1. Ecosystems Matter is Recycled

2. The Elements of Life are the matter that is recycled.
Carbon, C
Hydrogen, H
Oxygen, O
Nitrogen, N
Phosphorus, P

3. Biogeochemical cycles (say What?)
A biogeochemical cycle is a set of processes that recycles an element or compound through ecosystems
These processes involve both abiotic and biotic factors.

4. The Water Cycle

5. The Water Cycle Is powered by sun energy which excites molecules.
Heating increases kinetic energy
Cooling decreases kinetic energy
Changes in temperature cause a change in phase state (gas, liquid, solid)

6. The Carbon Cycle (p. 76)

7. The Nitrogen Cycle (p. 77)

8. Review Questions
1) Nitrogen is one of the elements needed by all living things. Animals get nitrogen from
A) air B) food C) water
2) In the nitrogen cycle, bacteria that live on plant roots
A) turn carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen into plant structures
B) turn nitrogen in the air into nitrates in the soil
C) put nitrogen into amino acids to make proteins

9. 3) The carbon atoms in the carbon compounds that make a tree or other plant comes from
A) water B) air C) sunlight
4) What statement below best describes decomposition?
A) The movement of carbon atoms through the atmosphere, soil, and organisms
B) the changing of water from liquid to gas to solid in the biosphere
C) the rotting and breaking down of dead organisms nutrient

10. 5) Matter is recycled in ecosystems
5) Matter is recycled in ecosystems. Some examples of nutrient cycles include the water cycle, the carbon cycle, and the nitrogen cycle. This cycling requires energy. What energy source drives nutrient cycles?
A) fossil fuels
B) sun energy
C) the mechanical energy of flowing water
6) In the water cycle, water is changed from a liquid on the surface, to a gas in the atmosphere. What part of this process in the water cycle involves living organisms?
A) condensation B) transpiration C) precipitation

11. 7) The combustion of fossil fuels, such as gasoline in a car engine, is part of the A) water cycle B) carbon cycle C) nitrogen cycle 8) Which of the following groups of organisms break down nutrients in an ecosystem? A) decomposers B) consumers C) producers