Cycles of Matter

Recycling in the Biosphere Matter is recycled within and between ecosystems. Biogeochemical Cycles Elements cycle through systems Elements: NEVER created nor destroyed, only transferred

Geological Processes formation and breakdown of rock major movements of matter within/below the surface of the earth

Chemical and Physical Processes Cloud formation and precipitation will carry particulates around the globe. Rivers and moving water erode rocks, dirt, soil and move particles around Lightning causes nitrogen in the atmosphere to enter the soil in a usable form

Human Interaction Humans will change the landscape. Mining moves rocks and life, exposes more rock to weather Forests get cut down and burned which changes the nutrients available Humans add fertilizer to the soil, inputting nitrogen and phosphorous at large amounts into one part of the cycle

The Water Cycle 2. 3. 1. Water can either be evaporated (turned from a liquid to a gas) or transpired (water from plants) into the atmosphere Once water gets high enough in the atmosphere it cools down and condenses into clouds. Clouds will rain/snow allowing water to return to the surface Surface will absorb and move the water (surface, plants, animals, underground) 4.

The Carbon Cycle 3. 1. 5. 2. Produces photosynthesize, removing carbon from the atmosphere and incorporating it into their biomass (living matter) Animals and plants respire (breath) out carbon – returns to the atmosphere Carbon is returned to the atmosphere through breathing, burning fuels Organisms die and decay (break down) carbon moves to the soils - can be turned into fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) We burn fossil fuels putting more carbon into the atmosphere than naturally there 4.

The Nitrogen Cycle 1. 3. 5. 4. Nitrogen moves from the atmosphere to the soil and gets turned into a nitrogen compound by nitrogen fixing microbes Nitrogen compounds are changed into useable forms of nitrogen Plants uptake nitrogen from the soil, animals eats the plants – nitrogen in living organisms Waste, death, decay returns nitrogen to the soil Nitrogen gets returned to the atmosphere by bacteria changing useable nitrogen into unuseable nitrogeb 2.

The Phosphorus Cycle 1. 3. 4. 2. Phosphorous is in rocks/soil. Physical and chemical processes breaks the rock/soil down releasing phosphorous Phosphorous enters either the soil or the water. In the water phosphorous can be uptaken by producers and passed on. Decay will return phosphorous to the soil Over time phosphorous goes back into rocks and will move to the surface through geological processes Soil phosphorous will be uptaken by plants to consumers. Decay return phosphorous to the soil, runoff into the water, repeat step 3.