BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE

Nitrogen Cycle
Water Cycle
Phosphorus Cycle
Carbon-Oxygen Cycle
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE
In geography and Earth science,
a biogeochemical cycle or substance
turnover or cycling of substances is a pathway
by which a chemical
element or molecule moves through both biotic
(biosphere) and abiotic
(lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere)
compartments of Earth.
A cycle is a series of change which comes back
to the starting point and which can be repeated.
Biogeochemical tells us that biological;
geological and chemical factors are all involved.
On the other hand the circulation of chemical
nutrients like carbon, oxygen, nitrogen,
phosphorus, calcium, and water etc. through
the biological and physical world are known as
biogeochemical cycle.
In effect, the element is recycled
nitrogen cycle ..
is the process by which nitrogen is converted
between its various chemical forms.
the Important processes in the nitrogen cycle
include fixation, mineralization, nitrification,
and denitrification.
The majority of Earth's atmosphere
(approximately 78%) is nitrogen
Ecological function
Nitrogen is essential for many processes; it is
crucial for any life on Earth.
It is a component in all amino acids, as
incorporated into proteins, and is present in the
bases that make up nucleic acids, such
as DNA and RNA.
In plants, much of the nitrogen is used
in chlorophyll molecules, which are essential for
photosynthesis and further growth.
nitrogen cycle process
Nitrogen is present in the environment in a
wide variety of chemical forms :organic
nitrogen, ammonium , nitrite , nitrate , nitrous
oxide , nitric oxide or inorganic nitrogen gas.

Organic nitrogen may be in the form of a living

organism, humus or in the intermediate
products of organic matter decomposition. The
processes of the nitrogen cycle transform
nitrogen from one form to another.
Conversion of N2 ..
The conversion of nitrogen (N2) from the
atmosphere into a form readily available to
plants and hence to animals is an important
step in the nitrogen cycle, which distributes the
supply of this essential nutrient.
There are 4 ways to convert N2 (atmospheric
nitrogen gas) into more chemically reactive
forms.
four(4) ways ..
Biological fixation: some symbiotic bacteria
(most often associated with leguminous plants)
and some free-living bacteria are able to fix
nitrogen as organic nitrogen.
Industrial N-fixation: Under great pressure, at a
temperature of 600 C, and with the use of an
iron catalyst, hydrogen (usually derived from
natural gas or petroleum) and atmospheric
nitrogen can be combined to form ammonia
(NH3).
Combustion of fossil fuels : automobile engines
and thermal power plants, which release
various nitrogen oxides (NOx).
Other processes : In addition, the formation of
NO from N2 and O2 due to photons and
especially lightning, can fix nitrogen.
Nitrogen fixation ..
Atmospheric nitrogen must be processed, or
"fixed" to be used by plants. Some fixation
occurs in lightning strikes, but most fixation is
done by free-living or symbiotic bacteria.
Assimilation
Plants take nitrogen from the soil, by
absorption through their roots in the form of
either nitrate ions or ammonium ions. All
nitrogen obtained by animals can be traced
back to the eating of plants at some stage of
the food chain.
Ammonification
When a plant or animal dies, or an animal
expels waste, the initial form of nitrogen
is organic. Bacteria, or fungi in some cases,
convert the organic nitrogen within the remains

back into ammonium , a process called

ammonification or mineralization
Nitrification
The conversion of ammonium to nitrate is
performed primarily by soil-living bacteria and
other nitrifying bacteria.
Denitrification
.. is the reduction of nitrates back into the
largely inert nitrogen gas (N2), completing the
nitrogen cycle. This process is performed by
bacterial species.
Anaerobic ammonium oxidation
nitrite and ammonium are converted directly
into elemental nitrogen (N2) gas. This process
makes up a major proportion of elemental
nitrogen conversion in the oceans.
WATER CYCLE
The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic
cycle or H2O cycle, describes the continuous
movement of water on, above and below the
surface of the Earth.
Water can change states among liquid, vapor,
and ice at various places in the water cycle.
Although the balance of water on Earth remains
fairly constant over time, individual water
molecules can come and go, in and out of
the atmosphere.
The water moves from one reservoir to another,
such as from river to ocean, or from the ocean
to the atmosphere, by the physical processes
of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infi
ltration, runoff, and subsurface flow.
In so doing, the water goes through different
phases: liquid, solid, and gas.
The water cycle involves the exchange of heat
energy, which leads to temperature changes.
For instance, in the process of evaporation,
water takes up energy from the surroundings
and cools the environment.
Conversely, in the process of condensation,
water releases energy to its surroundings,
warming the environment
The water cycle figures significantly in the
maintenance of life and ecosystems on Earth.
Even as water in each reservoir plays an
important role, the water cycle brings added
significance to the presence of water on our
planet.

By transferring water from one reservoir to

another, the water cycle purifies water,
replenishes the land with freshwater, and
transports minerals to different parts of the
globe.
It is also involved in reshaping the geological
features of the Earth, through such processes
as erosion and sedimentation. In addition, as
the water cycle also involves heat exchange, it
exerts an influence on climate as well
Phosphorus Cycle
Phosphorus is an essential and limiting nutrient
or plants and animals in the form of ions, and
for aquatic organisms.
Phosphorus forms parts of important lifesustaining molecules that are very common in
the biosphere. It does not enter the
atmosphere, remaining mostly on land and in
rock and soil minerals.
80% of the mined phosphorus is used to make
fertilizers, and a type of phosphorus such as
dilute phosphoric acid is used in soft drinks.
Phosphates may be effective in such ways but
also causes pollution issues in lakes and streams.
Most phosphates are found as salts in
ocean sediments or in rocks.
Plants absorb phosphates from the soil, then
bind the phosphate into organic compounds.
The plants may then be consumed
by herbivores who in turn may be consumed
by carnivores.
After death, the animal or plant decays, and the
phosphates are returned to the soil. Runoff may
carry them back to the ocean or they may be
reincorporated into rock.
Cycle Process ..
Phosphates move quickly through plants and
animals; however, the processes that move
them through the soil or ocean are very slow,
making the phosphorus cycle overall one of the
slowest biogeochemical cycles.
Phosphorus cannot usually be found in air as a
gas, it only occurs under highly reducing
conditions,
.. this is because at normal temperature and
circumstances, it is a solid in the form of red
and white phosphorus.

