06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,
NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle
(2158Words)
byPujaMondalNotes

Advertisements:

ShortnotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphur
Cycle!

Variousmaterialsincludingdifferentnutrientsandmetalsmoveinthe
ecosysteminacyclicmanner.Themajorreservesorstorage
compartmentofthematerialsareknownasreservoirs.Whenthe
majorreservoirofanutrientisintheatmosphere,itisknownasa
gaseouscycle,e.g.,nitrogencycle,whichhasitsreservoirintheformof
nitrogengas(N2)constitutingabout78%oftheatmosphere.

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 1/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

ImageCurtsey:esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/education/carbon_toolkit/images/carbon_cycle.jpg

Whenthereservoirisintheearthscrustorsediments,itisknownasa
sedimentarycyclee.g.,phosphoruscyclewhichhasitsreserveas
phosphaterocks.Sulphurcycleisanexampleofanintermediatetype,
whichhasreservoirbothinsoilandtheatmosphere.

Movementofthematerialsfromonereservoirtoanothermaybe
drivenbyphysicalagentslikewindorgravitationalenergy.Itmayalso
beduetochemicalenergy,e.g.,whenthewaterbodyreaches
saturationthereservoirischemicallyfullandtherefore,nolongercan
holditassuch.

Thenthematerialusuallyisprecipitatedout.Theaveragetimefor

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 2/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

whichamaterial(moleculeofasubstance)remainsinareservoiris
knownasitsresidencetime.

Nutrientslikecarbon,nitrogen,sulphur,oxygen,hydrogen,
phosphorusetc.moveincircularpathsthroughbioticandabiotic
componentsandareknownasbiogeochemicalcycles.

Wateralsomovesinacycle,knownashydrologicalcycle.Thenutrients
tomovethroughthefoodchainandultimatelyreachthedetritus
compartment(containingdeadorganicmatter)wherevarious
microorganismscarryoutdecomposition.

Variousorganicallyboundnutrientsofdeadplantsandanimalsare
convertedintoinorganicsubstancesbymicrobialdecompositionthat
arereadilyusedupbyplants(primaryproducers)andthecyclestarts
afresh.

1.CarbonCycle:
Thecarboncycleisthebiogeochemicalcyclebywhichcarbonis
exchangedamongthebiosphere,pedosphere,geosphere,hydrosphere,
andatmosphereoftheEarth.Itisoneofthemostimportantcyclesof
theearthandallowsforcarbontoberecycledandreusedthroughout
thebiosphereandallofitsorganisms.

TheCarbonCycleisacomplexseriesofprocessesthroughwhichallof
thecarbonatomsinexistencerotate.Thewoodburnedjustafew
decadesagocouldhaveproducedcarbondioxidewhichthrough
photosynthesisbecamepartofaplant.Whenyoueatthatplant,the
samecarbonfromthewoodwhichwasburntcanbecomepartofyou.
Thecarboncycleisthegreatnaturalrecyclerofcarbonatoms.

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 3/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

Withouttheproperfunctioningofthecarboncycle,everyaspectoflife
couldbechangeddramatically.Plants,animals,andsoilinteractto
makeupthebasiccyclesofnature.Inthecarboncycle,plantsabsorb
carbondioxidefromtheatmosphereanduseit,combinedwithwater
theygetfromthesoil,tomakethesubstancestheyneedforgrowth.
Theprocessofphotosynthesisincorporatesthecarbonatomsfrom
carbondioxideintosugars.

Animals,suchastherabbiteattheplantsandusethecarbontobuild
theirowntissues.Otheranimals,suchasthefox,eattherabbitand
thenusethecarbonfortheirownneeds.Theseanimalsreturncarbon
dioxideintotheairwhentheybreathe,andwhentheydie,sincethe
carbonisreturnedtothesoilduringdecomposition.Thecarbonatoms
insoilmaythenbeusedinanewplantorsmallmicroorganisms.The
followingmajorreservoirsofcarboninterconnectedbypathwaysof
exchange:

i.Theatmosphere.

ii.Theterrestrialbiosphere,whichisusuallydefinedtoincludefresh
watersystemsandnonlivingorganicmaterial,suchassoilcarbon.

iii.Theoceans,includingdissolvedinorganiccarbonandlivingand
nonlivingmarinebiota.

iv.Thesedimentsincludingfossilfuels

v.TheEarthsinterior,carbonfromtheEarthsmantleandcrustis
releasedtotheatmosphereandhydrospherebyvolcanoesand
geothermalsystems.

