Cycling of Matter in an Ecosystem Bio 2.1.1 Analyze the flow of energy and cycling of matter (water, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen) through ecosystems relating the significance of each to maintaining the health and stability of an ecosystem.

Water Cycle Key processes in the water cycle are evaporation, transpiration, and precipitation.

Carbon cycle Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are the two main steps in the carbon cycle.

Nitrogen cycle Nitrogen-fixing bacteria are important in the nitrogen cycle because they change nitrogen gas into a usable form of nitrogen for plants. This type of nitrogen is vital to make proteins, DNA, and RNA.

Phosphorus Cycle In the phosphorus cycle, phosphorus moves from phosphate deposited in rock, to the soil, to living organisms, and finally to the ocean. You have to have it for proteins, DNA, and RNA

Cycle imbalances Over use of water lowers river and lake levels. Since all water is headed to the ocean and it is inefficient to get the salt out of water when we over use fresh water we don’t have enough for everyone. We are releasing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than can currently be used by the existing photosynthesizes. That means CO2 builds up in the atmosphere and traps heat.

Cycle imbalances When nitrogen and phosphorus are used as part of fertilizers they end up in the water supply. The algae over grow when nitrogen and phosphorus are at high levels. The algae can release toxins that poison the local wildlife. When the algae die the bacteria doing decomposition use up the oxygen in the water. Eutrophication can result in a dead lake or a dead area in a larger body of water, like an ocean.