My Life’s a Circle

Matter Cycles the movement of INORGANIC materials from the atmosphere or soil into living ORGANISMS and back again.

WATER CYCLE WATER IN ATMOSPHERE PRECIPITATION EVAPORATION WATER /ICE

WATER CYCLE EVAPORATION - liquid to gas PRECIPITATION - gas to liquid Organisms return water to the atmosphere through TRANSPIRATION, PERSPIRATION, and EXCRETION

Carbon/Oxygen Cycle CARBON DIOXIDE PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESPIRATION OXYGEN

Carbon/Oxygen Cycle Photosynthesis – plants use CARBON DIOXIDE and release OXYGEN Respiration – plants and animals use OXYGEN and release CARBON DIOXIDE

Carbon/Oxygen Cycle Burning of FOSSIL FUELS increases the amount of CARBON DIOXIDE in the atmosphere. This may be increasing the temperature. (GREENHOUSE effect)

Nitrogen Cycle NITROGEN GAS NITROGEN FIXATION DENITRIFICATION ANIMALS PLANTS NITRATES

Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen is necessary to make AMINO ACIDS Nitrogen FIXATION is done by plants containing rhizobium bacteria. DENITRIFICATION is the returning of nitrogen into the atmosphere

Succession The gradual, SEQUENTIAL replacement of POPULATIONS in an area

Pioneer Species The first SPECIES to colonize an area

Seral Community Intermediate COMMUNITIES

Climax Community A community that will remain STABLE as long as it is left undisturbed

Primary succession The sequential REPLACEMENT of populations of an area that has not previously supported LIFE Example: Sand dunes, volcanic rock, glaciers removing soil, pavement

Secondary succession The sequential REPLACEMENT of populations in DISRUPTED habitats that have not been totally stripped of soil and vegetation. Example: FOREST FIRE, LOGGING, FARMING, MINING Old field succession – Replacement of populations in abandoned farm fields

Succession in lakes The transformation of CRYSTAL CLEAR BODIES OF WATER to dry LAND

Eutrophication An increase in the amount of NUTRIENTS in an environment

Oligotrophic A lake that is so low in NUTRIENTS that few organisms can LIVE in it.

Eutrophic A lake with many NUTRIENTS in it.