BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES

A biogeochemical cycle is one of several natural cycles, in which conserved matter moves through the biotic and
abiotic parts of an ecosystem.
In biology, conserved matter refers to the finite amount of matter, in the form of atoms, that is present within
the Earth. Since, according to the Law of Conservation of Mass, matter cannot be created or destroyed, all atoms of
matter are cycled through Earth’s systems albeit in various forms. In other words, the Earth only receives energy from
the sun, which is given off as heat, whilst all other chemical elements remain within a closed system.
The main chemical elements that are cycled are: carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), phosphorous (P) and
sulfur (S). These are the building blocks of life, and are used for essential processes, such as metabolism, the formation
of amino acids, cell respiration and the building of tissues.
Each of these elements is circulated through the biotic components, which are the living parts of an ecosystem,
and the abiotic components, which are the non-living parts.
The abiotic components can be subdivided into three categories: the hydrosphere (water), the atmosphere (air)
and the lithosphere (rock).
The biosphere is a term which can be used to describe the system that contains all living organisms, including
plants, animals and bacteria, as well as their interactions among and between each other, and their interactions with the
Earth’s abiotic systems. The biosphere is sometimes called the ecosphere, and can be defined as the sum of all
ecosystems.
With this knowledge, the words “biogeochemical cycle” can be easily broken down. “Bio-” is the biotic system, “geo-” is
the geological component, and “chemical” is the elements which are moved through a “cycle”.

1. HYDROLOGIC CYCLE/WATER CYCLE

• Movement of water through the atmosphere

• 75% of the earth’s surface is covered by water where most water is undrinkable (salty from ocean & frozen from
glaciers)
MAIN PROCESSES:

 EVAPORATION & TRANSPIRATION

 CONDENSATION
 PRECIPITATION
 RUNOFF
 INFILTRATION

PROCESS:

The water cycle consists of three major processes: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
Evaporation
Evaporation is the process of a liquid's surface changing to a gas. In the water cycle, liquid water (in the ocean, lakes, or
rivers) evaporates and becomes water vapor.

Water vapor surrounds us, as an important part of the air we breathe. Water vapor is also an important greenhouse gas.
Greenhouse gases such as water vapor and carbon dioxide insulate the Earth and keep the planet warm enough to
maintain life as we know it.
The water cycle's evaporation process is driven by the sun. As the sun interacts with liquid water on the surface of the
ocean, the water becomes an invisible gas (water vapor). Evaporation is also influenced by wind, temperature, and the
density of the body of water.

Condensation
Condensation is the process of a gas changing to a liquid. In the water cycle, water vapor in the atmosphere condenses
and becomes liquid.

Condensation can happen high in the atmosphere or at ground level. Clouds form as water vapor condenses, or
becomes more concentrated (dense). Water vapor condenses around tiny particles called cloud condensation nuclei
(CCN). CCN can be specks of dust, salt, or pollutants. Clouds at ground level are called fog or mist.

Like evaporation, condensation is also influenced by the sun. As water vapor cools, it reaches its saturation limit, or dew
point. Air pressure is also an important influence on the dew point of an area.

Precipitation
Unlike evaporation and condensation, precipitation is not a process. Precipitation describes any liquid or solid water that
falls to Earth as a result of condensation in the atmosphere. Precipitation includes rain, snow, and hail.

Precipitation is one of many ways water is cycled from the atmosphere to the Earth or ocean.

Other Processes

 Runoff is the downward movement of surface water under gravity in channels ranging from small rills to large
rivers
 Infiltration is the process by which precipitation or water soaks into subsurface soils and moves into rocks
through cracks and pore spaces.
 Transpiration is the process of water vapor being released from plants and soil. Plants release water vapor
through microscopic pores called stomata. The opening of stomata is strongly influenced by light, and so is often
associated with the sun and the process of evaporation.

We interrupt water pathways in two ways:

1. Withdrawals:

We take water out of the system to irrigate crops, to provide us with drinking water and to carry out many of our
industrial processes.

