3.4 Cycles of Matter

POINT > Contrast energy flow with matter cycling POINT > Identify mechanisms of cycling POINT > Describe the water cycle POINT > Describe the carbon cycle POINT > Describe the nitrogen cycle POINT > Describe the phosphorous cycle

POINT > Contrast energy flow with matter cycling

Energy moves in a one-way flow in ecosystems  Captured by producers Passed along trophic levels Lost to environment as heat

 Matter is recycled within & between ecosystems  Passed along trophic levels Among parts of the biosphere Matter is not created or destroyed, only transformed

Energy Matter POINT > Contrast energy flow with matter cycling

WB CHECK: What is cycled through ecosystems, energy or matter? What flows one way through ecosystems?

4 Cycling mechanisms: Biological: Geological: Chemical & Physical: Human Activities: eating, breathing, waste, etc movement of rock, volcanic activity, etc clouds, precip, lightning, etc burning fossil fuels, farming, etc

WB CHECK: Give an example of a biological cycling mechanism. An earthquake would represent which type of cycling mechanism?. Give an example of a physical or chemical cycling mechanism. Exhaust from a car engine would represent which type of cycling mechanism?

Ecosystems have continuous movement of materials between organisms and the environment Matter is constantly transferred between biotic and abiotic components

Water Cycle: Evaporation, precipitation and transpiration

Water Cycle: Transpiration Plants take water in through roots  water moves through plant  evaporation of water from leaves

WB CHECK: What is a biological mechanism in the water cycle? What is a physical/chemical mechanism in the water cycle?

Nutrient Cycles Organisms require nutrients to build tissues and carry out life functions We depend on other organisms to incorporate (fix) nutrients into biotic systems from the environment

Carbon Cycle Carbon is the basis for all the macromolecules: carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins CO 2 is the carbon form commonly exchanged between parts of the biosphere

Carbon Cycle

WB CHECK: What is a human activity that is part of the carbon cycle? What is a geological activity that is part of the carbon cycle? What “form” of carbon is most commonly cycled in the environment?

Nitrogen: Necessary for amino acids and nucleic acids. Lots in the atmosphere, but unavailable as N 2 Nitrogen Fixation: Nitrogen gas (in air) is converted into ammonia (NH 3 ) by bacteria (in some plant roots) which plants then use All other organisms get nitrogen through eating plants

Nitrogen Cycle

WB CHECK: What is a human activity that is part of the nitrogen cycle? What organisms biologically fix nitrogen into a form plants and animals can use?

Nitrogen in fertilizers (Haber process) has become a large ecological issue- leads to eutrophication of lakes and streams

Phosphorus Cycle Necessary for nucleic acids Present on land and in water in small amounts where plants absorb and use it Also an ecological problem with fertilizer runoff

Phosphorus Cycle

Nutrient availability limits ecosystem production If light and water are available, most organisms are usually limited by the availability of nitrogen and phosphorous  Soil –  Water – Any variety of nutrients are limited (usually added as fertilizer) Nitrogen or phosphorus are usually limiting

Read pages Answer #1-4 page 86 Nitrogen Cycle: Workbook pages Chapter 3 Review Pages ALL