1. Ecology 2.0 Cycles in the Environment Populations and Biodiversity

2. The Water Cycle Evaporation: water turns from liquid to a gas Transpiration: water from a plant turns to a gas Warm humid air rises & cools to form a liquid again to make clouds (condensation) Precipitation: water falls as any form Groundwater: water that soaks into the ground Runoff water: water that does not soak into the ground

3. The Carbon Cycle Carbon is released in several ways:  As CO 2 from respiration  Decaying material releases heat and CO 2  Burning fossil fuels  Volcanic activity Plants use the carbon (C) from CO 2 to make it into glucose and release O 2 (photosynthesis).

4. The Oxygen Cycle Oxygen (O 2 ) is needed for respiration Plants produce O 2 during photosynthesis and release it into water and the air Consumers take in O 2 during respiration and let it out as CO 2.

5. The Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen is needed to make protein 78% of air is nitrogen in the form of N 2 Gaseous N 2 must be fixed (converted to solid forms) so that it can be absorbed or eaten.

7. How does Nitrogen Cycle? Lightning can make N 2 bond to water in the air, and it will come down with rain. Bacteria in the soil can change N 2 into NH 3 (ammonia) Animals eat plants containing nitrogen and excrete it as NH 3 in urine Decomposition puts ammonia in the soil Ammonia is converted into NO 2 (nitrites) and NO 3 (nitrates) Plant roots absorb nitrates Bacteria can convert nitrates back into N 2 and return it to the atmosphere

8. Phosphorus Cycle Phosphorus (P) is needed to make DNA and RNA Phosphorus is found in soil, rocks and water. It is taken in mainly as PO 4 (phosphate)

9. How Does Phosphorus Cycle? Plant roots absorb phosphorus from soil. Animals eat plants and take in the phosphorus. Animals excrete phosphorus and return it to soil.

10. Phosphorus Cycle