BIOGEOCHEMICAL
CYCLE
ECOLOGY
ZOOL-507
Zoology 5th
semester LECTURE BY
IQRA SAIF
Biogeochemical cycle
“Biogeochemical cycles mainly refer to
the movement of nutrients and other
elements between biotic and abiotic
factors.”
The term biogeochemical is derived from
“bio” meaning biosphere, “geo” meaning
the geological components and “chemical”
meaning the elements that move through a
cycle.
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
Biogeochemical cycles are basically divided into two
types:
Gaseous cycles – Includes Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and
the Water cycle.
Sedimentary cycles – Includes Sulphur, Phosphorus, Rock
cycle, etc.
Let us have a look at each of these biogeochemical cycles
in brief:
Water Cycle?
The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle or the
hydrological cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on,
above and below the surface of the Earth.
Water Cycle Diagram
During this process, water changes its state from one phase to
another, but the total number of water particles remains the same.
In other words, if it were possible to collect and boil 100 gms of
water, it will still retain a mass of 100 gms as steam. Likewise, if
100 gms of steam is collected and condensed, the resultant water
would still weight 100 gms.
Water changes its state through a variety of processes from
evaporation, melting and freezing, to sublimation,
condensation, and deposition. All these changes require the
application of energy.
Stages of Water Cycle
There are many processes involved in the movement of water
apart from the major steps given in the above water cycle
diagram. Listed below are different stages of the water
cycle.
1.
Implications of Water Cycle
Evaporation
The water cycle has a tremendous impact on the climate. For instance,
2. the greenhouse effect will cause a rise in temperature. Without the
Sublimation evaporative cooling effect of the water cycle, the temperature on
earth would rise drastically.
3.
The water cycle is also an integral part of other biogeochemical
Condensation cycles.
4. Water cycle affects all life processes on earth.
The water cycle is also known the clean the air. For instance, during
Precipitation
the process of precipitation, water vapours have to attach themselves
5. on to particles of dust. In polluted cities, the raindrops, apart from
Infiltration picking up dust, also pick up water-soluble gas and pollutants as they
fall from the clouds. Raindrops are also known to pick up biological
6. Runoff
agents such as bacteria and industrial soot particles and smoke.
What is Oxygen Cycle?
Oxygen cycle, along with the carbon cycle and nitrogen cycle plays
an essential role in the existence of life on the earth. The
oxygen cycle is a biological process which helps in maintaining
the oxygen level by moving through three main spheres of the earth
which are:
Atmosphere
Lithosphere
Biosphere
This biogeochemical cycle explains the movement of oxygen gas
within the atmosphere, the ecosystem, biosphere and the
lithosphere. The oxygen cycle is interconnected with the carbon
cycle.
Stages of the 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.
Importance of Oxygen Cycle
As we all know, oxygen is one of the most essential components of the earth’s
atmosphere. It is mainly required for:
Breathing
Combustion
Supporting aquatic life
Decomposition of organic waste.
Oxygen is an important element required for life, however, it can be toxic to some
anaerobic bacteria (especially obligate anaerobes).
The oxygen cycle is mainly involved in maintaining the level of oxygen in the
atmosphere. The entire cycle can be summarized as, the oxygen cycle begins with the
process of photosynthesis in the presence of sunlight, releases oxygen back into the
atmosphere, which humans and animals breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon
dioxide, and again linking back to the plants. This also proves that both the oxygen
and carbon cycle occur independently and are interconnected to each other.
Carbon Cycle
Carbon cycle shows the movement of carbon in elemental and combined
states on earth. Diamond and graphite are the elemental forms of
carbon and in a combined state, it is found as carbonates in minerals
and as carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere.
Carbon cycle is the process where carbon compounds are
interchanged among the biosphere, geosphere, pedosphere,
hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the earth.
Carbon Cycle Steps
Following are the major steps involved in the process of the carbon
cycle:
Carbon present in the atmosphere is absorbed by plants for
photosynthesis.
These plants are then consumed by animals and carbon gets bioaccumulated
into their bodies.
These animals and plants eventually die, and upon decomposing, carbon is
released back into the atmosphere.
Some of the carbon that is not released back into the atmosphere
eventually become fossil fuels.
These fossil fuels are then used for man-made activities, which pump
more carbon back into the atmosphere.
Importance of Carbon Cycle
Even though carbon dioxide is found in small traces in the
atmosphere, it plays a vital role in balancing the energy and traps
the long-wave radiations from the sun. Therefore, it acts like a
blanket over the planet. If the carbon cycle is disturbed it will
result in serious consequences such as climatic changes and global
warming.
Carbon is an integral component of every life form on earth. From
proteins and lipids to even our DNA. Furthermore, all known life on
earth is based on carbon. Hence, the carbon cycle, along with the
nitrogen cycle and oxygen cycle, plays a vital role in the existence
of life on earth.
Nitrogen Cycle Definition
“Nitrogen Cycle is a biogeochemical process which transforms the
inert nitrogen present in the atmosphere to a more usable form for
living organisms.”
Furthermore, nitrogen is a key nutrient element for plants.
However, the abundant nitrogen in the atmosphere cannot be used
directly by plants or animals. Read on to explore how the Nitrogen
cycle makes usable nitrogen available to plants and other living
organisms.
What is the Nitrogen Cycle?