2. Discharges:

We add substances to the water – intentionally or not. As precipitation falls on the ground and moves into rivers and
creeks, it picks up a whole range of pollutants. In rural areas these pollutants may include farm pesticides, herbicides
and fertilizers as well as wastes from faulty septic systems and improperly handled manure. In urban areas, the
pollutants may include gas, oil, pet waste, fertilizers, pesticides, salt and treated human waste from sewage treatment
plants.

What we do to this system affects everything within it. For example, what happens if rain that falls from the sky or the
water that flows through our streams is contaminated? These contaminants may infect plant or animal life including
human beings, or reduce their ability to grow and reproduce. What happens if large quantities of water are diverted or
taken out of the system? The reduced flow will likely affect the local water supply but it may eventually change the local
environment and alter the plant and animal species that are found here. As we place different stresses on this system,
we run the risk of altering or overloading it and causing serious harm.

APPLICATION OF HYDROLOGY

 design of hydraulic structure

 municipal and industrial water supply
 irrigation
 Hydropower
 flood control
 Navigation
 erosion and sediment control
 pollution abatement

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2. OXYGEN CYCLE

• Oxygen gas makes up about 30% of the earth and about 21% of the air in the earth’s atmosphere.
• makes up about 65% of the mass of the human body.
• Oxygen is Produced by :
1. Plants ,via photosynthesis.
2. Reaction between water vapor and sunlight
ORGANISMS THAT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO THE CYCLE:

AUTOTROPHS organisms that performs photosynthesis

•Photosynthesis requires the intake of carbon dioxide (CO2)
HETEROTROPHS organisms that perform cellular respiration
•Cellular respiration requires the intake of oxygen (O2)
•Produces CO2 wastes

MAIN PROCESSES:

 photosynthesis
 cellular respiration
 combustion
 decomposition

PROCESS:

1.Photosynthesis:

Green plants/trees take in Carbon Dioxide and water using the chlorophyll in their leaves and energy from the sun they
release Oxygen, sugar and water vapor.

The chemical formula for photosynthesis is:

PLANTS TAKE IN:
CO2(carbon dioxide) + H2 O (water) + Sun’s energy + chlorophyll from leaves

GIVES OFF:
C6H12O6(simple sugars) + O2(oxygen) + H2O(water)

2. Cellular Respiration:
Animals take in simple sugars and oxygen and release carbon dioxide, water and energy
The chemical formula for respiration is:
ANIMALS TAKE IN:
C6H12O6(simple sugars) + O2(oxygen)

ANIMALS GIVE OFF:

CO2(carbon dioxide) + H2O(water)+ energy

3.Combustion:
This is the process of burning. When combustion occurs CO2 is released into the atmosphere. Natural combustion
includes volcanic eruptions, however most pollution problems occur because cars and factories release CO2 by their
burning fossil fuels.

4.Decomposition: Is a minor part of the Oxygen cycle

Decomposition is when any organic matter (plants, animals) breaks down chemically into all the simple elements that
they are made of and these elements return back to the environment.
For example: When an animal dies all the carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, water, calcium etc. return to the soil and air during
decomposition.
Certain bacteria aid in the decomposition process. (Decomposers).
The two main human impacts on the carbon cycle are:

1. Burning of fossil fuels.

Under natural conditions the release of carbon from fossil fuels occurs slowly, as they are subducted into the mantle,
and CO2 is released through volcanic activity. However, humans are heavily reliant on fossil fuels, and extract it from the
lithosphere in great quantities. Burning coal, oil, natural gas, and other fossil fuels – for industrial activity and power
generation for example, removes the carbon from the fossil fuels and emits it as CO2 into the atmosphere.