It usually cycles through water, soil and

sediments. Phosphorus is typically the limiting
nutrient found in streams, lakes and fresh water
environments.
As rocks and sediments gradually wear down,
phosphate is released. In the atmosphere
phosphorus is mainly small dust particles.
Initially, phosphate weathers from rocks. In soil,
phosphate is absorbed on clay surfaces and
organic matter particles.
Plants dissolve ionized forms of phosphate.
Herbivores obtain phosphorus by eating plants,
and carnivores by eating herbivores. Herbivores
and carnivores excrete phosphorus as a waste
product in urine and feces.
Phosphorus is released back to the soil when
plants or animal matter decomposes and the
cycle repeats.
Carbon-Oxygen Cycle Methods ..
Photosynthesis
Plants undergo photosynthesis that helps them
produce energy and food for themselves.
During this process, plants take in carbon
dioxide (CO2) and absorb water (H2O) with the
help of their roots.
The chlorophyll present in the leaves and the
energy from the sun, helps convert CO2 and
H2O into Oxygen O2, sugar and water vapor.
Oxygen (O2) is released by the plants as a byproduct into the atmosphere.
Formula for Photosynthesis
CO2 + H2O + Light ----------> (CH2O) + O2
The carbon dioxide from air and water from
the soil in presence of light (energy) is taken by
the plants and converted into carbohydrates
and oxygen as by-products.
Respiration
Just as plants carry out photosynthesis,
animals carry out respiration. Respiration
occurs when animals take in oxygen from the
air along with simple sugars from their food.
This helps in release of carbon dioxide, water
and energy from the animal body. During
cellular respiration, animals require O2 while
inhalation. When they exhale the waste
product of cellular respiration, they release
CO2 into the atmosphere again.

Formula for Respiration

(CH2O) + O2 ----------> CO2 + H2O + Energy
The carbohydrates taken from food like plants
or carbon-based compounds along with
oxygen are converted to carbon dioxide which
is released into the air along with water and
energy during respiration.
Combustion
It is a process of burning that occurs naturally
in the nature. For example, volcanic eruptions
are natural combustion processes where
carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere
due to burning. Nowadays, there are many
environmental pollutants that cause an
increase in the amount of CO2 in the air.
These include cars, factories, burning of woods,
coals, nuclear energy, gas, etc. This
irresponsible combustion and release of
excessive carbon dioxide and other harmful
gases in the environment is the major
contributing factor for today's global warming.
Decomposition
After the death of any living organism, i.e.,
unicellular or multicellular organism, it gets
decomposed. This decomposition means
insects, fungi and bacteria (together called
decomposers), help in breaking down the
cellular components of the dead organism into
its basic elements.
These elements include water, calcium,
nitrogen, carbon and oxygen. Thus,
decomposers help in release of oxygen and
carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere as
their metabolic waste products.
The entire cycle can be summarized as, plants
taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen
during photosynthesis. This oxygen released is
taken up by animals who release carbon
dioxide after carrying out respiration.
Thus, the recycling of carbon and oxygen in the
atmosphere will continue as long as
respiration and photosynthesis occur.
This also proves that, to sustain life, plants are
very important as they are the major
contributors to the amount of oxygen present
in the atmosphere.

Sulfur Cycle
The sulfur cycle is the collection of
processes by which sulfur moves to and
from minerals (including the
waterways) and living systems.
Such biogeochemical cycles are
important in geologybecause they
affect many minerals. Biogeochemical
cycles are also important for life
because sulfur is an essential element,
being a constituent of
many proteins and cofactors.

Steps of the sulfur cycle are:

Mineralization of organic sulfur into
inorganic forms, such as hydrogen
sulfide (H2S), elemental sulfur, as well
as sulfide minerals.
Oxidation of hydrogen sulfide, sulfide,
and elemental sulfur (S)
to sulfate (SO42).
Reduction of sulfate to sulfide.
Incorporation sulfide into organic
compounds (including metalcontaining derivatives).
These are often termed as follows:
Assimilative sulfate reduction (see
also sulfur assimilation) in which
sulfate (SO42) is reduced
by plants,fungi and
various prokaryotes. The oxidation
states of sulfur are +6 in sulfate and 2
in RSH.
Desulfurization in which organic
molecules containing sulfur can be
desulfurized, producing hydrogen
sulfide gas (H2S, oxidation state = 2).
An analogous process for organic
nitrogen compounds is deamination.

Oxidation of hydrogen sulfide produces

elemental sulfur (S8), oxidation state =
0. This reaction occurs in
thephotosynthetic green and purple
sulfur bacteria and
some chemolithotrophs. Often the
elemental sulfur is stored
as polysulfides.
oxidation of elemental sulfur by sulfur
oxidizers produces sulfate.
Dissimilative sulfur reduction in which
elemental sulfur can be reduced to
hydrogen sulfide.
Dissimilative sulfate reduction in
which sulfate reducers generate
hydrogen sulfide from sulfate.