1. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
Biogeochemical Cycle: the movement of matter through the biotic & abiotic environment
Nature has always been the best recycler.

2. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
Water Cycle: the series of processes that cycle water through the environment

4. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
water in clouds

5. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
precipitation

6. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
water drains into
rivers & soil

7. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
water taken up by
plants & animals

8. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
water loss by
transpiration

9. Transpiration: evaporation of water through plant leaves

10. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
water loss by
respiration

11. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
evaporation

12. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems- Carbon
Carbon Cycle: the movement of carbon between the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, & biosphere

13. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
atmospheric pool of carbon dioxide

14. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
plants take up carbon
dioxide for photosynthesis

15. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
animals eat plants

16. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
carbon dioxide
released by
respiration

17. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
fossil fuels

18. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
carbon dioxide
released by
combustion

19. Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems
death of organisms
& decay by bacteria

20. Carbon in the Atmosphere
1. What are human activities that are increasing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere?

21. Carbon in the Atmosphere
Human Activities…
Transportation
Driving cars
Boats
Planes
Operating huge industrial processing plants
Burning fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas)
Deforestation
Creating electricity

22. Carbon in our Spheres
2. How is the increase in the amount of carbon in the atmosphere and hydrosphere affecting the ecosystem?

23. Carbon in our Spheres
Too much carbon in the atmosphere is causing global climatic change (global warming)
Altering temperature and water availability in ecosystems
Too much carbon in the hydrosphere makes the water too acidic, altering ideal living conditions for marine life

24. The Nitrogen Cycle

25. Nitrogen Cycle.
Nitrogen is used for making proteins.
But even though the atmosphere is 78% nitrogen gas, we can’t use it in that form.

26. The Nitrogen Cycle 1. Nitrogen gas in the atmosphere (N2)
Nitrogen Fixation: the process where bacteria change nitrogen gas into nitrogen-containing compounds useable for plants
Lightening can also break this N2 bond but most fixation happens in the soil

27. 2. Certain soil bacteria convert Nitrogen gas (N2) into ammonia (NH4+)
3. Nitrifying bacteria transform ammonia (NH4+) into Nitrate (NO3-) which can then be used by plants
Plants absorb nitrate from the soil to create essential proteins
Nitrogen fixing bacteria can live in the nodules of legumes

28. 4. Herbivores and omnivores absorb these proteins from the plants
5. The waste products from these animals contain unused proteins, which are broken down via decomposers
6. Ammonia is formed by the decomposers and nitrogen is returned to the soil.

30. 7. Denitrifying bacteria release nitrogen gas (N2) back into the atmosphere from the soil
Process called Denitrification

32. How have humans altered the nitrogen cycle?

33. Add nitrogen into the soil by fertilizer and sewage
Heavy rains generate water run off which carries fertilizers into near by water supplies
Adding nitrous oxide gas into the atmosphere. Too much nitrous oxide causes acid rain.

34. Fertilizer
What are the main 3 ingredients in fertilizers?

35. “Without nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the plant simply cannot grow because it cannot make the pieces it needs. It's like a car factory running out of steel or a road crew running out of asphalt”

36. What’s the big deal about too much nitrogen in bodies of water?
- David Suzuki’s Save My Lake! - Lake Winnipeg