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 In ecology and Earth science, a biogeochemical cycle is a
pathway by which a chemical substance is turned over or
moves through the biotic (biosphere) and the abiotic
(lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere) compartments
of Earth.
 any of the natural pathways by which essential elements of
living matter are circulated from the nonliving components
of the biosphere to the living components and back.
 This concept refers to the circular movement of essential
nutrients in the biosphere.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Ecologists divide the biogeographic cycle
into two:
The reservoir pool is that large
slow moving and biologically
inert portion of the
biogeochemical cycle, while the
cycling pool is that small fast
moving and biologically active
portion of the biogeochemical
cycle

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
The reservoir pool is composed of two
compartments:
(1) the gaseous compartment, the source of
gaseous macronutrients
(2) the sedimentary compartment, the
source of all nutrients derived from minerals
bound in the earth’s crust

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Essential Nutrients
– Macronutrients -
Required in relatively
large amounts
– Micronutrients -
Required in small
amounts, minor or
trace elements

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
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BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
 We Are All
C.H.N.O.P.S.!!

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
 C.H.N.O.P.S. stands for the six
most abundant elements of
living organisms. Here is an
acrostic to show what each letter
means.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
PERCENTAGE OF CHONPS IN LIVING THINGS
CHONPS: the 6 most important chemical elements that
make up most biological molecules on Earth
C Carbon 18.5%
H Hydrogen 9.56%
O Oxygen 65.0%
N Nitrogen 3.3%
P Phosphorus 1.0%
S Sulfur Trace

Other trace 3.0% (Copper,

magnesium, etc)
http://biologyblurb.weebly.com/chonps.html

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
REACTION PAPER

• DESCRIBE THE
BIOGEOCHEMICAL AND THE
ECOLOGY THAT THE BUTAN
IS DOING.
• DESCRIBE AND WRITE A
REACTION PAPER
REGARDING THE VIDEO
• Write at least 500 words
 Carbon- Carbon is the chemical basis of life. It
is really good at bonding. This is because
carbon can bond in four places, and it even can
bond to itself, so its easy to make lots of
different molecules. Without carbon we
wouldn't even exist.
 protein, lipids, carbohydrates or nucleic
acids of DNA are made of Carbon; good at
bonding & making complex OM

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Carbon cycle shows the movement of carbon in
elemental and combined states on earth.
Carbon cycle is the process where carbon
compounds are interchanged among the
biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the
earth.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
  Carbon in the atmosphere is present in the form of carbon
dioxide. Carbon enters the atmosphere through natural
processes such as respiration and industrial applications such as
burning fossil fuels. The process of photosynthesis involves the
absorption of CO2 by plants to produce carbohydrates. The
equation is as follows:
CO2 + H2O + energy → (CH2O)n +O2
 Carbon compounds are passed along the food chain from the producers
to consumers. The majority of the carbon exists in the body in the form
of carbon dioxide through respiration. The role of decomposers is to eat
the dead organism and return the carbon from their body back into the
atmosphere. The equation for this process is:
(CH2O)n +O2 → CO2 + H2O
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 HYDROGEN- Hydrogen is in water. Humans
are made mostly of water, The water is
important because it passes nutrients to cells
and also carries waste away from cells. Water is
also essential in plants. 
 Hydrogen is the lightest element (only one
proton and one electron) and the most abundant
element in exsistence. In it's elemental form,
hydrogen is a gas.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
 The hydrologic cycle represents the
processes and pathways involved in the
cyclical movement of water from the land
bodies of water, to the atmosphere and back to
land.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
 Stages of Water Cycle

Precipitatio
Evaporation Condesation Collection
n

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BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
 Nitrogen- Nitrogen is a chemical element that
is ordorless, colorless, and tasteless. 
 First of all, nitrogen is present in proteins. Our
cells in the body are made up of proteins and
without it the cells would lack the capacity to
repair and nourish the tissues in the body.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
 Nitrogen Cycle is a biogeochemical process
through which nitrogen is converted into
many forms, consecutively passing from the
atmosphere to the soil to organism and back
into the atmosphere.
 It involves several processes such as nitrogen
fixation, nitrification, denitrification, decay
and putrefaction.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
 Bacteria called nitrogen-fixing bacteria live in
the soil and put nitrogen into the air. The
nitrogen is picked up by plants and carried on
to any consumers of the plant. Decomposers
break down waste and return nitrogen to
compounds. This is all part of the nitrogen
cycle.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
STAGES OF NITROGEN CYCLE

Process of Nitrogen Cycle consists of the

following steps – Nitrogen
fixation, Nitrification, Assimilation,
Ammonification and Denitrification.
These processes take place in several
stages and are explained below:
 NITROGEN FIXATION
It is the initial step of the nitrogen cycle. Here, Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) which is primarily available in
an inactive form, is converted into the usable form -ammonia (NH4).
During the process of Nitrogen fixation, the inert form of nitrogen gas is deposited into soils from the
atmosphere and surface waters, mainly through precipitation. Later, the nitrogen undergoes a set of
changes, in which two nitrogen atoms get separated and combine with hydrogen to form ammonia
(NH4+).
The entire process of Nitrogen fixation is completed by symbiotic bacteria which are known as
Diazotrophs. Azotobacter and Rhizobium also have a major role in this process. These bacteria
consist of a nitrogenase enzyme which has the capability to combine gaseous nitrogen with hydrogen
to form ammonia.
Nitrogen fixation can occur either by the atmospheric fixation- which involves lightening or industrial
fixation by manufacturing ammonia under high temperature and pressure condition. This can also be
fixed through man-made processes, primarily industrial processes that create ammonia and nitrogen-
rich fertilisers.
• Types of Nitrogen
Fixation
Atmospheric fixation: A
natural phenomenon
where the energy of
lightning breaks the
nitrogen into nitrogen
oxides and is then used
by plants.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
• Types of Nitrogen
Fixation
Industrial nitrogen fixation: Is
a man-made alternative that
aids in nitrogen fixation by
the use of ammonia.
Ammonia is produced by the
direct combination of nitrogen
and hydrogen and later, it is
converted into various
fertilizers such as urea.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
• Types of Nitrogen
Fixation
Biological nitrogen fixation: We
already know that nitrogen is not
usable directly from the air for
plants and animals. Bacteria like
Rhizobium and blue-green algae
transform the unusable form of
nitrogen into other compounds
that are more readily usable.
These nitrogen compounds get
fixed in the soil by these microbes

