Photosynthesis

(performed by plants, algae, and some bacteria)

6 O2
Sun

6 CO2
C6H12O6
6 H2O (glucose)

Solar energy + 6 H2O + 6 CO2 C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Respiration
Energy (performed by all organisms)
6 O2

6 CO2

C6H12O6
6 H2O

Energy + 6 H2O + 6 CO2 C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Friedland et al.: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Figure 3.4

© 2012 by W. H. Freeman and Company Page 61
 Bald eagle
Tertiary consumers

Lion Secondary consumers

Fish

Primary consumers
Zooplankton
Zebra

Producers Algae
Grasses

(a) Terrestrial food chain (b) Aquatic food chain

Friedland et al.: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Figure 3.5

© 2012 by W. H. Freeman and Company Page 61
 Producers Acacia tree
Primary consumers Vulture
Secondary consumers
Scavengers
Detritivores Giraffe
Decomposers

Gazelle

Lion

Hyena Wildebeest
(dead)
Zebra
Cheetah

Bacteria,
fungi

Dung-rolling
beetle
Hare

Grasses
Earthworm

Friedland et al.: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Figure 3.6

© 2012 by W. H. Freeman and Company Page 62
 2 Evaporated water
condenses into
clouds.

Rain clouds
3 Water returns to
Earth as
Evaporation Evapotranspiration precipitation
from ocean 2
from plants Precipitation (rain, snow, hail).
Evaporation
from soil 3

noff
ace ru
Su rf
4
1 Infiltration

1 Solar energy
4 Precipitation falling on land
heats Earth,
is taken up by plants, runs off
and causes
along the land surface, or
evaporation. Ocean Groundwater percolates into the soil and
enters the groundwater.

Friedland et al.: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Figure 3.10

© 2012 by W. H. Freeman and Company Page 67
 6 Combustion converts 1 Producers convert
fossil fuels and plant CO2 into sugars.
material into CO2.
Atmospheric CO2
1P
h ot
o

ion
Re

sy
s

Combust
5 CO2 in the 6

nt
he
pi
atmosphere

ra
2 Sugars are

sis
t
and CO2

ion
converted
dissolved in 2 back into CO2.
e ng

water are
Excha

constantly
5 Producers
exchanged.

Natural Consumers
and human-
caused fires Decomposers
Human
fossil fuel
Dissolved CO2
supply
Ocean
Ph
Respiration

o
tosynthesis

2 1
Burial
Extraction

3
4
Producers
tion

Consumers
menta

Decomposers 3 Some carbon

l)
ral g as, coa can be buried.
il, natu
Sedi

fuels (o
Fossil
3 3 Burial
k 4 Human extraction of
ntar y roc
dime fossil fuels brings carbon
Se
to Earth’s surface, where
it can be combusted.

Friedland et al.: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Figure 3.11

© 2012 by W. H. Freeman and Company Page 68
 Atmospheric nitrogen
(mostly N2— dinitrogen gas)
Lightning and
combustion, some 1
industrial fertilizer Nitrogen N2O
production fixation (Nitrous oxide)

De
nit
rifi
2 Assimilation
5

cat
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria Producers

ion
associated with roots,
cyanobacteria,
industrial fertilizer Consumers Leaching
Soil
production

Assimilation
2
Decomposers
2 tio

n
i la
nification

NH3 si m
(Ammonia) As NO3–
3 (Nitrate)
Ammo

4 Nitrification

NH4+ NO2–
(Ammonium) (Nitrite)

1 Nitrogen Fixation 2 Assimilation 3 Ammonification 4 Nitrification 5 Denitrification

Nitrogen fixation Producers take up Decomposers in soil Nitrifying bacteria In a series of steps,
converts N2 from the either ammonium and water break convert ammonium denitrifying bacteria
atmosphere. Biotic (NH4+) or nitrate down biological (NH4+) into nitrite in oxygen-poor soil
processes convert N2 (NO3–). Consumers nitrogen compounds (NO2–) and then into and stagnant water
to ammonia (NH3), assimilate nitrogen into ammonium nitrate (NO3–). convert nitrate (NO3–)
whereas abiotic by eating producers. (NH4+). into nitrous oxide
processes convert N2 (N2O) and eventually
to nitrate (NO3–). nitrogen gas (N2).

Friedland et al.: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Figure 3.12

© 2012 by W. H. Freeman and Company Page 70
 1 Weathering of uplifted rocks
contributes phosphates to the
land. Some phosphates make
their way back to the ocean.

2 Phosphate fertilizer
applied to fields can Phosphate
run off directly into mining Phosphate rocks
5 Geologic forces
streams, become part can slowly lift up
of a soil pool, or be Weathering phosphate rocks
absorbed by plants. from the ocean
1
floor to form
Detergents, mountains.
Fertilizer cleaners
Di

G eo
2 rec
t
runo
ff

lo gi
Soil Lea
ching 5

c u pl
Wastewater
Plants Excretion flow

ift
3 and decomposition

Animals

Ocean

3 Excretion by animals and and decomp

ion o
decomposition of both et 3
sit
r
Exc

animals and plants

ion

release phosphates Animals Dissolved phosphates

on land or in water.
Plants Marine
and algae 4 sediments

4 Dissolved phosphates precipitate out of Phos

phat
solution and contribute to the ocean e roc
ks
sediments. Conversion of sediments into
phosphate rocks is a very slow process.

Friedland et al.: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Figure 3.13

© 2012 by W. H. Freeman and Company Page 72