Biogeochemical Cycle

Bio

means...
- Life

Geo means.....
-of earth : part of the earth are : Land , Air

Chemical means.....
- Molecules

Cycle means....

and / or compound

- Repeatedly

Cycling materials between the environment and organisms.

Chemical and biological processes
Examples.....

Phosphorus cycle
Sulfur cycle
Carbon cycle
Nitrogen cycle
Water cycle
Oxygen cycle

, Water

Conceptual framework

Biogeochemical cyclesare pathways for the transport and transformation of

matter within four categorical areas that make up planet Earth (biosphere,
hydrosphere, lithosphere,and the atmosphere ) Biogeochemical cycles are components
of the broader cycle that govern the functioning of planet Earth. The Earth is a system
open to electromagnetic radiation from the sun and outer space, but is a virtually closed
system with regard to matter. This means that the planet has minimal flux of matter,
other than meteorite collisions and minor amounts of intergalactic particle trapping (or
loss) by the upper atmosphere. Therefore, matter that Earth contained from the time of
its birth is transformed and circulated geographically. This is in line with the law of
conservation of matter which states that matter cannot be created nor destroyed but can
be transformed including the transformation between matter and energy

The transfer of matter involves biological, geological and chemical processes; hence the
name biogeochemical cycles derives. Biogeochemical cycles may also be referred to as
cycles of nature because they link together all organisms and abiotic features on earth
(Figure 1). Matter is continually recycled among living and abiotic elements on earth.
Biogeochemical cycles facilitate the transfer of matter from one form to another and
from one location to another on planet earth. Additionally, biogeochemical cycles are
sometimes called nutrient cycles, because they involve the transfer of compounds that
provide nutritional support to living organisms.
Generalized biogechemical cycle. The major parts of the biosphere are connected bya the
flow of chemical elemants and compounds. In many of these cycles, the biota plays an
important role. Matter from the earths interrior is released by volaconoes. The
atmosphere excahnges some compounds and elements rapidly with biota and oceans

What is Biogeochemical Cycle?

Biogeochemical cycle: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In geography andEarth Science, abiogeochemical

cycleorsubstance turnoverorcycling of substances is a
pathway by which achemical elementormolecule moves
through both biotic (biosphere) and abiotic (lithosphere,
atmosphere, andhydrosphere) compartments ofEarth. A cycle
is a series of change which comes back to the starting point and
which can be repeated.

The term biogeochemical tells us that biological, geological

and chemical factors are all involved. The circulation of
chemical nutrients like carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus,
calcium, and water etc. through the biological and physical
world are known as biogeochemical cycles. In effect, the element
is recycled, although in some cycles there may be places
(calledreservoirs) where the element is accumulated or held for
a long period of time (such as an ocean or lake for water

Pathways of biogeochemical cycles

Parts that comprise planet earth have been

categorized into four spheres (regions). One is the
sphere which has life and it is called the biosphere(it
is the region occupied by living organisms such
asplants, animals, fungi) and the other three spheres
are largely devoid of life, they include; lithosphere
(region occupied by soil, land and the earth crust),
atmosphere (air and space) and hydrosphere (areas
covered by water such as rivers ,lakes and oceans).
However, where the biosphere overlaps the
lithosphere, atmosphere or hydrosphere, there is a
zone occupied by living organisms.

What are the examples of biogeochemical cycles?

Biogeochemical cycles differ in their pathways, and
on this basis the biogeochemical either a sedimentary
or a gas cycle, some cycle as both as a gas and
sediment.

Sedimentary cycles : these cycles involve the

transportation of matter through the ground to water;
that is to say from lithosphere to the hydrosphere.

Gaseous cycles: these involves the transportation

of matter through the atmosphere . Main reservoir are
the atmosphere and the ocean.

Sedimentary Cycles
Phosphorus
Sulfur

Gas Cycles
Carbon
Nitrogen
Oxygen

Hydrological /Water: separate cycle

Phosphorus Cycle
This biogeochemical cycles shows the movement of
phosphorus through the atmosphere. Phosphorus
mainly cycles through water, soil and sediment. It can
be found in the atmosphere as very small dust
particles. Phosphorus moves slowly from deposits on
land and in sediments, to living organisms, and much
more slowly back into the soil and water sediment.
The phosphorus cycle is the slowest one of the
sedimentary cycles.

Steps of Phosphorus Cycle

Phosphate is released by the erosion of rocks and wash away
to the
ground mixed in the soil.

