Environmental

Systems and
Societies.
Maidhani Ojha – 17th Aug
2023
11G
GAIA Hypothesis

• The Gaia Hypothesis proposed by James

Lovelock (1972)
• It suggests that living organisms on the
planet interact with their surrounding
inorganic environment to form a synergetic
and self-regulating system that created, and
now maintains, the climate and biochemical
conditions that make life on Earth possible.
 Carbon Cycle
• Carbon is a fundamental element in all living beings and is found in all forms of
life. It is the most fundamental element of all organic molecules and serves as
their building block. It is primarily the conversion of carbon dioxide that is the
focus of the carbon cycle, which is begun by the absorption of carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere via photosynthesis.
• The conversion results in the formation of carbohydrates, glucose, which may
then be transformed into other organic molecules such as sucrose, starch,
cellulose, and various sugars and starches, among others
• Some of the carbs are used immediately by the plant to fuel its growth and
development. A greater amount of carbon dioxide is produced during this
process, which is then released via the plant’s roots or stems during the day
• In addition to being part of the plant tissue that is consumed by herbivorous
animals, the residual sugars are also degraded by microbes
• Some of the carbohydrates ingested by herbivores are converted into carbon
dioxide, which is then released into the atmosphere via respiration
• Following the death of the animal, the microorganisms break down the
carbohydrates that were left behind. Afterwards, the carbohydrates digested by
the microorganisms are oxidized into carbon dioxide and released back into the
environment
 Nitrogen
Cycle
• Approximately 78% of the atmosphere’s gases are composed of nitrogen, making it a significant part of
the atmosphere. It is a necessary component of many organic molecules, including amino acids, nucleic
acids, proteins, vitamins, and pigments. It is also a component of certain inorganic compounds.
The nitrogen cycle is an essential aspect of the ecology.

• Currently, only a few kinds of organisms, such as specific species of soil bacteria and blue-green algae,
are capable of using it in its gaseous state

• In biology, the nitrogen cycle is a biogeochemical process in which nitrogen is transformed into various
forms and then passed from the atmosphere to the soil to the organism and back into the atmosphere in a
continuous cycle

• Nitrogen can only be used when it has been fixed. 90% of the nitrogen that has been fixed is biological

• The activity of soil microorganisms and related plant roots on atmospheric nitrogen present in the pore
spaces of the soil is the most important source of the free nitrogen cycle in the environment

• Lightning and cosmic radiation are both capable of causing nitrogen to be fixed in the atmosphere

• Some aquatic organisms in the waters have the ability to repair the damage

• Green plants may absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere when it has been fixed into a form that is readily
accessible

• Herbivorous animals that eat on plants, in turn, devour part of the plant material

• The activity of bacteria present in the soil results in the conversion of dead plants and animals, excretion
of nitrogenous wastes, and other nitrogenous wastes into nitrites.

• Some bacteria can even convert nitrites into nitrates, which may then be used by green plants

• In addition, many species of bacteria can decompose nitrates into nitrogen gas, and this process is known
as de-nitrification
 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. 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.

• 1. Evaporation

• The sun is the ultimate source of energy, and it powers most of the evaporation that occurs on earth. Evaporation generally happens when water
molecules at the surface of water bodies become excited and rise into the air. These molecules with the highest kinetic energy accumulate into water
vapour clouds. Evaporation usually takes place below the boiling point of water. Another process called evapotranspiration occurs when evaporation
occurs through the leaves of plants. This process contributes to a large percentage of water in the atmosphere.

• 2. Sublimation

• Sublimation occurs when snow or ice changes directly into water vapour without becoming water. It usually occurs as a result of dry winds and low
humidity. Sublimation can be observed on mountain peaks, where the air pressure is quite low. The low air pressure helps to sublimate the snow into
water vapour as less energy is utilised in the process. Another example of sublimation is the phase where fog bellows from dry ice. On earth, the
primary source of sublimation is from the ice sheets covering the poles of the earth.

• 3. Condensation

• The water vapour that accumulated in the atmosphere eventually cools down due to the low temperatures found at high altitudes. These vapours
become tiny droplets of water and ice, eventually coming together to form clouds.

• 4. Precipitation

• Above 0 degrees centigrade, the vapours will condense into water droplets. However, it cannot condense without dust or other impurities. Hence,
water vapours attach itself on to the particle’s surface. When enough droplets merge, it falls out of the clouds and on to the ground below. This
process is called precipitation (or rainfall). In particularly cold weather or extremely low air pressure, the water droplets freeze and fall as snow or
hail.

• 5. Infiltration

• Rainwater gets absorbed into the ground through the process of infiltration. The level of absorption varies based on the material the water has seeped
into. For instance, rocks will retain comparatively less water than soil. Groundwater can either follows streams or rivers. But sometimes, it might just
sink deeper, forming aquifers.

• 6. Runoff

• If the water from rainfall does not form aquifers, it follows gravity, often flowing down the sides of mountains and hills; eventually forming rivers.
This process is called runoff. In colder regions, icecaps form when the amount of snowfall is faster than the rate of evaporation or sublimation. The
biggest icecaps on earth are found at the poles.