Running head: HUMAN IMPACT

Human Impact on the Carbon, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen Cycles July 26, 2012

HUMAN IMPACT 2 Human Impact on the Carbon, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen Cycles Carbon, Phosphorus and Nitrogen are three key elements heavily affected by human. (Wright & Boorse, 2011, p. 67) These three elements are part of the biogeochemical cycle, which repeats a pathway through one or more organisms and back to the environment. (Wright & Boorse, 2011, p. 648) The impact that humans have on each of these cycle is different in their own negative way. The Carbon Cycle is when carbon in the air is absorbed by the plant life which is then eaten by animals and they use the carbon to build their tissue. They release the carbon back into the air in two ways when they breathe or in their death the carbon is absorbed back into the earth. This cycle continues to repeat itself over and over through the years. (Wright & Boorse, 2011) Humans affect this cycle by constantly increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. (Smith, 2012) By burning fuels such as coal, oil and fossil fuels we release more carbon into the air. Then when forests are cleared by deforestation we remove the plants that help to remove the carbon from the air. Because of the increase it has changed our atmosphere. Scientists believe the increase in CO2 is already causing important changes in the global climate. (Harrison, 2003) If changes the trend will continue to get worse and temperatures will get hotter over the next century. (Harrison, 2003) The Phosphorus Cycle is when the phosphorus that exists in the rocks and soil minerals, as they break down phosphorus is released then is absorbed by the plants from the soil or water. (Wright & Boorse, 2011, p. 68) Once it is absorbed by the plants it can enter into the food chain when the plants are eaten. Animals return it back to the soil through their waste or when they die. (The Environmental Literacy Council, 2008) One of the major impacts that humans have had on the phosphorus cycle has been the use of fertilizers with phosphorus in it. Human

HUMAN IMPACT 3 applications have tripled the amount of phosphorus reaching the oceans. (The Environmental Literacy Council, 2008, p. 69) The oceans became over fertilized with no way to return it to the soil. This over fertilization causes pollution problems which in turn can kill the fish in the ocean. (The Environmental Literacy Council, 2008) The Nitrogen Cycle because nitrogen exist in many forms both inorganic and organic nitrogen undergoes many different transformation in the ecosystem. (Bernhard, 2010) It has to convert into ammonia to become available to the plant life. Human activities have altered the amount of nitrogen in the ecosystem. (Bernhard, 2010) Some of the activities that have affected the ecosystem are dumping of sewage and urban runoffs, burning of wood and fossil fuels, use of inorganic fertilizers, and overharvesting of legumes and nitrogen-rich mines. When the ecosystem overloaded with nitrogen it affects the ocean by causing algae to grow rapidly and uses up the oxygen in the water. It can acidify the soil which makes it unusable. To much acid in the air can cause acid rain which can damage the earth. (Oracle Education Foundation) To decrease the impact of human on our ecosystem, we as humans need to find better and healthier ways to save our environment and put the Carbon, Phosphorus and Nitrogen cycle back in balance.

HUMAN IMPACT 4 References Bernhard, A. (2010). The Nitrogen Cycle: Processes, Players, and Human Impact. Retrieved July 26, 2012, from The Nature Education Knowledge Project: http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/the-nitrogen-cycle-processes-playersand-human-15644632 Harrison, J. (2003). The Carbon Cycle: What goes around comes around. Retrieved July 26, 2012, from Visionlearning.com: http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=95 Oracle Education Foundation. (n.d.). The Nitrogen Cycle. Retrieved July 26, 2012, from thinkquest.org: http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/nitrogen.htm Smith, C. (2012, January 13). How Humans Impact The Carbon Cycle. Retrieved July 26, 2012, from Scienceray.com: http://scienceray.com/biology/ecology/how-humans-impact-thecarbon-cycle/ The Environmental Literacy Council. (2008, March 2). Phosphorus Cycle. Retrieved July 26, 2012, from Environmental Literacy Council: http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/480.html Wright, R., & Boorse, D. (2011). Environmental Science Toward a Sustanable Future (11th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Pearson Education, Inc.