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 4/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

Theannualmovementsofcarbon,thecarbonexchangesbetween
reservoirs,occurbecauseofvariouschemical,physical,geological,and
biologicalprocesses.Theoceancontainsthelargestactivepoolof
carbonnearthesurfaceoftheEarth,butthedeepoceanpartofthis
pooldoesnotrapidlyexchangewiththeatmosphereintheabsenceof
anexternalinfluence,suchasanuncontrolleddeepwateroilwellleak.

Theglobalcarbonbudgetisthebalanceoftheexchanges(incomesand
losses)ofcarbonbetweenthecarbonreservoirsorbetweenonespecific
loopthecarboncycle.

Carbonisreleasedintotheatmosphereinseveralways:

i.Throughtherespirationperformedbyplantsandanimals.Thisisan
exothermicreactionanditinvolvesthebreakingdownofglucose(or
otherorganicmolecules)intocarbondioxideandwater.

ii.Throughthedecayofanimalandplantmatter.Fungiandbacteria
breakdownthecarboncompoundsindeadanimalsandplantsand
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 5/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

convertthecarbontocarbondioxideifoxygenispresent,ormethaneif
not.

iii.Throughcombustionoforganicmaterialwhichoxidizesthecarbon
itcontains,producingcarbondioxide(andotherthings,likewater
vapour).Burningfossilfuelssuchascoal,petroleumproductsreleases
carbondioxide.Burningagrofuelsalsoreleasescarbondioxide

iv.Volcaniceruptionsandmetamorphismreleasegasesintothe
atmosphere.Volcanicgasesareprimarilywatervapour,carbondioxide
andsulphurdioxide.

v.Carbonistransferredwithinthebiosphereasheterotrophsfeedon
otherorganismsortheirparts(e.g.,fruits).Thisincludestheuptakeof
deadorganicmaterial(detritus)byfungiandbacteriaforfermentation
ordecay.

vi.Mostcarbonleavesthebiospherethroughrespiration.When
oxygenispresent,aerobicrespirationoccurs,whichreleasescarbon
dioxideintothesurroundingairorwater,followingthereaction
C6H12O6+602>6CO2+6H2O.Otherwise,anaerobicrespiration
occursandreleasesmethaneintothesurroundingenvironment,which
eventuallymakesitswayintotheatmosphereorhydrosphere(e.g.,as
marshgasorflatulence).

Circulationofcarbondioxide:

i.Plantsabsorbsthecarbondioxidefromtheatmosphere.

ii.Duringtheprocessofphotosynthesis,plantsincorporatesthe
carbonatomsfromcarbondioxideintosugars.

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 6/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

iii.Animals,suchastherabbiteattheplantsandusethecarbonto
buildtheirowntissues,chainthecarboncontent

iv.Throughthefoodchain,carbonistransferredintofoxes,lionsetc.

v.Theanimalsreturncarbondioxideintotheairwhentheybreathe,
andwhentheydie,sincethecarbonisreturnedtothesoilduring
decomposition

InCaseofOcean:

Inregionsofoceanicupwelling,carbonisreleasedtotheatmosphere.
Conversely,regionsofdownwellingtransfercarbon(CO2)fromthe
atmospheretotheocean.WhenCO2enterstheocean,itparticipatesin
aseriesofreactionswhicharelocallyinequilibrium:

i.ConversionofCO2(atmospheric)toCO2(dissolved).

ii.ConversionofCO2(dissolved)tocarbonicacid(H2CO3).

iii.Conversionofcarbonicacid(H2CO3)tobicarbonateion.

iv.Conversionofbicarbonateiontocarbonateion.

Intheoceans,dissolvedcarbonatecancombinewithdissolvedcalcium
toprecipitatesolidcalciumcarbonate,CaCO3,mostlyastheshellsof
microscopicorganisms.Whentheseorganismsdie,theirshellssink
andaccumulateontheoceanfloor.Overtimethesecarbonate
sedimentsformlimestonewhichisthelargestreservoirofcarbonin
thecarboncycle.

Thedissolvedcalciumintheoceanscomesfromthechemical
weatheringofcalciumsilicaterocks,duringwhichcarbonicandother
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 7/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

acidsingroundwaterreactwithcalciumbearingmineralsliberating
calciumionstosolutionandleavingbehindaresidueofnewlyformed
aluminiumrichclaymineralsandinsolublemineralssuchasquartz.

Thefluxorabsorptionofcarbondioxideintotheworldsoceansis
influencedbythepresenceofwidespreadviruseswithinoceanwater
thatinfectmanyspeciesofbacteria.Theresultingbacterialdeaths
spawnasequenceofeventsthatleadtogreatlyenlargedrespirationof
carbondioxide,enhancingtheroleoftheoceansasacarbonsink.

