1. The Carbon and Nitrogen Cycle
How does carbon and nitrogen cycle through the biosphere?
How does nitrogen and carbon cycle through the atmosphere?
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2. What are some of the components, living and non- living of this ecosystem?
How might some of the conditions in this ecosystem fall out of balance?
How might such changes affect the ecosystem?
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Ecosystems

3. Carbon in the atmosphere and biosphere
Carbon moves between living and non-living things on Earth
These movements make up the carbon cycle
One part of the carbon cycle centers on photosynthesis
Carbon exits Earth’s atmosphere primarily with molecules of carbon dioxide (CO2)
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4. Photosynthesis
During the Calvin Cycle of photosynthesis, plants use the carbon to make organic compounds called carbohydrates
One of the most important carbohydrates is glucose, a sugar that plants use for food
Plants store glucose for later use in the form of starch, another carbohydrate
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5. Consumers
Consumers are organisms that consume carbohydrates produced by plants
Consumers use the energy held in the bonds of these molecules to fuel their cellular activities, called cellular respiration
One of the waste products of cellular respiration is CO2
In this way, carbon cycles continuously between the atmosphere as CO2 and the biosphere as carbohydrates
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6. Biomass
Biomass is the living, or recently living matter in an ecosystem
Carbon is also returned to the environment through decomposition
The bodies of organisms are primarily made of carbon
Decomposers break down the bodies into their component elements, and carbon moves into the ground
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7. Carbon moves from the biomass into the ground where it remains for millions of years
Heat and pressure from Earth’s interior transformed buried plants and animals from the Carboniferous period ( mya) into coal, petroleum, and natural gas
When we burn fossil fuels, it releases carbon back into the atmosphere where it can be used again by plants
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Fossil fuels

8. Global warming controversy
Fact: burning fossil fuels releases carbon into the atmosphere
Fact: humans are removing producers from Earth’s surface
Fact: research is being done everywhere to reduce carbon emissions
Opinion: Reducing carbon emissions is a good thing
Realistically, can everyone drive a Tesla? Is it practical for a family of 5 or more to ride around in a Prius?
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Global warming controversy

9. Source Checklist Form your own opinion
Anyone can publish to the internet
Study both sides of a controversial topic so you can have an intelligent conversation
Know why you choose, not just that you do.
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10. Day 2 -The Nitrogen Cycle
Both plants and animals require nitrogen to survive
It is a key element in DNA and RNA, and amino acids which are used to make proteins
Approximately 78% of Earth’s atmosphere is nitrogen (N2)
Most living things cannot use nitrogen in this form
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11. Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria
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12. Nitrogen Fixing
Many legumes – peas, soybeans, peanuts, and alfalfa coexist with a bacteria called Rhizobia
They live in the soil on the roots of the plant, and take nitrogen and fix in into NH3
Other bacteria change the ammonia into nitrites and nitrates, in a process called nitrification
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13. Assimilation
Plants absorb the nitrogen compounds from the soil through their roots and use them to synthesize amino acids, called assimilation
As consumers eat plants, nitrogen gas passes up the food chain for other organisms to use
Some bacteria turn nitrates into nitrogen gas, called denitrification, and release it back into the atmosphere
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14. The decomposition of organic matter is also a crucial part of the nitrogen cycle
When organisms die, nitrogen compounds held in their bodies are broken down by detritivores and are returned to the soil as nitrates and nitrites
Bacteria in the soil can convert these compounds into ammonia
The plants can then reabsorb these compounds
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Detritivores

15. Lightning Does lightning add nitrogen to the soil
Answers.com – not a good source
Nitrogen fixation by lightning – Kimball’s biology pages
Nova: Earth from Space| Lightning Produces Nitrates
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Lightning

16. Disruptions in the cycles
Compost: a mixture of decaying organic matter, air, and water that may be used to fertilize soil
The total amount of carbon actively moving through the carbon cycle decreases when people bury organic materials in landfills rather that allow them to decompose naturally outdoors
Ideally, fallen leaves and discarded foods should be used for compost, allowing nutrients in the decomposing biomass to return to the ecosystem
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17. In the last 150 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the burning of coal, oil and natural gas for factories, cars, airplanes, heat, and other technologies
Not only does this deplete the Earth of its natural fossil fuel resources, it creates an imbalance in the carbon cycle
There are many agencies, and organizations around the world working to reduce the carbon emissions from these sources
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Fossil Fuel Burning

18. Fertilizers
Overusing nitrogen-based fertilizers in agriculture also disturbs the nitrogen cycle
The availability of nitrogen can be a limiting factor to the growth of crops
Farmers use fertilizers with high concentrations of nitrogen and other nutrients
They help with farming, but get carried away by rainwater
Causes buildup in estuaries, lakes, and streams, called eutrophication
Algae thrives on the excess nitrogen and reproduce uncontrollably
As they die, the decomposers will use up the oxygen, choking out other organisms in the water
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