1. 3-3 Cycles of Matter

2. I. Biogeochemical cycle –
A. Process where abiotic (non-living things) material are recycled and reused. Biotic represents living things.
1. Examples - carbon, nitrogen, water,
phosphorus .
C. Minerals and elements travel from the abiotic portion of the environment, into biotic (living things) portion and back again
1. The same molecules are passed around
and around the biosphere.

3. 2. Water Cycle
A. Movement of water between various reservoirs.
1. Examples – lakes, streams, river, oceans.
2. Also found in the soil and underground.
B. 3 processes in cycle
1. Evaporation and transpiration– lose of
water through heat.

4. 2. Condensation – cool air rises and
condenses into droplets that form clouds.
3. Precipitation – water leaving the
atmosphere – returns as snow or rain.
a. On land much of the water returns
through streams and rivers to the
oceans.

6. 3. Carbon cycle – carbon is a key ingredient in living tissue, found in bones, and several kinds of rocks. Carbon travels in and out of many cycles
A. During photosynthesis and cellular respiration, plants and other autotrophs use carbon dioxide, water and solar energy to make carbohydrates.
B. Volcanic activity and erosion release CO2.
C. Mining, cutting, and burning forest and buring fossils fuels release CO2.
D. Burial of dead organisms store carbon under ground.
E. Decomposition releases CO2.

9. 4. Nitrogen Cycle
A. Complex pathway that nitrogen follows within an ecosystem.
B. All organisms need nitrogen to make amino acids in turn form proteins and nucleic acids.
1. Nitrogen gas makes up 78% of the Earths atmosphere.
2. Only certain types of bacteria can use nitrogen directly but others have to convert it to usable forms/
C. Nitrogen is used in the form of usable ammonia.
1. Process of converting nitrogen gas from the air to suitable ammonia is called nitrogen fixation.
2. Bacteria’s in soil or on the roots of plants
that convert nitrogen into usable inorganic compounds for plants (ammonia) are called nitrogen-fixing bacteria (plant roots).

10. Recycling nitrogen
D. Another type of conversion is taking the nitrogen found in corpses and waste and return it to the environment in the form of usable ammonia. This is call Ammonification.
E. Another bacteria converts nitrates back into nitrogen gas (free nitrogen) to return to the atmosphere. This process is know as Dentrification.
F. Bacteria in the soil take up the ammonia and oxidize it into nitrites and than into nitrates which is called Nitrification.

11. Nitrates – Chemical that is found naturally in the environment and needed by plants to grow, found in most fertilizers.
Nitrites – Chemical that is found naturally in the environment such as the air, surface water, ground water and soil. Used in preserving foods.

12. F. By having plants absorbing ammonia and animals eating plants, nitrogen enters the food chain and humans can receive nitrogen by eating plants and animals.

13. Nitrogen Cycle

14. 5. Phosphorous cycle
A. Essential to living organisms because it is part of DNA and RNA.
B. It is not common in the biosphere.
C. Remains mostly in rocks, soil and ocean sediment.
D. Phosphates wash into the ocean where it is used by marine organisms.
E. Plants obtain phosphorous through their roots and when they are eaten the phosphorus is transferred through the food chain.

17. a. The rate at which matter is created by producers.
6. Nutrient limitation – Primary productivity.
a. The rate at which matter is created by producers.
1. Available nutrients may be in short supply which can limit an organisms growth.
2. When a nutrient is either very limited or cycles back real slow this substance is called limiting nutrients. (Fertilizers)

18. 3. These limiting nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium will make plants and crops grow much faster.
4. When an aquatic ecosystem receives more nutrients than usual, (run off from heavily fertilized fields) an increase of algae will grow causing Algal Bloom. If there are not enough to eat the algae it will cover the surface, causing disruption in the equilibrium of an ecosystem.

19. Carbon Cycle

20. Nitrogen Cycle

21. Water Cycle