2.NitrogenCycle:
Thenitrogencycleisthesetofbiogeochemicalprocessesbywhich
nitrogenundergoeschemicalreactions,changesform,andmoves
throughdifferencereservoirsonearth,includinglivingorganisms.

Nitrogenisrequiredforallorganismstoliveandgrowbecauseitisthe
essentialcomponentofDNA,RNA,andprotein.However,most
organismscannotuseatmosphericnitrogen,thelargestreservoir.The
fiveprocessesinthenitrogencycle

i.Nitrogenfixation

ii.Nitrogenuptake

iii.Nitrogenmineralization

iv.Nitrification

v.Denitrification

Humansinfluencetheglobalnitrogencycleprimarilythroughtheuse

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 8/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

ofnitrogenbasedfertilizers.

I.Nitrogenfixation:N2>NH4+

NitrogenfixationistheprocesswhereinN2isconvertedto
ammonium,essentialbecauseitistheonlywaythatorganismscan
attainnitrogendirectlyfromtheatmosphere.Certainbacteria,for
examplethoseamongthegenusRhizobium,aretheonlyorganisms
thatfixnitrogenthroughmetabolicprocesses.

Nitrogenfixingbacteriaoftenformsymbioticrelationshipswithhost
plants.Thissymbiosisiswellknowntooccurinthelegumefamilyof
plants(e.g.beans,peas,andclover).Inthisrelationship,nitrogen
fixingbacteriainhabitlegumerootnodulesandreceivecarbohydrates
andafavourableenvironmentfromtheirhostplantinexchangefor
someofthenitrogentheyfix.Therearealsonitrogenfixingbacteria
thatexistwithoutplanthosts,knownasfreelivingnitrogenfixers.In
aquaticenvironments,bluegreenalgae(reallyabacteriacalled
cyanobacteria)isanimportantfreelivingnitrogenfixer.

II.Nitrogenuptake:NH4+>OrganicN

Theammoniaproducedbynitrogenfixingbacteriaisusuallyquickly
incorporatedintoproteinandotherorganicnitrogencompounds,
eitherbyahostplant,thebacteriaitself,oranothersoilorganism.

III.Nitrogenmineralization:OrganicN>NH4+

Afternitrogenisincorporatedintoorganicmatter,itisoftenconverted
backintoinorganicnitrogenbyaprocesscallednitrogen
mineralization,otherwiseknownasdecay.Whenorganismsdie,
decomposers(suchasbacteriaandfungi)consumetheorganicmatter
andleadtotheprocessofdecomposition.
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 9/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

Duringthisprocess,asignificantamountofthenitrogencontained
withinthedeadorganismisconvertedtoammonium.Onceintheform
ofammonium,nitrogenisavailableforusebyplantsorforfurther
transformationintonitrate(NO3)throughtheprocesscalled
nitrification.

IV.Nitrification:NH4+>NO3

Someoftheammoniumproducedbydecompositionisconvertedto
nitrateviaaprocesscallednitrification.Thebacteriathatcarryoutthis
reactiongainenergyfromit.Nitrificationrequiresthepresenceof
oxygen,sonitrificationcanhappenonlyinoxygenrichenvironments
likecirculatingorflowingwatersandtheverysurfacelayersofsoils
andsediments.Theprocessofnitrificationhassomeimportant
consequences.

Ammoniumionsarepositivelychargedandthereforestick(are
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 10/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

sorbed)tonegativelychargedclayparticlesandsoilorganicmatter.
Thepositivechargepreventsammoniumnitrogenfrombeingwashed
outofthesoil(orleached)byrainfall.

Incontrast,thenegativelychargednitrateionisnotheldbysoil
particlesandsocanbewasheddownthesoilprofile,leadingto
decreasedsoilfertilityandnitrateenrichmentofdownstreamsurface
andgroundwaters.

V.Denitrification:NO3>N2+N2O

Throughdenitrification,oxidizedformsofnitrogensuchasnitrate
andnitrite(NO2)areconvertedtodinitrogen(N2)and,toalesser
extent,nitrousoxidegas.Denitrificationisananaerobicprocessthat
iscarriedoutbydenitrifyingbacteria,whichconvertnitratetonitrogen
inthefollowingsequence:

NO3>NO2>NO>N2O>N2

Nitricoxideandnitrousoxidearebothenvironmentallyimportant
gases.Nitricoxide(NO)contributestosmog,andnitrousoxide(N2O)
isanimportantgreenhousegas,therebycontributingtoglobalclimate
change.

