(Nutrients)

 Ecosystems need nutrients and energy  Nutrients are  Organisms transform nutrients  Energy flows “Circle of Life” Organisms Environment Matter (Nutrients)

How do we know energy is flowing? Why is this cycle important? If something removed?

Water molecules enter atmosphere as water vapor (gas) by: Evaporation-water changes to water vapor Transpiration-evaporation from the leaves of plants How it works: 1.Sun heats up the atmosphere, water rises up and cools 2.Water vapor condense to form droplets then clouds 3.Water droplets get bigger and return to Earth as precipitation (rain, snow, sleet or hail) 4.Precipitation runs on land to river or stream that carries the runoff back to ocean or lake Don’t copy

Nutrient Cycles Nutrients- Nutrients- organisms building blocks or chemical needed to help grow/carry out essential life functions 3 nutrient cycles:  Carbon  Nitrogen  Phosphorus

Carbon Cycle: Carbon is the key ingredient in all living organisms Don’t copy  Carbon found:  In atmosphere: CO 2 gas  In oceans: dissolved CO 2  On Land: in organisms, rocks, soil  Underground: coal, petroleum, Calcium Carbonate Don’t copy next slides, review

4 groups of organic compounds found in living things: 1. Carbohydrates: Living things use carbs as main source of energy.  Sugar and starch molecules  made of H and O  animals- use in liver and muscles  plants-for food and cellulose

2. Lipids: can be used to store energy. Makes biological membranes of cells and waterproof coverings.  fats, oils, waxes  made of C and H atoms Cell Membrane

3. Nucleic Acids: store and transmit hereditary information  2 kinds (RNA, DNA)  made of H,O,N,C,P atoms RNA strand

4. Proteins: control rate of reactions, regulate cell processes, form bone and muscles, transport substances in/out of cells or fight disease.  made of C,H,O atoms  made of amino acids (compounds) Protein: made of amino acid chains folded up Amino Acid Chain

CO 2 released into the atmosphere by:  volcanic activity  respiration- when consumers exhale  burning of fossil fuels  decomposition of organic matter don’t copy Terrestrial plants-remove CO 2 from the atmosphere Aquatic plants- remove CO 2 from the water Producers-convert CO 2 into Carbs (Glucose) “food” Consumers-carry out cellular respiration breaking down glucose into CO 2

Nitrogen Cycle:  Organisms need nitrogen to make amino acids and build proteins  Nitrogen Gas (N 2 ) is 78% of the Earth’s atmosphere  Can’t be absorbed directly  Cacteria convert N 2 into compounds for use:  Nitrogen Fixation- bacteria living in soil, water or roots of plants (legumes/bean plants) convert N 2 into ammonia

Nitrification- 2-step process NH3 -> NO2 -> NO3 Don’t copy 1.NH3 Ammonia in soil is converted by bacteria to Nitrite ions (NO2) but is toxic to plants 2. Then it is converted to Nitrate ions (NO3) which is taken up by plants 3. Plants eaten by consumers and reuse N to make proteins 4. Decomposers break down dead and return ammonia (NH3) to the soil copy Denitrification- other bacteria convert nitrates into N2 (gas) to be released into the atmosphere again

Phosphorus Cycle:  Phosphorus is nutrient for plants and animals which forms DNA and RNA  Does not enter atmosphere like C,N,O  Found in land, rock, soil and ocean sediments

How it works: don’t copy 1.Phosphorus in inorganic phosphate form 2.Released by weathering/wind 3. Dissolved in soil and water 4. Taken up by plant roots in land and water 5. Plants bind into organic compounds to move through food web

*Limiting factor for plants Limiting nutrient- when an ecosystem is limited by a single nutrient that is scarce of cycles slowly  Consumers get phosphorus by eating producers/animals  Animal wastes and decay of dead organisms return phosphorus to soil and water  Guano- manure of fish eating birds