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
NITRIFICATION

In this process, the ammonia is converted into

nitrate by the presence of bacteria in the
soil. Nitrites are formed by the oxidation
of Ammonia with the help of Nitrosomonas
bacterium species.
Later, the produced nitrites are converted into
nitrates by Nitrobacter.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
 NITRIFICATION
THE REACTION INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF NITRIFICATION IS AS FOLLOWS:

HYDRO WATER
GEN

AMMONI
A
Nitrobacter
NITRITES
Nitrosomonas
bacterium
species

OXYGEN
NITRATE
OXYGEN S

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
ASSIMILATION

Primary producers – plants take in the nitrogen

compounds from the soil with the help of
their roots, which are available in the form of
ammonia, nitrite ions, nitrate ions or
ammonium ions and are used in the
formation of the plant and animal proteins.
This way, it enters the food web when the
primary consumers eat the plants.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
AMMONIFICATION

When plants or animals die, the nitrogen present in

the organic matter is released back into the soil.
The decomposers, namely bacteria or fungi
present in the soil, convert the organic matter
back into ammonium. This process of
decomposition produces ammonia, which is
further used for other biological processes.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
 DENITRIFICATION
Denitrification is the process in which the nitrogen compounds
makes its way back into the atmosphere by converting nitrate
(NO3-)  into gaseous nitrogen (N).
This process of the nitrogen cycle is the final stage and occurs in
the absence of oxygen. Denitrification is carried out by
the denitrifying bacterial species- Clostridium and
Pseudomonas, which will process nitrate to gain oxygen and
gives out free nitrogen gas as a byproduct.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
IMPORTANCE OF NITROGEN CYCLE
Helps in converting inert nitrogen gas into a usable form for the plants
through the biochemical process.
In the process of ammonification, the bacteria help in decomposing the
animal and plant matter, which indirectly helps to clean up the
environment.
Nitrates and nitrites are released into the soil, which helps in enriching
the soil with necessary nutrients required for cultivation.
Nitrogen is an integral component of the cell and it forms many crucial
compounds and important biomolecules.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
 PHOSPHORUS
Phosphorus- it takes certain levels of phosphous to help keep
your bones stay healthy. In fact you can drink all the milk that
you want and take calcium supplements every day, but unless
you're getting enough phosphorus into your system, the
calcium will not be able to help you and your bones. it
helps the body create energy. It also assists your body in
snthesizing proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Finally, it
regulares the fluid levels in your body.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
https://byjus.com/biology/nitrogen-cycle/
PHOSPHORUS CYCLE
Phosphorus cycle is a biogeochemical process that involves the movement of
phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.”
Phosphorus is an important element for all living organisms. It forms a
significant part of the structural framework of DNA and RNA. They are
also an important component of ATP. Humans contain 80% of phosphorus
in teeth and bones.
Phosphorus cycle is a very slow process. Various weather processes help to
wash the phosphorus present in the rocks into the soil. Phosphorus is
absorbed by the organic matter in the soil which is used for various
biological processes.
Since phosphorus and phosphorus-containing compounds are present only
on land, atmosphere plays no significant role in the phosphorus cycle.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
STEPS OF PHOSPHORUS CYCLE

1. Weathering
2. Absorption by Plants
3. Absorption by Animals
4. Return to the Environment through
Decomposition

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
WEATHERING
Phosphorus is found in the rocks in abundance. That is why the
phosphorus cycle starts in the earth’s crust. The phosphate salts are
broken down from the rocks. These salts are washed away into the
ground where they mix in the soil.

Weathering is the breaking down of rocks,

soils, and minerals as well as wood and
artificial materials through contact with
water, atmospheric gases, and biological
organisms.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
ABSORPTION BY PLANTS

The phosphate salts dissolved in water are

absorbed by the plants. However, the
amount of phosphorus present in the soil
is very less. That is why the farmers apply
phosphate fertilizers on agricultural land.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
ABSORPTION BY ANIMALS

The animals absorb phosphorus from

the plants or by consuming plant-
eating animals. The rate of the
phosphorus cycle is faster in plants
and animals when compared to rocks.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
RETURN OF PHOSPHORUS BACK TO THE
ECOSYSTEM
When the plants and animals die they are
decomposed by microorganisms During
this process, the organic form of
phosphorus is converted into the inorganic
form, which is recycled to soil and water.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
SULFUR
Sulfur is needed for the proper production of collagen, the
protein found in all connective tissues. This makes it an
extremely important component in protecting the joints.
Sulfur is also important for maintaining healthy hair and
skin.
On land, sulpur is stored in underground rocks and
minerals. It is released by precipitation, weathering of
rocks and geothermal vents

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
SULFUR CYCLE
is a biogeochemical cycle consisting of various processes
that together enable the movement of sulfur through
different reservoirs like the atmosphere, biosphere, and
lithosphere.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
SULFUR CYCLE

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES