Earth’s Cycles

Ecology & Environment

NIDHI CHADDA
M.ARCH SEM 1
JNEC
Earth’s Cycles
Ecological cycles are the various self-regulating processes that
recycle the earth's limited resources – water, carbon, nitrogen,
and other elements - that are essential to sustain life.
The most well-known and important biogeochemical cycles are
shown :
•Water cycle.
Cycle comprises a sequence of events that are key to make Earth
capable of sustaining life.
A biogeochemical cycle or substance turnover or cycling of
substances is a pathway by which a chemical substance moves
through biotic (biosphere) and abiotic (lithosphere, atmosphere,
and hydrosphere) compartments of Earth.

•Carbon cycle. There are biogeochemical cycles for the chemical elements
•Nitrogen cycle. calcium, carbon, hydrogen, mercury, nitrogen, oxygen,
phosphorus, selenium, iron and sulfur;
•Nutrient cycle. molecular cycles for water and silica;
macroscopic cycles such as the rock cycle; as well as
•Oxygen cycle.
human-induced cycles for synthetic compounds such as
•Phosphorus cycle. polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB).
In some cycles there are reservoirs where a substance remains for a
•Sulfur cycle.
long period of time.
•Rock cycle.
The three main cycles of an ecosystem are the water cycle, the
carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle

*A cycle is a series of events that happen repeatedly in the same order

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By-Nidhi Chadda , M.Arch Environ- Sem 1
 Water Cycle

The water cycle , also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes the
continuous movement of water as it makes a circuit from the oceans
to the atmosphere to the Earth and on again.

During the process of the water cycle between the earth and the
atmosphere, water changes into three states of matter – solid,
liquid and gas.

The water cycle is an extremely important process because it

enables the availability of water for all living organisms and
regulates weather patterns on our planet. If water didn't naturally
recycle itself, we would run out of clean water, which is essential to
life.

Overall, the water cycle process describes how water is balanced in

the atmosphere. It also plays an important role in ensuring the
availability of water for all living organisms and also it has a great
impact on our environment.
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By-Nidhi Chadda , M.Arch Environ- Sem 1
 Stages of Water Cycle
Evaporation
This is the initial stage of the water cycle.
Water from lakes, rivers and oceans evaporates into the atmosphere.
The process by which water from its liquid state changes to vapour, a gaseous state, is
termed as evaporation. During the water cycle, water in the water bodies get heated up
and evaporates in the form of vapour, mixes with the air and disappears.
Condensation
When the evaporated water vapour loses its thermal energy, it
becomes liquid through the process of condensation. Formation of
clouds are examples of condensation.
Precipitation
Rain, snow, sleet, or hail are all examples of Precipitation.
After the condensation, atmospheric water vapour forms sufficiently
large water droplets and falls back to the earth with the help of gravity.
Some of the precipitation flows into the ground and becomes part of
the ecosystem's water table.
The rest flows into streams and rivers, and eventually back into the
lakes and oceans from where it came.
Deposition or Collection
This is the final stage of the water cycle. Deposition occurs when
evaporated water vapour falls back to earth as precipitation. This
water may fall back into the different water bodies, including oceans,
rivers, ponds, lakes and even end up on the land, which in turn
becomes a part of the groundwater.
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By-Nidhi Chadda , M.Arch Environ- Sem 1
 Carbon Cycle
The carbon cycle describes the process in which carbon atoms
continually travel from the atmosphere to the Earth and then back
into the atmosphere. Since our planet and its atmosphere form a
closed environment, the amount of carbon in this system does not
change.
The carbon cycle can be broken into two smaller sub cycles:
respiration and photosynthesis. These sub cycles are dependent
upon one another.
The Carbon cycle starts with the plants.

There are 4 types of Carbon cycles- Plants are a good starting point when looking at the carbon cycle on
Photosynthesis, Earth. Plants have a process called photosynthesis that enables them
Decomposition, to take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and combine it with
Respiration and water. Using the energy of the Sun, plants make sugars and oxygen
Combustion. molecules.
Carbon cycles from the atmosphere into plants and living things.
Advantage:
Supporting the natural carbon cycle and reducing methane
gas emissions into the atmosphere. Creating a sustainable
alternative to land application of waste. Reducing nutrient runoff.
Reducing pathogens and promoting biosecurity.
Disadvantage:
Carbon dioxide gas can be toxic and very harmful to humans, It
increases the temperature of the Earth's atmosphere, It causes the
global warming effect that has bad effects on the Earth.
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By-Nidhi Chadda , M.Arch Environ- Sem 1
Carbon Cycle
Carbon Cycle: Photosynthesis
During photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide and sunlight &
water to create fuel—glucose and other sugars—for building plant
structures. This process forms the foundation of the fast
(biological) carbon cycle.
Plants take in energy from the sun, carbon dioxide and water and
produce carbohydrates and oxygen.
These carbohydrates and oxygen are readily used by the fauna present
in the ecosystem.
In addition to being consumed by animal life, some of these
carbohydrates return to the earth when the flora die.
There, they break down and the carbon returns to the ecosystem in
the form of carbon dioxide.
If not consumed by animals, carbon from decaying plants will
eventually convert into fossil fuels.
Carbon Cycle: Respiration
In the respiration cycle, fauna, or animal life inhabiting the
biosphere, consume carbohydrates (in the form of plant life) and
oxygen and output carbon dioxide, water and energy. The animals
use the energy produced to power their biology.

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By-Nidhi Chadda , M.Arch Environ- Sem 1
 Nitrogen Cycle
Circulation of nitrogen in various forms through nature.
Nitrogen, a component of proteins and nucleic acids, is essential
to life on Earth.
Although 78 percent by volume of the atmosphere is nitrogen gas,
this abundant reservoir exists in a form unusable by most organisms.
Through a series of microbial transformations, however, nitrogen is
made available to plants, which in turn ultimately sustain
all animal life.
Nitrogen Cycle
The steps, which are not altogether sequential, fall into the following
classifications:
Nitrogen fixation,
Nitrogen assimilation,
Ammonification,
Nitrification, and
Denitrification.
Most of the nitrogen found in ecosystems exists as nitrogen gas.
Nearly 78% of the earth's atmosphere is made of nitrogen.
The nitrogen in the atmosphere is very stable and does not combine
easily with other elements.
Lightning has sufficient energy to convert nitrogen into nitrates,
a form of nitrogen usable by plant life.
The second way nitrogen is converted to nitrates is by nitrogen fixing
bacteria.
These bacteria use special enzymes to convert nitrogen to nitrates.
Plants use these nitrates to form amino acids.
Animals eat the plants for the amino acids to help build muscle
tissue.
When plants and animals die, denitrifying bacteria convert the
nitrates back into the gaseous form of nitrogen, which is released
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back into the atmosphere.
By-Nidhi Chadda , M.Arch Environ- Sem 1
Thank You !