Carbon and nitrogen cycle- science

Carbon cycle:

• The element carbon is found in seawater, the atmosphere, roots

• Carbon moves from different parts of the cycle

Fixtion (carbon cycle)

photosynthesis by land

Consumption:

• Most organisms cannot use CO2 directly

• They get it by eating other organisms

• Biological molecules are broken down and reused

• Cellular respiration (breaking down glucose realeases CO2

Aquatic Ecosystem (carbon cycle) :

• CO2 dissolves in water, allowing aquatic producers to photosynthesize

Humain impacts on CO2 (carbon cycle):

• Burning fossil fuels (realeasing CO2)

• Deforisation

• Acid accelerates CO2 realease from limestone

• CO2 levels are higher over the years

Nitrogen cycle:

Describes how nitrogen moves between the atmosphere, soil, plants, animals and bacteria

• Bacteria is the most important part in the cycle, helping the nitrogen change between states, found in soil

Nitrogen forms:

• N2- Atmospheric Nitrogen

• NH4-Ammonium, usually by some bacteria and plants

• NO2-Nitrite, middle step

• NO3-Nitrate, main form absorbed by plants

Processes/steps in the nitrogen cycle:

1. Fixation: Bacteria converts N2→ NH4 (ammonium)

2. Nitrification: Bacteria that converts NH4→NO2→ NO3

3. Assimilation: Plants take in NO3 through routs

4. Ammonification (decomposition): Dead organisms → NH4 by decomposers (fungi, bacteria)

5. Dentification: Bacteria that converts NO3 back to N2 gas

Why nitrogen is important:

• Buils amino acids, DNA, proteins

• Needed for chlorophyll in plants for photosynthesis

• Essential for life on Earth

Human Impact: for nitrogen cycle

• Fertilizers add too much nitrogen to soil (clouds can also absorb, with rain bringing it other places)

• Release of nitrous oxide gas (from agriculture/industry

• Disrupts natural nitrogen balance

Eutrophication:

caused by leaching of nutrients into watershelds. This leads to a series of effects to the aquatic ecosystem.

• nitrogen and phosphorus

Sequestration (carbon cycle):

when carbon from dead organisms trapped underground as fossil fuels

Decomposition ( carbon cycle):

bacteria, fungi breaks down dead plants and animals

Minerilization ( carbon cycle):

Dead organisms are transfferered into mineral form fossil form

Aquatic carbon cycle:

CO2 dissolves in water (dissoloution)