Biogeochemical Cycles NOTES UNIT 7 DAY 5
2 million plastic beverage bottles used in the US every 5 min
1.14 million brown paper supermarket bags used in the US every hour
106,000 aluminum cans used in the US every 30 seconds
Biogeochemical Cycles Bio = biological (living things) Geo = geological (the earth) Chemical = molecules in the Periodic Table Biogeochemical cycles = cycling materials between the Earth and living organisms
Carbon Cycle
Greenhouse Gas Effect Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, trap heat within the Earth’s atmosphere, warming the Earth. Humans have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to global warming. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi3ERes0h84
GLOBAL WARMING! :/ Amount of CO2 in the Atmosphere Photosynthesis Amount of CO2 in the Atmosphere Photosynthesis CO2 in air… DECREASES Respiration INCREASES Burning of Fossil Fuels Deforestation GLOBAL WARMING! :/
Ocean Acidification https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo-bHt1bOsw
Nitrogen Cycle 80% of the Earth’s atmosphere is nitrogen (N2) but plants and animals cannot use it in this form. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil convert it into a form plants can absorb to make different amino acids (Ammonia/Nitrates). Animals eat the plants to gain nitrogen to make their own proteins. When plants and animals die, bacteria release the nitrogen back into the atmosphere: “denitrification”
Fertilizer Run-off & Eutrophication Excess nitrogen seeps into water supply (rivers, lakes etc.) and causes an overgrowth of algae Algae and bacteria use up the oxygen in lakes and fish die from lack of oxygen Too many planted crops will take nitrogen out of the soil and strip the soil of all its nutrients https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LAT1gLMPu4 HP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy7zUBhmhkM