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CYCLING IN NATURE

Ecology. CYCLING IN NATURE. About Cycles. The structure of ecosystems is influenced by the availability of nutrients and energy. Besides the carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen they get from water and air, plants requires about 13 mineral elements, including nitrogen and phosphorous. About Cycles.

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CYCLING IN NATURE

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  1. Ecology CYCLING IN NATURE

  2. About Cycles • The structure of ecosystems is influenced by the availability of nutrients and energy. • Besides the carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen they get from water and air, plants requires about 13 mineral elements, including nitrogen and phosphorous.

  3. About Cycles • The elements essential for life move in cycles, meaning they are transferred from the environment, to organisms, then back to the environment. Organisms Environment

  4. Hydrologic Cycle • Hydrologic Cycle a.k.a “Water Cycle” is the movement of water around the earth powered by the sun

  5. Hydrologic Cycle • Evaporation is when liquid water becomes a vapor and moves to the atmosphere • Clouds are made of water vapor and tiny ice crystals • Precipitation is when water falls from the atmosphere as rain, snow or ice.

  6. ReservoirApproximate Residence Time • Approximate residence time of water found in various reserviors. •  Rivers   0.04 years •  Soil Moisture  0.2 years •  Seasonal Snow Cover  0.4 years • Glaciers 40 years •  Lakes   100 years • Groundwater: Shallow  200 years •  Groundwater: Deep  10,000 years

  7. Hydrologic Cycle • Why do we care about water? • 97% of water is saltwater • Less than 1% of water on Earth is accessible and usable for life • More of the small ammount of water is being polluted every day!

  8. The Nitrogen Cycle • Nitrogen • is an element needed for life • Found in proteins • Often a limiting resource • The atmosphere is 80% Nitrogen in the form of N2 • N2cannot be used by plants or animals

  9. The Nitrogen Cycle • Nitrogen Fixation a.k.a. Nitrification • changes N2 into a form that can be used like NH4 and NO3 • Done by bacteria in soil • NO3is taken up by plants roots and turned into proteins • Animals take in nitrogen by eating plants

  10. The Nitrogen Cycle • Denitrification • Returns nitrogen to the environment • Done by decomposers

  11. The Carbon Cycle • Carbon takes many forms • CO2 gas in the atmosphere • CO2 dissolved in water • -Oil and Coal underground • In the form of limestone rocks • In plants and animals as part of sugars fats and proteins

  12. The Carbon Cycle • Plantsremove CO2 from the air by doing photosynthesis • Animals and Plants return CO2 to the air by breathing • Decomposers return the last atoms of Carbon left over when an organism dies

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