Biogeochemical Cycles - Part I

Biogeochemical Cycles
Different Reactions
Living Organisms Non-living
on Earth

Ar

O2 N2
Oxidising
atmosphere

CH2
CO2 H2O
Plants
Animals
Ocean

Biotic components Abiotic components

The movement of chemical substances among the living and non-living
components of the Earth
Main biogeochemical cycles are Carbon cycle, Oxygen cycle, Hydrogen cycle,
Nitrogen cycle, Phosphorus cycle, Sulphur cycle and Water cycle

Carbon Cycle
Carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere,
hydrosphere and the atmosphere of the Earth through a biogeochemical
cycle called Carbon Cycle.

All organic compounds have carbon

CO2
Auto &
Factory Cycle Photosynthesis
emissions Animal Plant
3 respiration respiration
Ocean uptake
CO2 is released in
atmosphere by respiration
1
Plants remove CO2 from
of animals, combustion of Root
atmosphere.
fossil fuels in industries respiration
and automobiles. Organic waste

2
Lithosphere has CO2 in the form of fossil fuels

Oxygen Cycle
This biogeochemical cycle explains the movement of oxygen gas within
the atmosphere, the ecosystem, biosphere and the lithosphere.
21% O2 in air Used for Respiration, Combustion, Atom in molecules like H2O, CO2
Oxidation and Decomposition
Atmospheric
oxygen O
O

1
All green plants during the
process of photosynthesis, Photosynthesis Oxygen
2
All aerobic organisms use
release oxygen back into
free oxygen for respiration.
the atmosphere as a Carbon
dioxide
by-product.

3
Animals exhale carbon dioxide back into the
atmosphere which is again used by the plants
during photosynthesis. Thus oxygen is balanced
in the atmosphere.
 Biogeochemical Cycles - Part II
Nitrogen (N2) Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle is a biogeochemical process which transforms the elemental
nitrogen present in the atmosphere to a more usable form for living organisms.

Process of Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen fixation Nitrification Assimilation Ammonification Denitrification

1 2 3
Atmospheric nitrogen: 78% But animals & plants cannot Ammonia and other soluble
N2 (elemental form) utilize gaseous form of nitrogen forms as NO3- & NO2- can be used

Forest fires release N

N2 from trees which
Lightning converts nitrogen then goes back to the atmosphere.
to ammonia and nitrate which
return to soil & water by rain
ATMOSPHERIC NITROGEN 78%
Nitrogen from atmosphere returns
to soil and water with the help of
bacteria and algae.
Animals eat plants to
receive N
N2 to be used to
Too much nitrogen from make DNA, RNA &
fertillizers returns to soil, proteins.
contaminates ground water. Animals excrete wastes.
Algae converts unusable
Nitrogen to usable

Fish dies, decompose

Plants and animals die,
return to the soil,
Denitrifying bacteria convert
are decomposed
nitrogen to an unusable form,
return it to atmosphere

Decomposers
( Worms, bacteria, beetles, fungi)
break down waste and dead things.
Bacteria fix N2 which is released into
soil & water & used by plants

Phosphorus Cycle
Phosphorus cycle involves both aquatic and soil reservoirs

Weathering or
erosion of rocks
Rocks contain
phosphate (PO43-)

Urine

Waste
decomposition Plant Uptake

Inorganic phosphate (HPO4) Dissolved Phosphates

Geological Upheaval
Incorporation into
sedimentary rocks
(as phosphates of Excretion &
Ca, Mg and Fe) decomposition