2. Land use and land cover change (e.g. deforestation)

Large amounts of carbon are stored in living plants (c.1,000 gigtones). Therefore, land use changes, especially the
clearance of forests (which are very densely inhabited by plants, and therefore contain a large amount of carbon), can
influence the carbon cycle in two ways. Firstly, the removal of vegetation eliminates plants which would otherwise be
capturing carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Secondly, as dense forests are replaced by
crops/pasture land/built environments, there is usually a net decrease in the carbon store, as smaller plants (and worse
still, concrete) store far less carbon than large trees. Deforestation also allows much more soil to be eroded, and carbon
stored in the soil is rapidly taken into rivers.
Because of the cyclical nature of the carbon cycle, the impacts humans cause can lead to a number of amplifications and
feedbacks. Increasing atmospheric CO2 and CH4 (along with other greenhouse gases) causes higher global air
temperatures which in turn increases decomposition in soil, thereby releasing more CO2 to the atmosphere. Increases in
global temperature also affect ocean temperatures, modifying oceanic ecosystems and having the potential to disrupt
the oceanic carbon cycle, limiting the ocean’s ability to absorb and store carbon.
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3. CARBON CYCLE

•Carbon ( C) is the basis of organic molecules:

o Protein
o Carbohydrates
o Lipids
o Nucleic acids
•PLANTS & PRODUCERS
o Absorbs CO2 during photosynthesis
o Produce glucose ( C6 H12 O6) via photosynthesis
•ANIMALS & CONSUMERS
o Glucose moves up the food chain
o CO2 released into the atmosphere
•DECOMPOSERS
o Obtain glucose by feeding on the dead
o CO2 is released into the atmosphere
MAIN PROCESSES:

 absorption of carbon from environment

 photosynthesis
 cellular respiration
 decomposition

PROCESS

1. Carbon enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide from respiration and combustion.

2. Carbon dioxide is absorbed by producers to make carbohydrates in photosynthesis. Plants as we all know from the
oxygen cycle intakes carbon dioxide to perform photosynthesis, through photosynthesis, not only oxygen is produced
but glucose which is carbon based: as organisms feed on plants, glucose that is inside of plants is dispersed from one
organism to the other until it reaches the decomposers in the food chain.

3. Animals feed on the plant passing the carbon compounds along the food chain. Most of the carbon they consume is
exhaled as carbon dioxide formed during respiration. The animals and plants eventually die.

4. The dead organisms are eaten by decomposers and the carbon in their bodies is returned to the atmosphere as
carbon dioxide. In some conditions decomposition is blocked. The plant and animal material may then be available as
fossil fuel in the future for combustion.

Relation to Engineering field

Human activities during the past 100 years, particularly fossil fuel burning and deforestation, are releasing unnatural
amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Today, people are concerned about the rising CO2 concentration
in the atmosphere and its impact on global climate change. Many engineers are working to reduce CO2 emissions. For
example, environmental engineers study carbon sequestration — the processes that remove carbon from the
atmosphere. Mechanical and electrical engineers design buildings, homes, cars and appliances that use less energy.
Other engineered devices, such as solar panels and wind turbines, generate electricity from natural sources and do not
emit CO2 into the atmosphere.
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4. PHOSPHORUS CYCLE

Phosphorus is a chemical element found on Earth in numerous compound forms, such as the phosphate ion (PO43-),
located in water, soil and sediments. The quantities of phosphorus in soil are generally small, and this often limits plant
growth. That is why people often apply phosphate fertilizers on farmland. Animals absorb phosphates by eating plants or
plant-eating animals

MAIN PROCESSES:

1.Phosphorus is release from the weathering of rocks

Over time, rain and weathering cause rocks to release phosphate ions and other minerals. This inorganic phosphate is
then distributed in soils and water.

2.Producers absorbs phosphorus through their roots

Plants take up inorganic phosphate from the soil. The plants may then be consumed by animals. Once in the plant or
animal, the phosphate is incorporated into organic molecules such as DNA. When the plant or animal dies, it decays, and
the organic phosphate is returned to the soil.