Plants absorb inorganic phosphate from the soil. When

animals consume plants or other animals, they acquire the
phosphorus that was present in their meal.

Phosphorus is excreted through the waste products created

by the animals, and released by decomposing plants and
animals.

Phosphorus gets returned to the soil, it can be absorbed

again by plants, or it becomes part of the sediment layers that
eventually from rocks.

As rocks erode by the action water, phosphorus is returned

to water and soil.

Human Impacts on Phosphorus Cycle

Phosphorus is used by humans as a fertilizer in

farmlands.

On farmland where phosphates are applied as

fertilizers, plants do not absorb all phosphate. The
phosphates end up in water and stream towards lakes
and reservoirs.

Eutrophication occurs when the water is so rich in

nutrients that it causes algae, to grow extensively to
bloom. As a result the oxygen supply in the water
depletes, causing fish to die and bacteria that are not
oxygen dependent (anaerobic ) to take over.

Importance of Phosphorus cycle

Phosphorus, mainly in the form of ions is an

essential and important nutrient of both animals and
plants.

Sulfur Cycles
The sulfur cycle is the collection of processes by which
sulfur moves to and from minerals, waterways and living
systems. Most of the earth's sulphur is in rocks or buried deep in
the ocean in oceanic sediments. Sulphur can also be found in the
atmosphere. It enters the atmosphere through both natural and
human sources.
Sulfur is bright yellow crystalline solid in its normal
state, with most of it stored underground in rocks and minerals
and ocean floor deposits. It is used for fertilizers, gun powder,
matches, and in insecticides and fungicides. It is a part of
vitamins , proteins and hormones that are considered critical to
climate and health of various ecosystems.

Sulfur Cycle

Steps of Sulfur Cycle

The cycle begins with the weathering of rocks, which releases stored
sulfur.

Sulfur comes into contact with the air, converting it to sulphate (SO).

Sulphate is taken up by plants and microorganisms and is changed

to organic form.

Sulfur moves up the food chain.

When organisms die, some of the sulfur is released back to sulphate

and enter microorganisms.

Natural sources emit sulfur into the air.

Sulfur eventually settles back to the Earth or comes through the

rainfall, with some also going to the ccean.

Sulfur is also drained to rivers and lakes, eventually to the oceans.

Some of the sulfur from ocean go back to the atmosphere through the
sea spray.
Remaining sulfur go to ocean floor and form ferrous sulphide,
which is responsible for the black color of most marine sediments

Effects of Sulfur Cycle on nature

Sulfur is one of the processes that allow natural weathering and
other natural processes

Sulfur cycle does not allow acid rains because it regulates the
amount of sulfur present in the atmosphere, hydrosphere , and
lithosphere.

Sulfuric acid forms sulphuric acid smog when it mixes with water
vapour.

Effects of Human progress on the Sulfur Cycle

Human activities since the start of the Industrial Revolution

contributed to most of the sulfur that enters the atmosphere. One third
of all sulfur that reachers the atmosphere comes from human activities.

Emissions from human activities react to produce sulphate salts that

create acid rain.

Sulfur dioxide aerosols absorb ultraviolet rays, which cools areas

and offsets global warming caused bu greenhouse effect.

Carbon cycle
Carbon is one of the most important elements that sustain
on Earth. All living
Things are made of carbon. Carbon is also a part of the ocean,
air and even rocks. In the atmosphere, carbon is attached to
some oxygen in a gas called carbon dioxide. Plants use of carbon
dioxide and sunlight to make their own food and grow. The
carbon becomes part of the plant. Plants that die and are buried
may turn into fossil fuel made of carbon like coal and oil over
millions of years. When human burns fossil fuels,most of the
carbon quickly enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

Carbon Cycle

Steps of Carbon Cycle

Carbon dioxide come from the air.

CO2 is taken out of the air by plants through photosynthesis
Animals cant go through photosynthesis so they get their
carbon atoms from food they eat.
Both plants and animals release CO2 into the air through
respiration.
Decaying plants , animals and waste after millions of years
will be changed into fossil fuels. Fossil fuel can be burned by
automobiles releasing carbon back into the atmosphere.

Human Impact

Fossil fuels release carbon stores very slowly.

