Recycling in the Biosphere Matter moves through ecosystems in biogeochemical cycles http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/videos/tour-water-cycle Changes that occur ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Evaporation Transpiration Condensation Precipitation Runoff Seepage Root uptake How are evaporation and transpiration related? Water Cycle Evaporation is part of the process of transpiration. Carbon Cycle Is anything missing? What else adds Carbon to the atmosphere? Volcanic Activity Changes that occur ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Photosynthesis Respiration Decomposition Combustion Volcanic Activity Human activity Mining Burning wood Fossil fuels Carbon Cycle Nitrogen Cycle Changes that occur ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Nitrogen fixation Denitrification Decomposition Excretion Why is nitrogen important to organisms? To make amino acids that are in turn used to produce proteins. Nitrogen Cycle Oxygen moves through each cycle ◦ Nitrogen ◦ Carbon ◦ Water It bonds with each element and moves through the cycles. ◦ H2O ◦ NO2 ◦ CO2 Oxygen Cycle Carbon Dioxide is a Greenhouse gas. ◦ That means it is a gas that absorbs heat. What might happen to the carbon cycle if we eliminated ALL the plants so that photosynthesis did not take place anymore? Predictions? Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Nitric Oxide (NO) are toxic gases. Acting as mild irritants or possibly causing severe respiratory problems. ◦ The agriculture industry adds nitrogen to our atmosphere daily through the use of nitrogen based fertilizers. If Nitrogen continues to get added in large amounts, what might happen? Predictions? Water in our atmosphere has the ability to absorb some gases. For example NO2 and NO (Nox). These combinations produce Acid Rain. ◦ Acid rain has the ability to pollute our water systems causing problems for aquatic ecosystems, and to take away nutrients from our soil causing problems for terrestrial ecosystems. What would happen to the water cycle if the amount of NOx gases increases? Predictions? All of these cycles involve the use of Oxygen. Most importantly the Carbon cycle involves the use of a lot of oxygen. ◦ What would happen to oxygen levels if we had no carbon dioxide in our atmosphere? ◦ Example: Photosynthesis Predictions?
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