3.Phosphorus moves up to the food chain as animals eat producers

4.Decomposers obtain phosphorus as they feed on dead remains. When the plant or animal dies, it decays, and
the organic phosphate is returned to the soil. Within the soil, organic forms of phosphate can be made available to
plants by bacteria that break down organic matter to inorganic forms of phosphorus. This process is known as
mineralization. Phosphorus in soil can end up in waterways and eventually oceans. Once there, it can be incorporated
into sediments over time.
 HUMAN CONTRIBUTION
 Fertilizers (contain phosphorus) added to help grow crops
 Chemicals in mining
 Problem:
o Phosphorus runs off with rain
o Algal Blooms: extreme growth of algae
o Eutrophication: dead zone due to lack of O2 and change in pH
Disruption in the phosphorus cycle starts when humans use fertilizers that contains phosphorus to grow plants like crops
runs off to the sea, lakes etc. when it rains. Since phosphorus helps plant-like grow, algae on the water reacts to the
phosphorus from the fertilizers that is washed off by the rain. Algal blooms or the extreme growth of algae then starts to
take place on these bodies of water.
This leads to the problem of eutrophication/ dead zone. So when algae grow excessively, bacteria would also grow even
more. When these bacteria die and decay, oxygen is removed from the water and as a result, aquatic life starts to
suffocate and eventually die.
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• HUMAN CONTRIBUTION
 Fertilizers (contain phosphorus) added to help grow crops
 Chemicals in mining
 Problem:
o Phosphorus runs off with rain
o Algal Blooms: extreme growth of algae
o Eutrophication: dead zone due to lack of O2 and change in pH
Disruption in the phosphorus cycle starts when humans use fertilizers that contains phosphorus to grow plants like crops
runs off to the sea, lakes etc. when it rains. Since phosphorus helps plant-like grow, algae on the water reacts to the
phosphorus from the fertilizers that is washed off by the rain. Algal blooms or the extreme growth of algae then starts to
take place on these bodies of water.
This leads to the problem of eutrophication/ dead zone. So when algae grow excessively, bacteria would also grow even
more. When these bacteria die and decay, oxygen is removed from the water and as a result, aquatic life starts to
suffocate and eventually die.

MAIN PROCESSES:

1.Phosphorus is release from the weathering of rocks

Over time, rain and weathering cause rocks to release phosphate ions and other minerals. This inorganic phosphate is
then distributed in soils and water.

2.Producers absorbs phosphorus through their roots

Plants take up inorganic phosphate from the soil. The plants may then be consumed by animals. Once in the plant or
animal, the phosphate is incorporated into organic molecules such as DNA. When the plant or animal dies, it decays, and
the organic phosphate is returned to the soil.

3.Phosphorus moves up to the food chain as animals eat producers

4.Decomposers obtain phosphorus as they feed on dead remains. When the plant or animal dies, it decays, and
the organic phosphate is returned to the soil. Within the soil, organic forms of phosphate can be made available to
plants by bacteria that break down organic matter to inorganic forms of phosphorus. This process is known as
mineralization. Phosphorus in soil can end up in waterways and eventually oceans. Once there, it can be incorporated
into sediments over time.
• HUMAN CONTRIBUTION
 Fertilizers (contain phosphorus) added to help grow crops
 Chemicals in mining
 Problem:
o Phosphorus runs off with rain
o Algal Blooms: extreme growth of algae
o Eutrophication: dead zone due to lack of O2 and change in pH
Disruption in the phosphorus cycle starts when humans use fertilizers that contains phosphorus to grow plants like crops
runs off to the sea, lakes etc. when it rains. Since phosphorus helps plant-like grow, algae on the water reacts to the
phosphorus from the fertilizers that is washed off by the rain. Algal blooms or the extreme growth of algae then starts to
take place on these bodies of water.
This leads to the problem of eutrophication/ dead zone. So when algae grow excessively, bacteria would also grow even
more. When these bacteria die and decay, oxygen is removed from the water and as a result, aquatic life starts to
suffocate and eventually die.