Burning anything releases more carbon into the atmosphere
especially fossil fuels.
Increased carbon dioxide in atmosphere increase global warming.
Fewer plants means less CO2 removed from atmosphere

Importance of carbon cycle

Many elements have cycle but cycling of carbon atoms is

particularly important because;

Through photosynthesis and respiration, It is the way the earth

produces food and other renewal resources.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) plays a key in role in trapping heat in the

atmosphere one of the basic mechanism behind the greenhouse
effect.

Carbon plays a central role in combustion.

Nitrogen Cycle

The Nitrogen cycle is the most abundant element in

the atmosphere and all nitrogen
Found in terrestrial ecosystems originate from the
atmosphere. The nitrogen cycle is by far the most
important nutrient cycle for plant life.
Nitrogen cycle related to the water cycle because
when the nitrogen comes out of the atmosphere in
the rain. It absorbs into the ground and is taken in by
the nitrogen fixing bacteria in the roots of the
legumes. Which in turn is eaten by the either human
or animals.

Nitrogen Cycle

Steps of Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen Fixation
Nitrogen assimilation
Ammonification
Nitrification
Denitrification

Nitrogen fixation:

In the soil, as well as in the root nodules of certain plants, nitrogen

is "fixed" by bacteria, lightning, and ultraviolet radiation. The "fixing of
nitrogen" does not mean nitrogen was broken; a better term might be
"fixated," because the bacteria put elemental nitrogen into a form that
can be used by living organisms and do not allow it to leave that form
and revert to elemental nitrogen.

Nitrification:

Certain bacteria take the forms into which nitrogen was fixated and
further process it (oxidization). Oxidation provides energy for the
nitrogen cycle to take place the bacteria that live in soil cannot
harness energy from the sun. The energy they use during their work in
the nitrogen cycle comes from this process.

Denitrification and ammonification.

Plants absorb nitrates or ammonium ions from the soil and turn
them into organic compounds. Animals obtain nitrogen by consuming
plants or other animals. Therefore, the waste products of animals
contain nitrogen. Ammonium ions, ammonia, urea, and uric acid all
contain nitrogen. So regardless of what form of excretion an animal has,
some nitrogen is released back into the ecosystem through excrement.
Dead plants and animals are food for decomposing bacteria.

Human intrusion and its Effect

Declination

Cultivation of croplands
Harvesting of crops
Cutting of forests

Effects

of nitrogen in the soil

of over supply of Nitrogen

Substantial acidification of soils and of the water of streams and lakes.

Acid

rain

Increased

house gas.

global concentrations of nitrous oxide (N2O) a potent green

Greatly

increased transport of nitrogen by rivers into estuaries and

coastal water where it is a major pollutant.
The

production and use of nitrogen fertilizer

The

leaching of nitrogen from over fertilized croplands.

Burning

of fossils fuels in automobiles, power generation plants and

industries.
Animals wastes and sewage

Importance of Nitrogen Cycle

The nitrogen cycle is important because all life on Earth is

dependent on nitrogen. In animals nitrogen is in amino acids,
proteins and nucleic acids like DNA. In plants, nitrogen is used
in chlorophyll so the plant can make food through
photosynthesis.

Nitrogen is one of the primary nutrients critical for the

survival of all living organisms. Although nitrogen is very
abundant in the atmosphere, it largely in accessible in this form
to most organisms

Nitrogen

is arguably the most important nutrient in regulating

primary productivity and species diversity in both aquatic and
terrestrial ecosystems
Clearly

illustrates the keys role played microorganism in a well

balance ecosystem.

Oxygen Cycle
The oxygen cycle describes the movement of oxygen
within and between its three main reservoirs: the atmosphere ,
the biosphere, and the lithosphere. The main driving factor of
the oxygen cycle is photosynthesis and because of this , oxygen
and carbon cycles are usually linked and the two cycles are
collectively called oxygen carbon cycle.

Oxygen Cycle

Steps of Oxygen Cycle

Plants release oxygen into the atmosphere as a by

product of photosynthesis.
Animal take the process of respiration animals
then break down sugars and food.
Carbon dioxide is released by animal and used in
plants in photosynthesis .
Oxygen is balanced between the atmosphere and
the ocean.

Plantsphotosynthesis

, taking carbon from the

atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide and
making the carbohydrate glucose.
Plants alsorespire, giving carbon dioxide back to
the atmosphere; but they take inmuch
more
carbon dioxide than theygive out.
Animals get their carbon fromeatingeither plants
(carbohydrates) or other animals (proteins and fats),
which they then digest. Theyrespire, giving off
carbon dioxide into the air.
Waste carbon-based material is excreted by animals,
and then digested by decomposers- mainly microbes
and fungi. The decomposers also respire, releasing
carbon dioxide into the air.

