Biogeochemical Cycles – “Pathways of Matter”

-Matter is recycled.

Oxygen-Carbon Dioxide cycle

TRIVIA: Plants breathe in Oxygen in a process called cellular respiration which occurs in the
mitochondrion to produce energy (ATP). Stomata - tiny openings present on the epidermis of leaves

Nitrogen Cycle
N2 is needed for synthesizing protein.
Nitrogen has to be converted to Nitrate to be used.

Nitrogen Fixation
Nitrogen fixing bacteria – Converts N2 to ammonia (NH3)
Nitrifying bacteria – converts ammonia into Nitrite (NO2) and Oxygen (O2), then into Nitrate (NO3)
Denitrification bacteria – release nitrogen from the Nitrates back into the atmosphere.

Phosphorous Cycle (Slowest)

Rocks contain Phosphorous, Weathering of rocks will cause the formation of underground phosphate
reserve which will be absorbed by plants, and when eaten will be incorporated in the body of the
animals, and when the animals die, their decay will add to the phosphorus deposit on land. The
phosphate reserve can leach to a body of water. Phosphate fertilizer from farmlands can runoff to
bodies of water. Additionally, phosphate from the weathered rocks can be carried by the water and
contribute to the water sediments underwater, hence, forming an underwater phosphate reserve. Then,
it will form a new rock containing phosphorous then it will be released back into the environment
through weathering. The cycle goes on.

Sulfur Cycle
Sulfur is stored in the lithosphere and is released by weathering. On the other hand, Hydrogen sulfide
and SO2 is released by volcanic eruptions, decay of living matter in swamps, and hot springs.

Marine Algae produce Dimethyl sulfide into the atmosphere as tiny droplets. When Dimethyl sulfide
reacts with oxygen gas, they produce Sulfur dioxide. Burning of fossil fuels also release SO2.

SO2 reacts with oxygen which produces Sulfur trioxide, which also reacts to water in the atmosphere to
produce sulfuric acid. Sulfur trioxide also reacts with ammonia to produce sulfate salts. Sulfuric acid and
sulfate salts fall to the earth thru precipitation which are absorbed by the ocean and soil, respectively.
Animals then acquire sulfur by eating plants, and then animals release sulfur when they decay. As they
decay, they release sulfate salts and hydrogen sulfide. Anaerobic bacteria break down hydrogen sulfide
to produce sulfur gas while aerobic bacteria convert sulfur into sulfate salts which the plants
uptake/absorb. Then, the cycle goes on.

Definition of Terms
Nitrogen fixation is the essential biological process and the initial stage of the nitrogen cycle. In this
process, nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into ammonia (another form of nitrogen) by certain
bacterial species like Rhizobium, Azotobacter, etc. and by other

Nitrification is a microbial process by which reduced nitrogen compounds (primarily ammonia) are
sequentially oxidized to nitrite and nitrate.

Denitrification is the process that converts nitrate to nitrogen gas, thus removing bioavailable nitrogen
and returning it to the atmosphere.

Nitrogen assimilation is the process by which inorganic nitrogen compounds are used to form organic
nitrogen compounds such as amino acids, amides, etc. Organisms like plants, fungi and certain bacteria
that can fix nitrogen gas (N2) depend on the ability to assimilate nitrate or ammonia for their needs.

Surface Runoff - precipitation that runs off the landscape. This can occur when the soil is saturated by
water to its full capacity, and the rain arrives more quickly than the soil can absorb it.

Biomes
A biome is a large area characterized by its vegetation, soil, climate, and wildlife.

Aquatic biomes include both freshwater and marine biomes.

Freshwater biomes are bodies of water surrounded by land—such as ponds, rivers, and lakes—that
have a salt content of less than one percent.

Marine biomes cover close to three-quarters of Earth’s surface. Marine biomes include the ocean, coral
reefs, and estuaries.

Grasslands are open regions that are dominated by grass and have a warm, dry climate. There are two
types of grasslands: tropical grasslands (sometimes called savannas) and temperate grasslands.
Savannas are found closer to the equator and can have a few scattered trees. They cover almost half of
the continent of Africa, as well as areas of Australia, India, and South America. Temperate grasslands are
found further away from the equator, in South Africa, Hungary, Argentina, Uruguay, North America, and
Russia. They do not have any trees or shrubs, and receive less precipitation than savannas. Prairies and
steppes are two types of temperate grasslands; prairies are characterized as having taller grasses, while
steppes have shorter grasses.

Forests are dominated by trees, and cover about one-third of the Earth. Forests contain much of the
world’s terrestrial biodiversity, including insects, birds, and mammals. The three major forest biomes are
temperate forests, tropical forests, and boreal forests (also known as the taiga). These forest types occur
at different latitudes, and therefore experience different climatic conditions. Tropical forests are warm,
humid, and found close to the equator. Temperate forests are found at higher latitudes and experience
all four seasons. Boreal forests are found at even higher latitudes, and have the coldest and driest
climate, where precipitation occurs primarily in the form of snow.
Deserts are dry areas where rainfall is less than 50 centimeters (20 inches) per year. They cover around
20 percent of Earth’s surface. Deserts can be either cold or hot, although most of them are found in
subtropical areas. Because of their extreme conditions, there is not as much biodiversity found in
deserts as in other biomes. Any vegetation and wildlife living in a desert must have special adaptations
for surviving in a dry environment. Desert wildlife consists primarily of reptiles and small mammals.
Deserts can fall into four categories according to their geographic location or climatic conditions: hot
and dry, semiarid, coastal, and cold.

Xerophyte – a plant which needs little water

Succulents - drought-resistant plants in which the leaves, stem, or roots have become more than usually
fleshy by the development of water-storing tissue

A tundra has extremely inhospitable conditions, with the lowest measured temperatures of any of the
five major biomes with average yearly temperatures ranging from -34 to 12 degrees Celsius (-29 to 54
degrees Fahrenheit). They also have a low amount of precipitation, just 15–25 centimeters (six to ten
inches) per year, as well as poor quality soil nutrients and short summers. There are two types of tundra:
arctic and alpine. The tundra does not have much biodiversity and vegetation is simple, including shrubs,
grasses, mosses, and lichens. This is partly due to a frozen layer under the soil surface, called
permafrost. The arctic tundra is found north of boreal forests and the alpine tundra is found on
mountains where the altitude is too high for trees to survive. Any wildlife inhabiting the tundra must be
adapted to its extreme conditions to survive.