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Biogeochemical Cycles. Introduction. There are many different types of energy and matter in our ecosystem All of the biotic and abiotic factors are composed of different elements and energy The unique structure of elements and energy compose everything on our earth. Introduction.
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Introduction • There are many different types of energy and matter in our ecosystem • All of the biotic and abiotic factors are composed of different elements and energy • The unique structure of elements and energy compose everything on our earth
Introduction • Matter and energy are never created or destroyed • No matter the size, heat or power in a reaction • Energy will never be created or destroyed • Matter will never be created or destroyed • This is an important physical property that helps us understand our world http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVxEEn3w688 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwJJK4korRg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dExpJAECSL8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxm_qpKh7Jw
Introduction • The same physical properties hold true for our environment • Matter and energy are never created, lost and destroyed • This means that the CO2 that you breathe out will never be lost
Changing of Matter • Matter and energy can change forms and still never be lost or destroyed • We can change water to ice and still keep the H2O • We can change CO2 and make it into glucose
Changing of Matter • In the environment, energy and matter are often changed and used differently • The different forms of energy can be used by different organisms and different systems on the planet
Biogeochemical Cycles • Since matter and energy are never destroyed, often times energy is moved from place to place in an ecosystem • Often times specific ecologists can predict where certain types of energy and matter will move to
Biogeochemical Cycles • The predictable movements of matter and energy in our environment are described as biogeochemical cycles • These cycles move all of the matter and energy in our environment
The Role of Water • Water is crucial for many of life's functions • Since cells are made up of 70% to 90% water, it is essential that water is available • The availability of water is one of the main factors of life in terrestrial systems
The Role of Water • Terrestrial systems need water in order to function • Think about the ecosystems on earth • The ecosystems that do not have access to water do not support a large amount of life
Water In Ecosystems • Organisms hold some of the water that is in terrestrial ecosystems • This water is held in the cells of the organisms • However this water is relatively small • This water is also being used in cell processes and has to be replaced
Water In Ecosystems • For us to find enough water for life to be maintained, we cannot rely on water already in organisms • Saltwater and freshwater make up the largest stockpiles of water on Earth • About 3% of all free water is freshwater • About 97% of all free water is saltwater
Water in Ecosystems • The water that makes up ecosystems can be trapped below or above ground • Water that is trapped under rock and soil is ground water • Water in the air is water vapor
The Water Cycle • The water cycle has no starting point, but we will start from the ocean • The sun heats up the large surface area in the ocean and causes some of the water to evaporate • This changes the water from a liquid to a gas
The Water Cycle • Wind and rising air currents will take the evaporated water into the atmosphere • In the atmosphere water is turned back into droplets of water or ice because of the lower temperatures • These droplets of water and ice can be seen from the ground and are known as clouds
The Water Cycle • The water will then fall out of the sky as precipitation • Precipitation can take many forms, and most are based on the temperature in the atmosphere • Rain • Snow • Sleet
The Water Cycle • The precipitation covers the ground and permeates the soil with moisture • This water is then accessible to organisms on terrestrial ecosystems
The Water Cycle • When the precipitation hits land it can travel back into surface or underwater rivers and streams • This is considered runoff • It helps feed most bodies of water on land
The Water Cycle • The rivers and streams wind across the landscape and may interconnect • Smaller rivers may combine to create bigger rivers • However all rivers and streams end up feeding into the ocean
The Water Cycle • By rivers feeding back into the oceans, the water cycle becomes complete • There is no start or end point to the water cycle • It continually moves water around the planet
Review • http://education.jlab.org/reading/water_cycle.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDyPkjQxkas&feature=related
Carbon • Carbon is one of the six essential molecules for life • Carbon comprises many of the macromolecules • Proteins • Carbohydrates • Lipids
Carbon • Carbon has to be physically changed for most organisms to be able to use it • Carbon enters living systems from photosynthesis • During photosynthesis CO2 is changed to C6H12O6 • The sugars can be used by organisms
Carbon • Carbon exists in our environment in four main categories • Carbon Dioxide (CO2) • Carbonate Rocks (Limestone and Coral) • Deposits of oil and natural gas • Dead organic matter (humus)
The Enter and Exit of Carbon • The concentration of carbon in living matter is very high • It is around 18% • The concentration of carbon in abiotic aspects of the earth is very low • It is around .2% • This means living organisms have to retain their carbon because they cannot get it from the earth
Enter and Exit of Carbon • Carbon is then returned by organisms breaking down C6H12O6 and turning it into CO2 • This happens during cellular respiration • All organisms perform cellular respiration
The Carbon Cycle • The Carbon cycle has no beginning or end • Much like the water cycle we could start from any point and complete the cycle • We are going to start at a producer level
The Carbon Cycle • Producers take carbon dioxide and use it create sugars • Some of those sugars are incorporated into structure • Cellulose and Sucrose • Some of those sugars are used for energy as glucose
The Carbon Cycle • A primary consumer will eat the producers • They will take the carbohydrates and use the glucose from them to build their own structural tissues • Structural tissues are made of large amounts of carbon
The Carbon Cycle • Any number of secondary consumers can then gain carbon from the primary producer • The carbon is passed from the animal tissues into the secondary consumer
The Carbon Cycle • Both the primary and secondary consumers give carbon back to the environment • They give it back to the environment in the form of CO2 that they breathe out • This completes our natural carbon cycle
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3SZKJVKRxQ
Human Impact • Humans produce large amount of CO2 • This is through the burning of natural gasses and fossil fuels • We do this in industry, transportation and heating
Human Impact • By burning fossil fuels humans add a more CO2 than the environment can deal with • The CO2 cannot be processed fast enough by the producers • This creates a large input to one part of the cycle
The Human Impact • The CO2 humans produce is starting to increase in our atmosphere • This CO2 is a greenhouse gas that has been linked to global warming
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1O34cqerqs&feature=related
Composition of Air • Air is composed of different compounds and elements • It has around around 78% Nitrogen • In the form of (N2) • It has around 21% oxygen • In the form of (O2) • It is composed of around 1.5% other compounds • Argon .9% • CO2 .03% • Other compounds .5%
Composition of Air • This makes nitrogen the most common gas in our environment • You would think that it would be abundant and easy to use • However nitrogen is a difficult material to convert from a gas
Nitrogen Fixation • In order to have nitrogen in a useable form it has to change from the N2 in air • The nitrogen must be put in a usable form • One useable form is ammonia
Nitrogen Fixation • In order for a N2 to be converted to NH4 (or NH3-)there has to be a way for it to change • Nitrogen will not spontaneously convert to ammonia • There needs to be a process
The Nitrogen Cycle • Once again the nitrogen cycle has no beginning point, but we will start at a location • We will start with producers • However we have to start with a specialized group of producers that “fix” Nitrogen • This means that make something useable from N2
The Nitrogen Cycle • In soil the place that has the most life is right next to the roots of plants • This is because many microorganisms live in this area • We call this area the rhizosphere
The Nitrogen Cycle • Bacteria that live right around the roots are called mycorrhizal bacteria • These bacteria are close enough to interact with the plant and can form a symbiotic relationship with the plant
The Nitrogen Cycle • Legumes are plants with dry fruit that have a symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizal bacteria • We mostly call them bean plants
The Nitrogen Cycle • Most legumes can support bacteria that fix nitrogen • These bacteria form nodes or “bumps” on the roots of these plants • These bacteria change N2 to a useable form of nitrogen
The Nitrogen Cycle • The useable ammonia from these plants is then eaten by primary and secondary consumers • The nitrogen taken from the producers is incorporated into the consumer structure • The consumers use the nitrogen in their tissues