1. Biogeochemical Cycles NOTES
UNIT 7 DAY 5

2. 2 million plastic beverage bottles  used in the US every 5 min

3. 1.14 million brown paper supermarket bags used in the US every hour

4. 106,000 aluminum cans used in the US every 30 seconds

5. Biogeochemical Cycles
Bio = biological (living things)
Geo = geological (the earth)
Chemical = molecules in the Periodic Table
Biogeochemical cycles = cycling materials between the Earth and living organisms

6. Carbon Cycle

7. Greenhouse Gas Effect
Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, trap heat within the Earth’s atmosphere, warming the Earth.
Humans have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to global warming.

8.  GLOBAL WARMING! :/ Amount of CO2 in the Atmosphere Photosynthesis
Amount of CO2 in the Atmosphere
Photosynthesis
CO2 in air…
DECREASES
Respiration
INCREASES
Burning of Fossil Fuels
Deforestation
 GLOBAL WARMING! :/

9. Ocean Acidification

11. Nitrogen Cycle
80% of the Earth’s atmosphere is nitrogen (N2) but plants and animals cannot use it in this form.
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil convert it into a form plants can absorb to make different amino acids (Ammonia/Nitrates).
Animals eat the plants to gain nitrogen to make their own proteins.
When plants and animals die, bacteria release the nitrogen back into the atmosphere: “denitrification”

12. Fertilizer Run-off & Eutrophication
Excess nitrogen seeps into water supply (rivers, lakes etc.) and causes an overgrowth of algae
Algae and bacteria use up the oxygen in lakes and fish die from lack of oxygen
Too many planted crops will take nitrogen out of the soil and strip the soil of all its nutrients
HP: