What is a Biogeochemical Cycle?

“Biogeochemical cycles mainly refer to the movement of nutrients and other

elements between biotic and abiotic factors.”
Or
Biogeochemical cycles, also known as nutrient cycles, describe the movement of
chemical elements through different media, such as the atmosphere, soil, rocks, bodies
of water, and organisms. Biogeochemical cycles keep essential elements available
to plants and other organisms.
The matter on Earth is conserved and present in the form of atoms. Since matter
can neither be created nor destroyed, it is recycled in the earth’s system in various forms.

The earth obtains energy from the sun which is radiated back as heat, rest all other
elements are present in a closed system. The major elements include:

 Carbon
 Hydrogen
 Nitrogen
 Oxygen
 Phosphorus
 Sulphur
These elements are recycled through the biotic and abiotic components of the
ecosystem. The atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere are the abiotic components of
the ecosystem.

Types of Biogeochemical Cycles

Geochemical cycles are of two types, they are:

1. The gaseous cycle: In this cycle the atmosphere and ocean act as a major nutrient
reservoir. Gaseous cycle includes Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and the Water
cycle.
2. The sedimentary cycle: In this cycle the soil and the sedimentary and other rocks
of the earths crust act as a major reservoir. Sedimentary cycles include Sulphur,
Phosphorus, Rock cycle, etc.

1. Water Cycle
There are various steps involved in the water cycle, they are: evaporation,
transpiration, condensation and precipitation.

1. As water gets heated during day time then it enters the atmosphere as water
vapour by the process of evaporation.
2. Transpiration is another way by which there occurs evaporation of water into the
atmosphere.
3. Further water vapours which are present in the atmosphere get changed into water
droplets and collect to form clouds. This process is known as condensation.
Smart, Vgfgc Page 1
 4. After the condensation process air currents move the clouds formed and carry
them over the land, where they break into rain, snow or fog. This process is
known as precipitation.

2. Nitrogen Cycle

The process through which nitrogen passes from the atmosphere to the soil
and organisms, and released back into the atmosphere is called the Nitrogen
cycle.
78 percent of the atmosphere consists of Nitrogen gas and this percentage is
maintained by the Nitrogen cycle in the atmosphere. There are three primary
phases in the nitrogen cycle: nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and denitrification.

1. Nitrogen Fixation: As plants and animals cannot utilize atmospheric nitrogen

readily. So, for this Nitrogen undergoes fixation by some organisms called
nitrogen fixers. Bacterias like Rhizobium are considered as Nitrogen fixing
bacterias. These bacterias live in the roots of certain plants and convert
atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which is utilized readily by plants.
2. Lighting process also plays a crucial role in the Nitrogen- fixation process. As
during the process of lighting the high temperature and pressure convert nitrogen
and water into nitrates and nitrites.
3. Nitrates and Nitrites are easily dissolvable in water and are readily used by
aquatic plants and animals.
4. The process by which soil bacteria decompose dead organic matter and release
ammonia into the soil is called an ammonification process. Whereas the process
of conversion ammonia into nitrites and nitrates is called nitrification.
5. The process of conversion of nitrates into atmospheric nitrogen is called the
Denitrification process.

Smart, Vgfgc Page 2

 3. Oxygen Cycle

The process by which oxygen is used from the atmosphere by organisms and again
released back into the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis called oxygen
cycle.
The steps involved in the oxygen cycle are:
Stage-1: All green plants during the process of photosynthesis, release oxygen back into the
atmosphere as a by-product.

Stage-2: All aerobic organisms use free oxygen for respiration.

Stage-3: Animals exhale Carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere which is again used by the
plants during photosynthesis. Now oxygen is balanced within the atmosphere.

Also, in air Oxygen is present in combined form as Carbon Dioxide and in Earth
crust it is present in the form of carbonates, sulphates and nitrates. Oxygen is also
required by fossils to undergo the combustion process.

Smart, Vgfgc Page 3

 4. Carbon Cycle: Carbon cycle is a type of Biogeochemical Cycle. The carbon
cycle is a natural process that refers to the continuous cycle of carbon in the
planet. The carbon cycle maintains the balance of carbon within the
environment. The carbon cycle is a process that involves the cycling of carbon
between the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem.
Following are the major steps involved in the process
process of the carbon cycle:

1. Carbon present in the atmosphere is absorbed by plants for photosynthesis.

2. These plants are then consumed by animals and carbon gets accumulated into
their bodies.
3. These animals and plants eventually die, and upon decomposing, carbon is
released back into the atmosphere.
4. Some of the carbon that is not released back into the atmosphere eventually
becomes fossil fuels (Petroleum products).
5. These fossil fuels are then used for man-made
man activities,
ities, which pump more
carbon back into the atmosphere.

5. Phosphorus Cycle
“Phosphorus
Phosphorus cycle is a biogeochemical process that involves the movement of
phosphorus through the lithosphere,
litho hydrosphere and biosphere.”

The cycle in which Phosphorus horus is required by plants, animals and

microorganisms for its growth and development. After the decomposition of plants and
animals the stored phosphorus is returned to the
the soil and water bodies. It is again
consumed by plants and animals and the cycle continues.

Phosphorus cycle is a very

very slow process. Various weather processes help to wash
the phosphorus present in the rocks into the soil.. Phosphorus is absorbed by the organic
matter in the soil which is used for various biological processes.

Smart, Vgfgc Page 4

 Since phosphorus and phosphorus-containing compounds are present only on
land, atmosphere plays no significant role in the phosphorus cycle.

Sulphur Cycle

The sulfur cycle usually refers to the flow of sulphur-based components among
the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
Sulphur is released into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels, volcanic
activities, and decomposition of organic molecules.
On land, sulphur is stored in underground rocks and minerals. It is released by
precipitation, weathering of rocks and geothermal vents.

The process of sulphur cycle is explained below:

1. The sulphur is released by the weathering of rocks.

2. Sulphur comes in contact with air and is converted into sulphates.

3. Sulphates are taken up by plants and microbes and are converted into organic
forms.
4. The organic form of sulphur is then consumed by the animals through their food
and thus sulphur moves in the food chain.
5. When the animals die, some of the sulphur is released by decomposition while
some enter the tissues of microbes.
6. There are several natural sources such as volcanic eruptions, evaporation of
water, and breakdown of organic matter in swamps, that release sulphur directly
into the atmosphere. This sulphur falls on earth with rainfall.

Smart, Vgfgc Page 5

Smart, Vgfgc Page 6