Where are we so far Environment defined & explored Climate and Climate Change Presented Ideas regarding environmentalism, sustainability, happiness –There is a crisis and we can approach it from different directions Everyone in Priuses Example from Port Alberni, BC Moving towards sustainability and happiness Places for renewal Biogeochemical Cycles

Two Options Mt Teneriffe I-90 to North Bend, Mt. Si Road, cont. to school bus turn- around Cutthroat Pass I-5 to Mt. Vernon, Highway 20 to Rainy Pass

Biogeochemical Cycles - Lecture 1 Class Lecture Goals 1. What are systems? 2. What are biogeochemical cycles? 3. Why are they important? 4. What is common about them? 5. Carbon and nitrogen cycles 6. Water Cycle (Monday)

What is a system? System: a collection of matter, parts, or components which are included inside a specified, often arbitrary, boundary. Example: Ecosystem Systems often have inputs and outputs. For dynamic systems, by definition, one or more aspects of the system change with time. –Example of a simple dynamic system: bathtub or your ‘bank’ account. The boundary of a dynamic system is chosen for convenience -- often the boundary is arbitrary Flux Electric Energy Cold Water Hot Water Flux Pool Heat Loss Output Input

Carbon dioxide C-pool Sugar Night

Where are we? 1. What are systems? 2. What are biogeochemical cycles? 3. Why are they important? 4. What is common about them? 5. Carbon and nitrogen cycles 6. Focus on the Water Cycle (Monday)

What are biogeochemical cycles? Earth system has four parts –Atmosphere –Hydrosphere –Lithosphere –Biosphere Biogeochemical cycles: The chemical interactions (cycles) that exist between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. Abiotic (physio-chemical) and biotic processes drive these cycles Focus on carbon and water cycles (but could include all necessary elements for life). N - cycle weakly touched on!

What is common amongst them? Each compound (water, carbon, nitrogen) typically exists in all four parts of the Earth System Biologically useful forms are usually in low concentrations or quantities There are –‘Pools’ –Fluxes in and out of pools –Chemical or biochemical transformations Transformations –are important –can lead to positive & negative consequences

Transformations Examples of Transformations 1.Carbon cycle: Organic compounds to CO 2 (processes: respiration, decomposition, or fire) 2.Carbon cycle: CO 2 to organic compounds (process: photosynthesis) 3.Nitrogen cycle: N 2 to NO 3 (atmospheric nitrogen to plant utilizable nitrate) (process: N-fixation) 4.Nitrogen cycle: N 2 to NH 3 (plant utilizable ammonia) (process: Haber-Bosch Industrial N-fixation) 5.Water cycle: Liquid water to water vapor (process: evaporation and evapo-transpiration) 6.Water cycle: Water vapor to liquid water (process: condensation) Policy Issue: Trees capture carbon, Carbon is stored in trees Carbon can be released slowly (respiration, decomposition) Or Rapidly (fire) Policy Issue: Rapidly growing plants (trees or crops) need nitrogen fertilizer Fertilizer can come from organic and non-organic sources Organic sources are inefficient Inorganic sources are fossil fuel intensive

Where are we? 1. What are systems? 2. What are biogeochemical cycles? 3. Why are they important? 4. What is common about them? 5. Carbon and nitrogen cycle 6. Focus on the Water Cycle (Monday)

Carbon Cycle

Carbon Cycle Data Burning of fossil fuels Land conversion Cement Role of Oceans Role of terrestrial plants (trees & soils) Lithosphere

Increase biological C fixation Focus on oceans Proposal to add iron Where did idea come from? Would it work?

Buesseler & others suggest the following about ocean Fe fertilization 1.Unclear how long effect lasts 2.Do not understand all the potential biogeochemical impacts 3.Impact potentially small 4.Effects on other greenhouse gases is non-existent or small Pick the false statement

Changes in Atmospheric C0 2

Key Aspects of the Carbon Cycle Carbon is the skeleton of all life. Foundation of the food chain or web Foundation of fossil fuels Foundation of ‘carbon-neutral’ based fuels –Ethanol –Cellulosic biofuels –Biodiesel Carbon dioxide is a critical gas: –Taken up by plants in photosynthesis –Released by plants and animals in respiration –Released during decomposition (and fires) –Greenhouse gas

Question: Photosynthesis is an example of a pool 1.True 2.False

Where are we? 1. What are systems? 2. What are biogeochemical cycles? 3. Why are they important? 4. What is common about them? 5. Carbon and nitrogen cycle 6. Focus on the Water Cycle (Monday)

Nitrogen Cycle Forms of Nitrogen (N 2 ) 1.N 2 - inert gas, 78% of the atmosphere 2.NO, N 2 0, NO 2 - other gases of nitrogen, not directly biologically important. Part of the gases found in smog. 3.NO 3 - (nitrate) and NH 4 + (ammonium) -- ionic forms of nitrogen that are biologically usable. Biological Forms: Plants: Nitrate (NO 3 - ) and ammonium (NH 4 + ) Plants to animals (amino acids, proteins) Animal to animal (amino acids, proteins)

Biological Nitrogen Sources over Time

Nitrogen Cycle: Key Points Nitrogen is in the atmosphere as N 2 (78%) N 2 is an inert gas and cannot be used by plants or animals N 2 can be converted to a usable form via –Lightening –N-fixing micro-organisms (free living, assoc. with plant) –Industrial process (energy intensive) Plant growth is often limited by low soil nitrogen Nitrogen is easily converted & lost from biological systems (e.g., fire)

Knowing something about the carbon and nitrogen cycle we will explore corn ethanol as a source of energy Constraints: –Not a discussion of energy independence or balance of trade An assessment of how corn is involved in the C and N cycles. How we must follow the first and second laws of thermodynamics

Burning dried plants or compounds from dried plants is similar to recycling 1.Yes 2.No

Theoretically, burning ethanol from corn vs. burning oil should reduce the rate we are adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. 1.True 2.False

What are the two laws of thermodynamics? Conservation of Energy: Energy can be transformed from one form to another form; energy cannot be created nor destroyed. –Example: Light energy from the sun is converted to chemical energy represented by the energy in chemical bonds (carbon-carbon units in sugar). Entropy: Each transformation results in heat production and therefore the form of energy becomes increasingly less able to do work. –Example: Inefficiency of Photosynthesis Food chain

Steps in Ethanol Production Sun -- Sugar -- corn plant Corn plant -- sugar -- ethanol Carbon dioxide produced in –Farming Planting Fertilizing and fertilizer production (N) Irrigation Harvesting –Transportation –Processing –Distribution

Purely from a Carbon and Nitrogen cycling consideration, ethanol production … 1.Is clearly an outstanding strategy 2.Is a strategy worth considering 3.Is a strategy worth considering, but with proper cautions 4.Is a totally bad idea 5.I walk & bike and its not my problem

Summary 1. What are systems? 2. What are biogeochemical cycles? 3. Why are they important? 4. What is common about them? 5. Carbon and nitrogen cycles Monday: water cycle