Sub: Essentials of

Environmental
Science
Topic : Cycles of Nature

--- Bhishma Brahmbhatt

(09dce059)
Hydrologic Cycle

Condensat
Transpirat ion &
ion Clouds Precipitati
ons
Atmosph
ere
Rain Evaporati
on

Rive Run off Ocea

r n
Aquifer
(ground
water) Seepa Infiltratio
ge n
Liquid on the earth surface
goes into atmosphere as a
vapour by evaporation and
transpiration from plants.
Ocean lost more water by
evaporation and gain less
water by precipitation.
The difference is made up
by run-off and seepage
from the continents.
 Carbon cycle

CO2 Reservoir
(Atmosphere)

Photosynth
Weatheri Chemical

Respirati
Decompositi
Combusti

Combusti
Respirati

ng Combinati
Combusti
(Volcan Fossil fuel (coal, on

esis
on
on
ic
on

oil etc.)
on

on
activiti
on

es) Producers
Consum
er
Decay &
Waste
 Carbon thus moves
continuous from
atmosphere into the
food chain during
the returns to the
atmosphere during
respiration.
 Nitrogen cycle
Atmosphe
Denitrifyi
ric Nitrogen
ng
Nitrogen fixing
bacteria
(Denitrificati
organism
on)
Nitrate (NO3)

Organic
Amonifyi Producer waste
Decay &
ng s Waste
bacteria Consume
Nitrite rs
Nitrit bacte
ria NH3 Amino acid
e Decomposit
(NO2 Ammonificat(urea)
ion
) ion
 Nitrogen in its gaseous form
constitutes 78% of atmosphere. It
must be fixed before it can be utilized
by plants & animals. The biological
fixation is limited but many
organisms like free living bacteria,
Azetobector on leguminous plant etc..
Man has interfered with this natural
cycle by industrially fixing nitrogen
through nitrogenous fertilizers like
urea & ammonium sulphate. The
amino acid & urea are converted into
ammonia through Ammonification.
Nitrite bacteria converts ammonia
into nitrites and they are converted
 Phosphorous cycle
Run-
Inorganic phosphate off Water
Decomposition by

in soil bodies
Plant
phosphatising

ATP s
Erosion

Animal
bacteria

ADP
s
Decay & Waste
Organic
(organic Phosphate (organic & inorganic
matter)
Decay Consumers material)
al
Waste Phosphorous at
Sediments/Racks with the bottom of
Phosphate the ocean