Cycles of Matter All organisms need 4 essential elements: Oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen

Recycling In the Biosphere Unlike the one way flow of energy in the ecosystem, matter has to be recycled. Energy is neither created or destroyed it is just transferred. In a food chain the energy is changed in to heat that escapes into the atmosphere. That is the 90% that each organisms uses

What about Matter Biogeochemical cycles: elements, chemical compounds, and other forms of matter are passed from one organism to another and from one part of the ecosystem to another. Matter is also not used up it is transferred. CO 2 –photosynthesis-blue berry-elk-wolf-bacteria Biogeochemical cycles pass the same molecules around again and again in the biosphere.

Water cycle All living things require water. Evaporation: liquid water to vapor Transpiration: liquid water to vapor Condensation: water vapor to liquid Precipitation: visable form of water falling from clouds Run off: water that runs over the land Seepage: water that soaks into ground.

Nutrient Cycles The food that you eat provides the energy and chemicals that keep you alive. All the chemical substances that an organism needs to sustain life are its nutrients. Every living organism needs nutrients to build tissues and carry out essential life functions. Like water nutrients are passed between organisms and the environment through the biogeochemical cycles.

Carbon Cycle 4 types of process Biological process: photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, take up CO 2 Geochemical: erosion, volcanic, release CO 2 to atmosphere and oceans Mixed biogeochemical processes: burial and decomposition of dead organism, this creates fossil fuels (coal, oil) stored carbon Human activities: mining, burning wood, fossil fuels, releases the CO 2 back into the atmosphere

Nitrogen cycle Nitrogen is required to make the amino acids which bond to form protiens found in living organisms. 78% of the atmosphere is Nitrogen. Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrites are found in waste products. Plants need it from soil so some bacteria can nitrogen fix. (legumes-plant/bacteria) When organisms die denitrification happens, releases N into atmosphere by decomposers (smell)

Phosphorus Cycle Phosphorus is important in the making of the Nucleic Acids. DNA and RNA Not found in the atmosphere, it is in the ground, in soil, rocks, So plants absorb it from the ground (fertilizers)

Nutrient Limitations Primary productivity is the rate at which organic matter is created by producers. (such as sugars, starch, carbohydrates) When an ecosystem is limited by a nutrient that is scarce or cycles slowly it is called a limiting nutrient. Farmers fields and fertilizer