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Explore the steps and significance of the water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles. Learn about their importance in various ecosystems and the impact of human activities.
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Biogeochemical Cycles By Stephen Monahan
Water Cycle • 1. Draw (or present an image) and describe the steps of the water cycle. • Evaporation: Liquid-> gas (energy of sun) • Transpiration: Gaseous water released from leaves of plants • Condensation: When water particles condense to form rain droplets in clouds • Precipitation: When rain droplets fall to the earth from the clouds
Water Cycle (cont.) • 2. Define: Evaporation and Transpiration • Evaporation: Liquid-> gas (energy of sun) • Transpiration: Gaseous water released from leaves of plants
Carbon Cycle • 1. Draw (or present an image) and describe the steps of the carbon cycle. • Photosynthesis: The process of converting sunlight into food • Respiration: The process of converting food into carbon dioxide • Decomposition: The process of flesh decomposing.
Carbon Cycle (cont.) • 2. Describe how fossil fuels form. • 3. List human activities that increase the amount of atmospheric CO2. Deforestation • 4. What type of a gas is CO2? Green House Gas • 5. What problem is associated with elevated CO2 levels? Global Warming
Nitrogen Cycle • 1. Draw (or present an image) and describe the steps of the nitrogen cycle. • Nitrogen Fixation: Converting Nitrogen Gas into ammonia • Dentrification: Converting nitrates into nitrogen gas
Nitrogen Cycle (cont.) • 2. What percent of the atmosphere is made of Nitrogen (N2) gas? 78% • 3. Define and describe Nitrogen Fixation and Denitrification. Nitrogen Fixation: bacteria takes nitrogen gas -> nitrogen compounds Dentrification: Soil bacteria convert nitrates-> Nitrogen gas • 4. Why do all organisms require nitrogen? Nitrogen is required to make amino acids
Phosphorus Cycle • 1. Draw (or present an image) and describe the steps of the phosphorus cycle. • Weathering: The process of wearing down rocks and sediments which releases phosphate • Some of the phosphate is washed into the ocean • Some Phosphate stays on land and is absorbed by plants • Plants bind phosphate into organic compounds
Phosphorus Cycle (cont.) • 2. Why is phosphorus essential to living organisms? Phosphorus is required to form part of DNA • 3. How is the phosphorus cycle different than the other biogeochemical cycles? Phosphorus doesn’t enter the atmosphere • 4. Where is most of the phosphorus store In the biosphere? Most phosphorus is stored in land, rock, soil and minerals • 5. How does phosphorus become incorporated into organic compounds? Plants bind phosphate for organic use through a food web