) as petroleum, natural gas or coal; they add additional C as to our environment as CO2
Excess CO2 is absorbed in bodies of water

6. The Carbon (C) Cycle
CO2 is an important Greenhouse gas helping keep the planet at a relatively stable temperature
Excess burning of fossil fuels by industry and transportation has increased the amount of ground level and atmospheric C on our planet and may be accelerating climate change.

7. The Water Cycle (hydrological)

8. The Water Cycle (hydrological)
Evaporation-water enters the atmosphere
Precipitation-water condenses and leaves the atmosphere as rain, sleet or snow and ends up on land and can –
Runoff into surface water or
Infiltrate (or percolate) into land as groundwater or
Freeze and accumulate as ice
Or ends up in the ocean or other surface water
Transpiration –water leaves plants and enters the atmosphere

9. The Water Cycle (hydrological)
Humans interrupt the water cycle by
Over pumping ground water
Creating many impervious surfaces (buildings, concrete and asphalt) so that water cannot reenter the ground and refill ground water
Polluting available surface and ground water
Building dams
Growing thirsty plants where they are not adapted to grow

10. The Water Cycle (hydrological)

11. The Nitrogen Cycle

12. The Nitrogen Cycle
78% of the atmosphere is Nitrogen, N2, is the major source of this vital element which is essential to make proteins in all living organisms
There is ONLY one kind of organism that can take N2 from the atmosphere and they are called N fixing bacteria
These soil dwelling N fixing bacteria then make N available to plants

13. The Nitrogen Cycle
Plants use the N, now as nitrate or ammonium and make proteins
These plants are eaten and the N as protein is passed on to the consumer
Lightning strikes can also fix atmospheric N2 in the soil
N2 can return to the atmosphere by denitrifying bacteria in wet soil
N can also returned to the soil by decomposition of waste or dead organisms

14. The Nitrogen Cycle Humans impact the N cycle by
Manmade fertilizer high in N
Burning of petroleum by internal combustion engines (cars) produces large amounts of N compounds that cause acid rain by forming nitric acid when mixing with water in the atmosphere

15. The Phosphorus Cycle

16. The Phosphorus Cycle
Unlike all the other matter cycles, Phosphorus, P, NEVER cycles through the atmosphere
P is important both as part of DNA and cell membranes
P is MOSTLY found in rock
P is an important limiting factor in plant growth

17. The Phosphorus Cycle P is picked up by plants from the soil
The plants are eaten and P is obtained by the consumers from eating the plants
Then the P goes to the next consumer
P renters the ground by waste or decomposition
Weathering of rock is vital for the P cycle as is the water cycle for the movement of P

18. The Phosphorus Cycle
Humans impact the P cycle by adding large amounts of inorganic fertilizer high in phosphorus which enters surface and ground water
Farm animal waste from large farms is high in P and can also enter the water cycle
These large amounts of P can cause eutrophication, rapid and large growth plants and algae, of bodies of water which chokes out other aquatic life forms

19. Cycles Wrap-up
biogeochemicals cycles video