ECOLOGY BIO GEOLOGICAL CYCLES Essential elements and nutrients

Chemistry Basics Elements-a unique type of atom there are 92 natural elements occurring on earth The study of elements needed for life is called organic chemistry or biochemistry The essential elements for life are MACRO Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen for carbodydrates Nitrogen Amino Acids and proteins Phosphorus ATP and ADP Potassium enzymes Sulfur amino acids and proteins Calcium membrane function Magnesium chlorophyll and enzymes

Biogeological cycles Biogeological cycle refers to the elements that move from geosphere to biosphere and back to geosphere. Each cycle may have a corresponding link in the atmosphere and hydrosphere Most important 4 are the: Carbon cycle Nitrogen cycle Phosphorus cycle Water cycle.

The Carbon Cycle Carbon is an essential element for all life Carbon is the 4th most abundant element in the universe. It is the element that anchors all life. All organic compounds contain Carbon The Carbon cycle begins in the atmosphere as CO2.

Two Cycles Long Term and short term Long Term = Geological Geological cycle begins with the birth of earth. Initial carbon came with the earth and meteors. Carbon was present in atmosphere as C02 through volcanism. Carbon combined with elements in earth’s crust to create minerals like calcium carbonate. Carbon erodes from this storage into oceans.

Short term cycle notes Start at C02 in the atmosphere Plants photosynthesis to convert carbon into carbohydrates Consumer’s eat Both plants and animals use energy through cellular respiration and return carbon to the air Decay returns carbon to the ocean and soil.

Short Term Cycle

How industry influences Carbon Cycle Fossil fuels Fossil fuels are old plants and animals that have decayed after millions of years. The carbon comes from the organisms that died Coal is a type of fossil fuel just from plants The carbon is a long term storage. Releasing the carbon puts it back in the atmosphere

What We Burn the Most

The Transportation Industry Emits the Greatest Amount

Where Does C02 Come From

Carbon Yearly and Seasonal

The US and GH emissions greenhouse gases are emitted by the United States are from the following Carbon dioxide (CO2) –fossil fuels, respiration Methane (CH4)-cows and landfills Nitrous oxide (N2O) –fossil fuels, volcanoes Water vapor (H2O) natural steam / evaporation.

Greenhouse Emission per Country

Greenhouse Gas emission

Carbon When analyzing the carbon cycle scientists refer to the storage and release as either a sink or source. Source- where carbon is coming from Sink- where carbon is stored Short term sink= animals, plants, top soil Long term = deep ocean, rainforest, deep soils and rocks, fossils

Balancing Carbon – sources and sinks Sources –ways it gets into atmosphere Sinks-places to store Natural sources Forest fires Volcanoes Respiration Anthropogenic Sources Transportation Slash and burn Deforestation Energy usage Warming planet From ocean From rocks Forests- Grasslands Ocean-especially deep oceans Deep in forest soils

Major components of the Atmosphere Nitrogen Oxygen Carbon dioxide Argon Methane Water vapor Nitrogen oxide Sulfur oxide Atmospheric dust

How the Atmosphere influences climate The atmosphere acts as a protective bubble surrounding our planet Protects against gamma rays and X rays Protects us from large temperature changes with the green house gasses. Also causes our sky to be blue by refracting sunlight Causes the water cycle.

Green House Effect

Nitrogen cycle

The Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen exists as an unusable Gas N2. It represents 79% of our atmosphere Nitrogen is essential for protein, DNA and many other parts of life. Nitrogen needs to be converted by special bacteria for organisms to utilize. The nitrogen cycle is dependent on these nitrogen fixing bacteria

Vocabulary Nitrogen fixation- process by which unusable nitrogen is converted to NH3 (ammonia) Nitrification- process where ammonia is put into nitrite and nitrates which are usable by plants. Ammonia can be toxic to most plants. Denitrification- process by which nitrogen in the soil is returned to the atmosphere Nitrogen fixing bacteria- bacteria that turn nitrogen and ammonia into to nitrate

How Nitrogen gets fixed (changed) Lightning- approximately 5-8% is converted this way. Nitrogen gas is split by lightning and comes down in rain as nitric acid. Bacteria – approximately 40-50 % is currently fixed this way. Bacteria convert Nitrogen gas to nitrates or ammonium and plants take it up. Industrial – 50% of nitrogen is fixed this way It is changed from nitrogen gas in the atmosphere to ammonia, which plants take up. This includes inorganic fertilizers and combustion

Nitrogen fixing Bacteria Live in nodules of legumes like beans, chick peas, lentils, lima beans and soy. Use to organically improve nitrogen of soil in a garden.

Nitrogen fixed by Industry Increasingly more and more nitrogen is being added to our environment through production of fertilizers, explosives and combustion. Excess nitrogen causes acid rain and pollution.

Percentage of Nitrogen Introduced by Anthropogenic Sources

How is Nitrogen converted through bacteria Nitrogen is converted using special bacteria N2 is converted to NH3 in the soil = ammonia and ammonium. It is then converted into nitrites and nitrates. Both ammonium, nitrites and nitrates are used by organisms. Nitrogen returns to the soil as decay happens. Returns to atmosphere as gasses are released by bacteria and decomposers  Denitrification

How Nitrogen Cycles Back to the Atmosphere Once nitrogen is in the plants, animals eat the plants. Organisms excrete nitrogen in the form of Urea or Uric acid this ends up in the soil Organisms die and decay the nitrogen ends up in the soil and organisms that acted as decomposers From there the Nitrogen is changed back to gas by the process of denitrification.

Nitrogen in the Atmosphere denitrification Industrial Lightning Bacteria Nitrates Nitrates Ammonium Food Chain

Simple Cycle The nitrogen cycle begins in the atmosphere This is converted to ammonia by bacteria or lightning If By lightning goes from N2 to NO3 directly. By bacteria it goes through several steps : N2 to NH3 to NO2 to NO3 N03 is taken up by plants to yield protein. Nitrogen is returned to soil in decay and manure. NO3 goes to atmosphere by denitrifying bacteria

When Nitrogen Becomes a Problem Excess nitrogen leeches into water bodies Nitrogen is a limiting resource/factor  A limiting factor is something that limits the growth, reproduction or distribution of organisms (ex: water, food, shelter) It stimulates massive algae growth. The algae suffocates the ecosystem by blocking sunlight and taking up large amount of oxygen when it dies. This causes Hypoxia-condition in which oxygen levels are too low to support life also called Dead zones

Eutrophication- process by which growth of a nuisance plant (algae) is stimulated due to the addition of a limiting resource (usually nitrogen or phosphorus) and leads to pollution of the water body.

Problems with Nitrogen Currently largest problem is due to increases amounts of inorganic fertilizer and excess waste from Feed lots. Second largest problem is due to combustion of fossil fuels

Dead Zones The largest hypoxic zone currently affecting the United States, and the second largest hypoxic zone worldwide, is the northern Gulf of Mexico adjacent to the Mississippi River.

Phosphorus Cycle