Biogeochemical Cycles

What are the multiple cycles showing the flow of essential elements from the environment, to living things, and then back to the environment.?

biogeochemical cycles

What are major storage locations for essential elements?

reservoirs

What is the process through which elements are incorporated by terrestrial plants and animals?

assimilation

What is the process by which the element returns to the environment?

release

What are the reservoirs for the hydrologic (water) cycle?

1. oceans

2. air (water vapor)

3. ground water

4. glaciers

What processes move water from the ocean to land in the water cycle?

1. evaporation

2. wind

3. precipiatation

How is assimilation accomplished in the water cycle?

1. plants absorb

water from the soil

2. animals eat other

water-filled organisms

How is release accomplished in the water cycle?

1. plants transpiring

2. animals and plants

decomposing

What element is required for building organic materials and is the basis for photosynthesis and respiration?

carbon

What are the reservoirs for the carbon cycle?

1. atmospheric CO2

2. fossil fuels (coal/oil)

3. peat

2. durable organic

material (cellulose)

How is assimilation accomplished in the carbon cycle?

1. plants using CO2

in photosynthesis

2. animals consuming plants

Why are plants using CO2 and animals consuming plants in the carbon cycle considered carbon fixing?

carbon is reduced from

its inorganic form of CO2

to organic compounds

How is release accomplished in the carbon cycle?

1. respiration

2. decomposition

3. burning organic material

What element is required for the manufacturing of amino acids and nucleic acids?

nitrogen

What are the reservoirs for the nitrogen cycle?

1. atmospheric nitrogen (N2)

2. soil (NH4+, NH3, NO2, NO3)

How is assimilation accomplished in the nitrogen cycle?

1. plants absorb

nitrogen (NO3- or NH4+)

2. animals obtain nitrogen

by eating plants/animals

What process occurs when atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is converted into organic nitrogen (NH4+) through nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil?

nitrogen fixation

(Note: Nitrogen can also

be fixed by lightning and

be converted into nitrogen

oxides (NOx))

What process occurs when bacteria convert ammonium (NH4+) to nitrite (NO2-) and then convert nitrite to nitrate (NO3-)?

nitrification

What 3 types of organisms can release nitrogen?

1. denitrifying bacteria

2. detritivorous bacteria

3. animals

How do denitrifying bacteria release nitrogen?

convert nitrate into

atmospheric nitrogen

How do detritivorous bacteria release nitrogen?

converting organic

compounds back to

ammonium (ammonification)

How do animals release nitrogen?

1. excreting ammonium,

urea, or uric acid

2. decay since nitrogen

in the form of ammonia (NH3)

is released from dead tissues

What element is required for manufacturing ATP and all nucleic acids?

phosphorous

What are the reservoirs for phosphorus?

1. rocks

2. ocean sediments

How is assimilation accomplished in the phosphorus cycle?

1. plants absorb

inorganic phosphate (PO43-)

from the soil

2. animals obtain organic

phosphorus when they eat

How is release accomplished in the phosphorus cycle?

1. plants/animals

decompose

2. animals excrete

phosphorus in waste