1. Biogeochemical Cycles
How do nutrients cycle through the environment?

2. Matter

3. Matter Is any material that has mass and occupies space.
Is never used up and never goes away.
It cycles round and round.
The Law of Conservation of Matter is a principle that states that matter may be transformed from one type of matter to another, but it can’t be created or destroyed.

4. Nutrients cycle through the environment endlessly
Nutrient cycling

5. Nutrient Cycling
Question: What do you know about nutrition and nutrients?

6. Nutrient Cycling
Nutrients are matter that organisms require for their life processes.
Two types
Macronutrients which are required in large amounts and include nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus.
Micronutrients which are required in small amounts.

7. Nutrient Cycling
Endlessly circulate through the environment in biogeochemical cycles.
Carbon, oxygen, phosphorus, nitrogen are nutrients that cycle through all of Earth’s spheres and organisms.

8. The nitrogen cycle relies on bacteria that make nitrogen useful to organisms and bacteria that can return it to the atmosphere.
Nitrogen cycle

9. Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen
Makes up 78% of the atmosphere and is the sixth most abundant element.
Is an essential
Ingredient of DNA & RNA (proteins) that build organisms.
Nutrient for plant growth
This means that the nitrogen cycle is vital to all organisms.

10. Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen gas cannot cycle out of the atmosphere and into organisms.
The nitrogen cycle chemically changes nitrogen gas to make nitrogen available to organisms that need it.

11. Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen fixation converts nitrogen gas into ammonia
This accomplished by
Intense energy of lightning.
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Live in soil or associated with soybean, clover, and legumes.
Use the process of nitrification to produce nitrate ions (NO3-) that plants can use.

12. Nitrogen Cycle
Denitrification bacteria complete the nitrogen cycle by converting nitrates in soil or water back to nitrogen gas.