When

animals die, their remains may be either

eaten by scavengers (for example, crows) or digested
by decomposers. Both scavengers and decomposers
respire, giving off more carbon dioxide into the air.
In certain conditions, both animal and plant
remains may become fossilised, eventually forming
carbon-basedfossil fuels(coal, oil and gas). Both
fossil fuels and plant material (wood) may later
beburned, releasing still more carbon dioxide into
the air.

Human Impact of Oxygen cycle

We keep destroying natural areas, especially forested areas
with many plants and replacing them with buildings, parking
lots, lawns, etc.

Fewer plants mean less oxygen and more carbon dixide.

This disturbs the balance of the natural cycle.
Every time something burns ( combustion), more carbon
dixide is released into the atmosphere.
We add more CO2 and destroy more and more of the plants
that clean the clean for us.

Importance of Oxygen Cycles

Carbon dioxide-oxygen cycle is important to us

because humans need oxygen to live as well as plants
need carbon dioxide in photosynthesis. humans and
animals take in oxygen, given off from trees and
plants. as humans and animals uses energy,
respiration occurs and they give off carbon dioxide
which trees and plants need in photosynthesis.
without this cycle, or one factor is missing, living
things cannot survive because oxygen and carbon
dioxide are both useful in our daily lives. we must
also be aware that trees and plants are very
important to us and we must take care of them...

The Water Cycle

This is some times called the water cycle. Water is the most
important chemical of life for all living organisms on earth.
Water in the atmosphere is usually in form of vapor but
condenses to liquid water and can solidify when temperatures
are 00C to form ice. Ninety three percent of water on earth is in
solid state mainly comprising the ice caps andglaciersof Polar
Regions.

Thewater cycleorhydrologicis a continuous cycle where water

evaporates, travels into the air and becomes part of a cloud, falls
down to earth as precipitation, and then evaporates again. This
repeats again and again in a never-ending cycle. Water keeps
moving and changing from a solid to a liquid to a gas, over and
over again.

Precipitationcreatesrunoffthat travels over the ground surface

and helps to fill lakes and rivers. It alsopercolatesor moves
downward through openings in the soil to
replenishaquifersunder the ground. Some places receive
moreprecipitationthan others do. These areas are usually close
to oceans or large bodies of water that allow more water
toevaporateand form clouds. Other areas receive
lessprecipitation. Often these areas are far from water or near
mountains. As clouds move up and over mountains, the water
vapor condenses to form precipitation and freezes. Snow falls on
the peaks.

The water cycle consists of 6 important processes:

1. Evaporation

Liquid water becoming water vapour ( in the atmosphere).

Factors favoring it are low air pressure and higher temperature.

Heat from the sun evaporates water found in the ocean, lakes and rivers. Since
impurities are left behind, the water that goes in the atmosphere is cleaner
then when it was on earth.
Water also evaporates of the leaves of plants called transpiration

2. Condensation

This process is the opposite of evaporation water leaves the vapour state and
returns to the liquid state
Lower temperatures favour condensation.

Water droplets formed from condensation that are small remain suspended in
the atmosphere in atmosphere in the form of clouds in the sky or fog at ground
level. Dust particles need to be present around which the droplet can form.

3. Precipitation

Under the correct temperature and atmospheric pressure, the small water
droplets in clouds become larger and precipitation occurs
This can be in the form of rain, hail, sleet or snow.

4. Surface runoff

As water returns to the earth (precipitation) it moves over the land and
flows downhill (gravity) into streams ,rivers, ponds and lakes.

The direction of flow is: small streams large stream rivers oceans

This step is important because the water returns to the ocean as surface
runoff where it once again is evaporated: A CYCLE!!

5. Infiltration

When precipitation occurs, not all the water returns to the ocean as
surface runoff. Some is also soak into the ground. As water filters
through the soil and rock layers, it becomes cleaner (impurities are
filtered out)
Some of this water returns to the surface (springs) or is used up by
plants.
Some of this water becomes groundwater

6. Transpiration

Plants absorb water from the soil. This water moves from the roots, up
the stem and to the leaves
Water evaporates off the leaves and into the atmosphere

Importance of Hydrological cycle (water cycle)

The water cycle is very important, as water is very

important to us. Can you imagine that if there no water
cycle, the water that evaporate from the sea, oceans and lake
would not fall as precipitate and where are we going to find
water? We can not live without water. Approximately threefourths of the Earth is covered with water--salt water. Of this
water, approximately one percent is the fresh water on which
we depend. The fresh water that we use and its continuous
replacement is a result of the water cycle. The earth have
limited amount of fresh water and if water that evaporate
never return back to earth, we would not be living now. One
can live longer without food than without water.

