Nutrient Supply & Cycling “Life is complex chemistry in a semipermeable bag” (pg. 24) “Life… is the organized assembly and disassembly of stardust” (pg. 138) Mark Hunter (2016) The Phytochemical Landscape Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Wikipedia “Earthworm” page; accessed 18-XI-2014 Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Biogeochemistry Nutrient availability is determined by biogeochemical processes Nutrients are chemical elements required by organisms for metabolism and growth Stoichiometry concerns the relative quantities of chemicals E.g., Plant C:N = ~ 30 N:C = ~ 0.03 Human C:N = ~ 6 N:C = ~ 0.17 Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Biogeochemistry – the study of the physical, chemical, and biological factors that influence the transformations of elements and their movements through the biosphere. NOTE: Plant N:C = ~ 0.03 Human N:C = ~ 0.17 Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Table 22.1

Biogeochemistry Nutrient availability is determined by biogeochemical processes C often associated with structural compounds N largely found in enzymes C:N can indicate relative concentrations of biochemical machinery in cells Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Biogeochemistry – the study of the physical, chemical, and biological factors that influence the transformations of elements and their movements through the biosphere. NOTE: Plant N:C = ~ 0.03 Human N:C = ~ 0.17 Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Table 22.1

Rock-Derived Nutrients E.g., Ca, K, Mg, P, etc. Source for ecosystem input is inorganic minerals in Earth’s crust Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Ca(2+) K(+) Mg(2+) PO4(3-) Chemical weathering releases soluble forms of nutrients Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.4

Rock-Derived Nutrients E.g., Ca, K, Mg, P, etc. Source for ecosystem input is inorganic minerals in Earth’s crust Organic matter contains nutrients associated with C & H Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Ca(2+) K(+) Mg(2+) PO4(3-) Chemical weathering releases soluble forms of nutrients Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.4

Rock-Derived Nutrients E.g., Ca, K, Mg, P, etc. Source for ecosystem input is inorganic minerals in Earth’s crust Organic matter contains nutrients associated with C & H Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Ca(2+) K(+) Mg(2+) PO4(3-) Chemical weathering releases soluble forms of nutrients Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.4

Rock-Derived Nutrients E.g., Ca, K, Mg, P, etc. Source for ecosystem input is inorganic minerals in Earth’s crust Clays (– charge) determine cation (+ charge) exchange capacity Organic matter contains nutrients associated with C & H Sedimentary parent material can overlie bedrock parent material, e.g.: Glacial till Wind-blown loess Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Ca(2+) K(+) Mg(2+) PO4(3-) Particle sizes: sand > silt > clay Chemical weathering releases soluble forms of nutrients Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.4

Rock-Derived Nutrients Soil Horizons Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Wikipedia “High School Earth Science/Soils” page; accessed 18-XI-2014 [By HolgerK at en.wikipedia (Transferred from en.wikipedia) [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons] Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Atmosphere-Derived Nutrients E.g., C, N Source for ecosystem input is atmospheric gases Earth’s atmosphere: 78% N (as N2); 21% O (as O2 & in H2O); 0.9% Ar; 0.04% C (mostly in CO2 & increasing!); plus other trace gases & aerosols (suspended solid, liquid & gaseous particles that can precipitate to Earth as atmospheric deposition) Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. See also Ben Houlton’s work for an update: N is both atmosphere-derived and rock-derived! Wikipedia “Atmosphere” page; accessed 18-XI-2014 [By NASA Earth Observatory [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons] Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Atmosphere-Derived Nutrients E.g., C, N Source for ecosystem input is atmospheric gases Some bacteria (via nitrogenase), lightning & the energy-demanding Haber-Bosch process fix N Triple-bonded N2  ammonium (NH4+) Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Wikipedia “Rhizobia” page; accessed 18-XI-2014 [By Stdout [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons] Wikipedia “Lightning” page; accessed 18-XI-2014 [By Fir0002 (Own work) [GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html)], via Wikimedia Commons] Photos from Wikimedia Commons

Atmospheric Deposition Can Link Ecosystems E.g., Dust originating in the Sahara Desert provides important atmospheric deposition of Fe to Atlantic Ocean & P to Amazon Basin Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Ecosystems are not entirely disconnected from one another… Remotely sensed image from NASA - https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/nasa-satellite-reveals-how-much- saharan-dust-feeds-amazon-s-plants

Fragmentation by animals Decomposition A key nutrient recycling process within ecosystems (i.e., biochemical transformations that influence the movement & retention of nutrients in ecosystems) Litter Fragmentation by animals Mineralization – bacteria & fungi release enzymes to transform organic macromolecules to small organic compounds & soluble nutrients (e.g., ammonium) Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.6

Climate Controls the Activity of Decomposers How does temperature, water availability and oxygen availability each influence decomposition? Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Note that oxygen in the soil is generally related to how much water there is in the soil. Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.7

Lignin Decreases the Rate of Decomposition Not all the C in litter is equally available as an energy source for decomposers Lignin – a structural carbon compound in plant cell walls – does not break down readily (Decomposition rate decreases as biomass remaining increases) Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Note that oxygen in the soil is generally related to how much water there is in the soil. Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.8

Nutrient Cycling Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Like ammonium, nitrate can be taken up by plants or lost via leaching, etc. Nitrification – certain chemoautotrophic aerobic bacteria convert mineralized ammonia (NH3) & ammonium (NH4+) into nitrate (NO3-) Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.10

Nutrient Cycling Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. N2 & N2O can be lost from the ecosystem as gases. Denitrification – certain anaerobic bacteria convert nitrate (NO3-) into N2 & nitrous oxide (N2O) Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.10

Total pool of element (kg) Nutrient Cycling Elements vary in mean residence times in ecosystems Total pool of element (kg) Rate of input (kg/yr) Mean residence time (yr) = Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Note: These are mean residence times for the soil pools of these ecosystems. Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Table 22.3

Catchment / Drainage / Watershed Studies Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.12 – Longs Peak, Rocky Mtn. N. P., Colorado

Catchment / Drainage / Watershed Studies Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Ecological Toolkit 22.1, Fig. B – weir; Fool Creek, CO

Catchment / Drainage / Watershed Studies Pools Total amount of an element found in a component of an ecosystem Fluxes Movement of an element into, out of, or between components of an ecosystem Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.13

Walker-Syers Model Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. T. W. Walker & J. K. Syers. 1976. The fate of phosphorus during pedogenesis. Geoderma 15:1-19. In general, the model posits a decline in available P throughout ecosystem development, as P is leached, lost, and becomes occluded (soluble P combines with Al, Ca, Fe into insoluble secondary minerals and is unavailable as a nutrient) Walker & Syers (1976), Fig. 1

Hawaiian Ecosystem Development Plate tectonics P limitation in oldest ecosystem N & P limitation in intermediate-aged ecosystem N limitation in youngest ecosystem Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Metrosideros polymorpha Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.14

Hawaiian Ecosystem Development Plate tectonics P limitation in oldest ecosystem N & P limitation in intermediate-aged ecosystem N limitation in youngest ecosystem Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Metrosideros polymorpha Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.14

Hawaiian Ecosystem Development Plate tectonics P limitation in oldest ecosystem N & P limitation in intermediate-aged ecosystem N limitation in youngest ecosystem Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Metrosideros polymorpha Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.14

Hawaiian Ecosystem Development Plate tectonics P limitation in oldest ecosystem N & P co-limitation in intermediate-aged ecosystem N limitation in youngest ecosystem Please do not use the images in these PowerPoint slides without permission. Metrosideros polymorpha Bowman, Hacker & Cain (2017), Fig. 22.14