3.SulphurCycle:
Sulphurisoneofthecomponentsthatmakeupproteinsandvitamins.
Proteinsconsistofaminoacidsthatcontainsulphuratoms.Sulphuris
importantforthefunctioningofproteinsandenzymesinplants,andin
animalsthatdependuponplantsforsulphur.

Itenterstheatmospherethroughbothnaturalandhumansources.

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 11/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

Naturalrecoursescanbeforinstancevolcaniceruptions,bacterial
processes,evaporationfromwater,ordecayingorganisms.When
sulphurenterstheatmospherethroughhumanactivity,thisismainlya
consequenceofindustrialprocesseswheresulphurdioxide(SO2)and
hydrogensulphide(H2S)gasesareemittedonawidescale.

Whensulphurdioxideenterstheatmosphereitwillreactwithoxygen
toproducesulphurtrioxidegas(SO3),orwithotherchemicalsinthe
atmosphere,toproducesulphursalts.Sulphurdioxidemayalsoreact
withwatertoproducesulphuricacid(H2SO4).Sulphuricacidmayalso
beproducedfromdemethylsulphide,whichisemittedtothe
atmospherebyplanktonspecies.

Alltheseparticleswillsettlebackontoearth,orreactwithrainandfall
backontoearthasaciddeposition.Theparticleswillthenbeabsorbed
byplantsagainandarereleasedbackintotheatmosphere,sothatthe
sulphurcyclewillstartoveragain.

i.Fossilfuelslikecoalandpetroleumareextremelyimportantenergy
resourceswhicharegettingexhausted.

ii.Hydrocarbonfuelbasedresourcescreatepollutionlevelsandgreen
housegases.Theirmanagementisrelatedtoimprovedtechnologyand
findingalternativeenergysourcestakingthisintoaccount.

iii.Anoverallprudentandsustainableusesofresourcesbothatan
individualandcollectivelevelcanbenefitawidecrosssectionof
societyaswellmeetthefuturegenerations.

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 12/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

YouMayLike SponsoredLinks byTaboola

,62

MoneyBhaskar

GetStartedwithSIPsinOurRecommendedSIPFundsforLongTermWealthCreation
FundsIndia.com

ReadersCan'tStopDownloadingFreeBooksFromThisWebsite
BookBub

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 13/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

UniqueMethodRegrowsLostHair(DoThisDaily)
HairLossProtocoleBook

SIPCanMakeInvestorsRichin35Years
MyUniverse

ThisisOneBikeNotMadefortheFaintHearted
Zigwheels

UnbelievableFact!CoupleWinTheLotteryTwice
Lottosend.com

DoYouWanttoCutYour37YrOldsTV/MobileAddiction?
Flintobox

RelatedArticles:
1. MaterialCycles:Nutrient,Carbon,NitrogenandSulfur
Cycle|Ecosystem
2. ShortNotesonBiogeochemicalCycles
3. UsefulNotesonParasitic,SaprophyticandSymbiotic
Bacterias
4. UsefulNotesonChemosyntheticandPhotosynthetic
Bacterias!
5. FunctionsofSoil:ShortNotesonVariousFunctionsof
Soil
6. Ecosystem:ConceptandMajorComponentsofan
EcosystemExplained!
7. 4CommonBiogeochemicalCycles:(explainedwith
diagram)
8. Nutrients:EssayonNutrients(633Words)
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 14/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

9. SoilPollution:Causes,EffectsandControlMeasuresof
SoilPollution|Speech
10. CyclesofForestEcosystem:Energy,WaterandNutrient
Cycle|Ecosystem

, CarbonCycle

Nocommentsyet.

LeaveaReply

Youmustbeloggedintopostacomment.

Search...

Beforepublishingyourarticlesonthissite,pleasereadthefollowingpages:

1.ContentGuidelines2.ProhibitedContent3.PlagiarismPrevention4.ImageGuidelines5.Content
Filtrations6.TOS7.PrivacyPolicy8.Disclaimer9.Copyright10.ReportaViolation

LATEST

VirusandComputerizedAccountingSystem
JULY3,2015

AccountingSoftwareinComputers:Usage,AdvantagesandOtherDetails
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 15/16
06/07/2015 ShortNotesonCarbonCycle,NitrogenCycleandSulphurCycle(2158Words)

JULY3,2015

InternalControlinAccountingSystems
JULY3,2015

Top10ProblemsinComputerizedAccountingSystem
JULY3,2015

ComputerizedAccountingSystem:Features,AdvantagesandOtherDetails
JULY3,2015

Advertisements

2015YourArticleLibrary.com:TheNextGenerationLibrary.AllRightsReserved.

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/shortnotesoncarboncyclenitrogencycleandsulphurcycle2158words/9928/ 16/16