KEY CONCEPT Matter cycles in and out of an ecosystem.

1
KEY CONCEPT Matter cycles in and out of an
ecosystem.
2
Elements essential for life also cycle through
ecosystems.

• A biogeochemical cycle is the movement of a
  particular chemical through the biological and
  geological parts of an ecosystem.

3

• The hydrologic, or water cycle is the circular
  pathway of water on Earth from the atmosphere, to
  the surface, below ground, and back

• Evaporation
• Cloud formation
• Precipitation
• Transpiration (loss of H2O from plants)
• Condensation
• Runoff

4
Hydrologic Cycle

• Precipitation rain or snow falls to ground
• Water seeps into ground, ponds, streams, swamps,
  wetlands, lakes, etc.
• Empty into oceans
• Evaporation water reenters atmosphere
• Transpiration water vapor released by plants
• Condensation water vapor in atmosphere creates
  clouds

5

• Oxygen cycles indirectly through an ecosystem by
  the cycling of other nutrients.

6
Oxygen Cycle

• Plants release oxygen as waste during
  photosynthesis
• Animals breathe in oxygen
• Animals release carbon dioxide during cellular
  respiration
• Plants take in carbon dioxide

7

• Carbon is the building block of life.

• The carbon cycle moves carbon from the
  atmosphere, through the food web, and returns to
  the atmosphere.

Carbon Dioxide in air
Burning of Fossil fuels
Photo- synthesis
Carbon Dissolved In water
respiration
decomposition
8
Carbon Cycle

• Plants use energy from the sun to convert carbon
  dioxide into sugar that become part of the
  plants structure
• Moves to animals as they eat plants and as one
  organism eats another
• Carbon is returned to the atmosphere by
• 1. respiration
• 2. decomposition of dead organisms
• 3. Burning of fossil fuels and wood
• 4. Emissions from factories/cars
• 5. Methane emission from wetlands/landfills/livest
  ock

9

• The nitrogen cycle mostly takes place underground.

10
Nitrogen Cycle

• Bacteria turns gaseous nitrogen into ammonia
• Ammonia released into the soil is transformed
  into ammonium by materials in the soil
• Nitrifying bacteria change the ammonium into
  nitrate
• Nitrate is taken up by plants
• Plants convert the nitrate into amino acids and
  proteins
• Nitrogen moves through the food web as animals
  eat plants and/or other animals
• Nitrogen returned to soil as decomposers break
  down animal excretions or dead animals
• Denitrifying bacteria use nitrate as an oxygen
  source, releasing nitrogen gas into the
  atmosphere as a waste product

11

• The phosphorus cycle takes place at and below
  ground level.

• Phosphate is released by the weathering of rocks.
  
• Phosphorus moves through the food web and returns
  to the soil duringdecomposition.

• Phosphorus leaches into groundwater from
  the soil and is locked in sediments.
• Both mining and agriculture add phosphorus
  into the environment.