The importance of biogeochemical cycles

Biogeochemical cycles serve a variety of functions at ecosystem level and in ensuring survival
of various organisms including humans. Below are some of the importances of biogeochemical
cycles.

Biogeochemical cycles enable the transformation of matter from one form to another. This
transformation enables the utilization of matter in a form specific to particular organisms.

Biogeochemical cycles enable the transfer of molecules from one locality to another. Some
elements such as nitrogen a re highly concentrated in the atmosphere, but some of the
atmospheric nitrogen is transferred to soil through the nitrogen cycle (which is a
biogeochemical cycle).

Biogeochemical cycles facilitate the storage of elements. Elements carried through the
biogeochemical cycles are stored in their natural reservoirs, and are released to organisms in
small consumable amounts. For example through the nitrogen cycle and with the help of the
nitrogen fixing bacteria, green plants are able to utilize nitrogen in bits though it is abundant
in the atmosphere.

Biogeochemical cycles assists in functioning of ecosystems. An ecosystem is a system that

properly functions in a state of equilibrium, and when ever any imbalances occur, the
ecosystem through the biogeochemical cycles restores to the equilibrium state; this may take a
few days or many years

Biogeochemical cycles link living organisms with living organisms, living organisms with
the non living organisms and nonliving organisms with non living organism. This is because all
organisms depend on one another and most especially, the biotic (living component) and a
biotic component of the ecosystem are linked by flow on nutrients engineered by the
biogeochemical cycles.

Biogeochemical cycles regulate the flow of substances. Since the biogeochemical cycles
pass through different spheres, the flow of elements is regulated because each sphere has a
particular medium and the rate at which elements flow is determined by the viscosity and
density of the medium.

Reservoirs, exchange pools, and resident time of elements in the

biogeochemical cycles

A reservoiris a place or region or location where a biogeochemical

element is in its highest concentration. Elements being cycled are held
and stored for some time in reservoirs, for example coal or fossil fuels
are reservoirs for carbon
exchange pools. When chemicals are held for only short periods of
time, they are being held inexchange pools. Examples of exchange
pools include plants and animals, which temporarily use elements in
their systems and release them back into the air or surrounding
medium.

Influxis commonly used in describing biogeochemical cycles to refer

to the difference between the amount of elements entering a reservoir
and the amount leaving the reservoir.

Human activities and their influence on biogeochemical cycles and

climate change

Use of phosphorus fertilizers:Human influences on the

phosphorus cycle come mainly from the introduction and use of
commercial synthetic fertilizers.

Mining of Fossil fuels:Humans have interfered with the carbon

cycle where fossil fuels have been mined from the earth crust.

Production of Sulphur dioxide:Human impact on the sulfur cycle

is primarily in the production of sulfur dioxide(SO2) from industry

(e.g. burning coal) and the internal combustion engine.

Cultivation of legumes and use of nitrogen fertilizers: As a result

of extensive cultivation of legumes, creation of chemical fertilizers,
and pollution emitted by vehicles and industrial plants, human beings
have more than doubled the annual transfer of nitrogen into
biologically available forms

IV.

Summary:

The biogeochemical cycle such as hydrogen, carbon,

nitrogen, phosphorus an sulfur, through elements accounts for
95% of the mass of all living things, their importance extends
far beyond the biosphere, hydrogen and oxygen, chemically
bonded in form of water are the focal point of the hydrosphere,
while oxygen and nitrogen form the bulk of the atmosphere. all
six are part of complex biogeochemical cycles in which they
pass through the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and
geosphere. These cycles circulate nutrients through the soil
into plants, microbes and animals, which return the elements
to the earth system through chemical processes that range
from respiration to decomposition.

Biogeochemical cycles Wikipedia

Reservoir pool encyclopedia Britanica Online 2009

Introduction to Biogeochemical cycles by Jason neff, Colorado State

University

Environmental Science by Daniel Bodkin and Edward keller et al 5 th edition

Moses biogeochemical cycle, retrieved from

http//www.enchanted learning .com /subject /artc

http// Wikipedia water cycle 2008
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