Biogeochemical Cycles

The Geologic Cycle
• The Geologic Cycle:

– The processes responsible for formation and
change of Earth materials
– Best described as a group of cycles:
• Tectonic
• Rock
• Hydrologic
• Biochemical
© 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers
Tectonic Cycle
Creation and destruction of the Lithosphere

The Rock Cycle
• The rock cycle:
– Numerous processes that produce rocks and
soils
– Depends on other cycles:
• Tectonic cycle for energy
• Hydrologic cycle for water for erosion
– Rock is classified as
• Igneous – high heat, volcanic
• Sedimentary – weathering & erosion
• Metamorphic – compact, melting
How Chemicals Cycle
• Biogeochemical Cycle
The complete path a chemical takes through
the four major components – or reservoirs – of
Earth’s systems
1. Atmosphere
2. Hydrosphere
3. Lithosphere
4. Biosphere
Biogeochemical Cycles and Life:
Limiting Factors
• Macronutrients
– Elements required in large amounts by all life
– Include the “big six” elements that form the fundamental building
blocks of life:
carbon oxygen
hydrogen phosphorus nitrogen sulfur
• Micronutrients
– Elements required either in
• small amounts by all life or
• moderate amounts by some forms of life and not all by others
• Limiting factor
– When chemical elements are not available at the right times, in
the right amounts, and in the right concentrations relative to each
other
Major Chemical Cycles
• Water (hydrologic)
• Carbon
• Nitrogen
• Phophorus
• Sulphur
The Hydrologic Cycle
• The Hydrologic Cycle:
– The transfer of water from the oceans to the
atmosphere to the land and back to the
oceans. POWERED BY THE SUN !!
– Includes:
• Evaporation of water from the oceans
• Precipitation on land
• Evaporation from land
• Runoff from streams, rivers, and sub-surface
groundwater
• Transpiration from plants
Human Impacts
• Withdrawal:
– Removal from society & industry faster than
recharged (overdraft)
• Increased flooding:
– Removal of wetlands & creating non-porous
tracts
• Deforestation:
– Clearing land reduces transpiration, therefore
there is a decrease in precipitation.
The Carbon Cycle
• 4th most abundant element in the
universe
• Building block of life
• Cycles through the geosphere,
biosphere, ocean and atmosphere
• Two types of cycling
– Geological carbon cycle
– Biological carbon cycle
Geological Carbon Cycle
How does this work?
• CO2 reacts with atmospheric water and
minerals to produce calcium carbonate.
• Calcium carbonate rock (limestone)
weathered by water – dissolves and
travels to ocean.
• Forms sedimentary layers in the ocean.
Through plate tectonics, sediments
subduct and melts.
• Carbon is released into the atmosphere
during volcanic eruption as CO2
Biological Carbon Cycle
Carbon Reservoirs
• Ocean – dissolved, calcium carbonate

of marine organisms shells
• Geosphere – soils, fossil fuels
• Biosphere –living organisms
• Atmosphere – 0.038% of troposphere
– (Acts as natural thermostat for Earth)
Human impacts
• Increases Carbon
Dioxide in the
atmosphere by:
– Burning of fossil fuels
– Clear cutting of trees
The Nitrogen Cycle
• The nitrogen cycle:
– Limiting factor for primary productivity
– 2 forms as nutrients: NH4 and NO3
– Conversion of N2 gas into nutrients – lightning &
nitrogen fixing bacteria
• Nitrogen reservoirs:
– Atmosphere
• 78% of Troposphere
Common nitrogen compounds
• N2 - nitrogen gas
• NH4 - ammonium
• NH3 - ammonia
• NO3 - nitrate
• NO2 - nitrite
• N2O - nitrous oxide
• NO2 - nitrogen dioxide
• HNO3 - nitric acid
Steps in the Nitrogen Cycle
• Nitrogen fixation:
– N2 converted to NH4 or NH3 by bacteria
• Ammonification (mineralization)
– Decomposers turn organic material into NH4
or NH3
• Nitrification
– Bacteria convert NH4 & NH3 into NO3 for plant
uptake
• Denitrification
– Bacteria convert NH4 & NH3 into N2 & N2O
Nitrogen fixation
• In order to be used by most living
organism nitrogen must by in the form
of NH3 or NO3.
• Nitrogen is ‘fixed’ by lightning or
bacteria. It is converted to NH3 or NO3.
• ‘Fixing’ allows nitrogen to be made
biologically available.
• Nitrogen fixing bacteria can be found
on the roots of legumes.
Nitrification
• Soil bacteria convert ammonia (NH4)
into a form that plants can use
– NO3
Assimilation
• Plants absorb ammonium (NH3),
ammonia (NH4) and nitrate (NO3)
through their roots.
• Heterotrophs (or organisms that
receive energy from consuming other
organisms) obtain nitrogen from
consuming plant proteins or other
animals.
Ammonification
• Decomposing bacteria convert dead
organisms and other waste to ammonia
(NH3) or ammonium (NH4), which can be
reused by plants
Denitrification
• Specialized bacteria (anaerobic)
convert ammonia back to nitrates and
nitrites THEN back into nitrogen gas
and nitrous oxide, where they enter the
atmosphere.
Nitrogen Cycle
Additional Info
• Assimilation:
– Plants take up inorganic nitrogen (NH3 & NO3)
and convert to organic compounds (amino
acids)
Human Impacts
• Excess Nitrates
– Animal waste, municipal
discharge
• Can promote algae
growth
• Burning of Fossil Fuels
– Released NO, NO2 and
HNO3
• Use of inorganic
fertilizers
– Increases denitrification by
anaerobic bacteria, and
therefore releases more
NO2 into the atmosphere.
The Phosphorus Cycle
• The phosphorus
cycle:
– Involves the
movement of
phosphorus
throughout the
biosphere and
lithosphere
– Important because
phosphorus is an
essential element for
life and often is a
limiting nutrient for
plant growth.
Phosphorus Reservoirs
• Ocean sediments
• Terrestrial rock
layers
– Erosion releases PO4
for producers
– Limiting factor for
primary productivity
Guano Island
Human Impacts
• Phosphate run-off
from
– Sewage, mining &
fertilizers
– Algal blooms
The Sulphur Cycle
• Gaseous Cycle
• Major Store – rocks – Fe2S or CaSO4
• Natural Sources
– Volcanoes – SO2  H2 SO4
– DMS – dimethyl sulfide from the ocean
– H2S from decay
• Human Impacts
– Combustion of coal and petroleum release SOx  leads to the
formation of H2SO4  contributes to the formation of acid rain
– Smelting operation
– Ice core samples  large increase in S since the
industrial revolution
The Sulphur Cycle

Biogeochemical Cycles

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The Geologic Cycle

• The Geologic Cycle:

© 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers

• Ocean – dissolved, calcium carbonate

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