Instruction: Explain at least two biogeochemical cycles and state its importance to human.

20 points.
Answer:
1. WATER CYCLE
- the water cycle is the process through which water evaporates from the earth's
surface, rises into the atmosphere, cools and condenses into rain or snow in clouds,
and then falls back to the surface as precipitation. Water that falls on land
accumulates in rivers and lakes, soil, and porous rock strata, and much of it goes back
into the seas to evaporate. Water cycling in and out of the atmosphere affects Earth's
weather patterns significantly.

2. SULFUR CYCLE
- the sulfur cycle is a description of sulfur's transit through the geosphere and
biosphere. Weathering releases sulfur from rocks, which is then absorbed by
microorganisms and plants. It's then transferred up the food chain, where it's digested
by plants and animals before being released when they disintegrate. Although many
bacteria can decrease sulfur in tiny amounts, certain specialized bacteria may
completely rely on sulfur for respiration. In their respiration, they employ sulfur or
sulfate as an electron receptor and emit sulfide as waste. In microorganisms, this is a
frequent kind of anaerobic respiration. Many harmful bacteria species have sulfur-
reducing mechanisms. Because bacterial species that reduce sulfur cause tuberculosis
and leprosy, the sulfur reduction pathway is a key target for therapeutic research.