1. Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling Robert F. Chen UMassBoston Environmental Coastal and Ocean Sciences (ECOS)

2. Carbon Fourth most abundant element in the universe Basis for life 4 bonds Forms complex molecules Gaseous form Buckminster Fullerene Megaphone Bastadin-5 Moronic Acid

4. Photosynthesis Where does the mass of a tree come from? CO 2 + H 2 O  CH 2 O + O 2

5. Global Productivity

6. Respiration Mitochondria, bacteria, fires, combustion engines O2 + CH2O  CO2 + H2O Fossil Fuels burned at 20,000 times natural rates of oxidation

7. CO2 Emissions

8. Atmospheric Measurements

10. “Missing Sink” of Atmospheric CO2 (in Gigatons Carbon—10 15 gmC) Fossil Fuel Burning=6.0+/- 0.5 Deforestation=0.9+/-0.7 Atmospheric Increase =3.2+/-0.1 Oceanic Uptake=2.0 +/-0.8 “Missing Sink”=1.7 +/1.2

11. Mass Balance Total mass is always conserved Each element is also conserved in a closed system Can you design a closed system that is sustainable indefinitely? Eco-sphere.com

12. Neponset River Estuary Urban: Largest salt marsh in Boston Small: ~6km long; ~100m wide <5m deep, 3m tidal range Oldest dam in the country Extensive salt marsh and mudflats

13. Granite Ave. Bridge Gulliver’s Creek

14. Minishuttle Instrumentation Minishuttle underway at ~4 kts

17. Cycles are linked CO2 + H2O  CH2O + O2

18. Biosphere 2 http://www.bio2.edu /virtualtour/beach.ht mhttp://www.bio2.edu /virtualtour/beach.ht m 7 people, O2 began to drop Why?

19. Nitrogen Cycle

20. Needs Amino Acids  proteins Nucleic Acids Chlorophyll Carbon to Nitrogen ratio

21. Sources Nitrogen Fixing bacteria –Legumes –Clover –Cyanobacteria Lightning Haber Process (factory fertilizer production) Internal combustion engines (cars) Mankind has doubled N-inputs to coastal areas  eutorphication

22. Fall Colors Chlorophyll-N recalled Accessory pigments shown Huge loss of C, but not N

23. Lawn calculation If you add 1 pound of nitrogen fertilizer to your lawn, how many pounds of lawn clippings must you carry away? Water Carbon/Nitrogen ratio

24. Frameworks Elements and compounds Mixtures and pure substances (solutions) Conservation of Mass Energy and living things Changes of ecosystems over time/affect of mankind