Nitrogen Cycle is a biogeochemical process through which nitrogen is converted
into many forms, consecutively passing from the atmosphere to the soil to organism
and back into the atmosphere.
It involves several processes such as nitrogen fixation, nitrification,
denitrification, decay and putrefaction.
Nitrogen gas exists in both organic and inorganic forms. Organic nitrogen exists
in living organisms, and they get passed through the food chain by the consumption
of other living organisms.
Inorganic forms of nitrogen are found in abundance in the atmosphere. This
nitrogen is made available to plants by symbiotic bacteria which can convert the
inert nitrogen into a usable form – such as nitrites and nitrates.
Nitrogen undergoes various types of transformation to maintain a balance in the
ecosystem. Furthermore, this process extends to various biomes, with the marine
nitrogen cycle being one of the most complicated biogeochemical cycles.
Nitrogen Cycle Explained – Stages of Nitrogen
Cycle
Process of the Nitrogen Cycle consists of the
following steps – Nitrogen fixation,
Nitrification, Assimilation, Ammonification and
Denitrification.
A major component of the atmosphere, nitrogen is essential for all
living things. However, most organisms are unable to use the
gaseous forms of nitrogen present in the atmosphere. In order for
nitrogen to be usable by most organisms, it must be “fixed,” in
other words, combined with oxygen, hydrogen or carbon to form
other molecules. Nitrogen fixation can happen during rainstorms,
which yields nitrate and ammonium ions. Nitrogen also can be fixed
biologically by free-living and symbiotic bacteria. Leguminous
plants, for example, host nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules
allowing them to capture nitrogen and incorporate it into proteins
and other molecules.
Unlike other organisms, nitrogen fixing bacteria are able to convert
atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia, which then can serve as raw material for
the incorporation of nitrogen into other molecules. The other four
important steps in the nitrogen cycle are: (1) assimilation (reduction of
nitrate ions [NO3-] inside plants to ammonium ions [NH4+], which are used
to manufacture proteins and other molecules; this conversion requires
energy); (2) ammonification (release of excess nitrogen in the form of
ammonia [NH3] and ammonium ions [NH4+] by soil-dwelling bacteria and some
fungi during the decomposition of complex organic compounds such as
proteins, and nucleic acids); (3) nitrification (the oxidation of ammonium
ions or ammonia by free-living, soil dwelling bacteria to nitrates [NO3-];
and (4) denitrification (the conversion of nitrate to gaseous nitrogen [N2
] by free-living bacteria in soil; this conversion yields energy and occurs
Importance of Nitrogen Cycle
The importance of the nitrogen cycle are as follows:
Helps plants to synthesise chlorophyll from the nitrogen compounds.
Helps in converting inert nitrogen gas into a usable form for the plants through
the biochemical process.
In the process of ammonification, the bacteria help in decomposing the animal
and plant matter, which indirectly helps to clean up the environment.
Nitrates and nitrites are released into the soil, which helps in enriching the
soil with the necessary nutrients required for cultivation.
Nitrogen is an integral component of the cell and it forms many crucial
compounds and important biomolecules.
Nitrogen is also cycled by human activities such as the combustion of fuels and
the use of nitrogen fertilisers. These processes increase the levels of
nitrogen-containing compounds in the atmosphere. The fertilisers containing
nitrogen are washed away in lakes, rivers and result in eutrophication.
Phosphorus Cycle Definition
“Phosphorus cycle is a biogeochemical process that involves the movement of
phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.”
What is Phosphorus Cycle?
Phosphorus is an important element for all living organisms. It forms a
significant part of the structural framework of DNA and RNA. They are also an
important component of ATP. Humans contain 80% of phosphorus in teeth and
bones.
Phosphorus cycle is a 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.
Since phosphorus and phosphorus-containing compounds are present only on land,
atmosphere plays no significant role in the phosphorus cycle.
Let us have a brief look at the phosphorus cycle, its steps and the human
Steps of Phosphorus Cycle
Following are the important steps of phosphorus cycle:
Weathering
Absorption by Plants
Absorption by Animals
Return to the Environment through Decomposition
Human Impact on Phosphorus Cycle
A number of human activities, use of fertilizers, artificial
eutrophication, etc. has a great impact on the phosphorus cycle.
The phosphorus fertilizers increase the level of phosphorus in the soil.
Overuse of these fertilizers reduces the fertility of the soil and is
also harmful to the microorganisms present in the soil. When these are
washed away into the nearby water bodies, they are hazardous to aquatic
life.
During the shipping of food from farms to cities, the amount of
phosphorus that is washed away in water causes eutrophication. This
leads to the growth of algae. These form algal blooms or die, which is
toxic to the aquatic ecosystem.
Sulphur Cycle
Sulphur is one of the most abundant elements on the earth. It is
a yellow, brittle, tasteless, odourless non-metal. Sulphur is
present in all kinds of proteins. Plants directly absorb
sulphur-containing amino acids such as methionine, cystine, and
cysteine.
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.
Sulphur Cycle
The process of sulphur cycle is explained below:
The sulphur is released by the weathering of rocks.
Sulphur comes in contact with air and is converted into sulphates.
Sulphates are taken up by plants and microbes and are converted into
organic forms.
The organic form of sulphur is then consumed by the animals through
their food and thus sulphur moves in the food chain.
When the animals die, some of the sulphur is released by decomposition
while some enter the tissues of microbes.
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.
