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MATERIAL CYCLING
HOW NUTRIENTS CYCLE
RECALL: PERCEPTIONS OF HUMANS TO NATURE
A.Nature is FRAGILE - delicate balance - could easily be upset by changes !
B. Nature is DURABLE - very sturdy - may change without much adverse consequence - can restore itself back
RECALL: ENERGY CANNOT BE CREATED NOR DESTROYED
The movement of elements and compounds that are essential to life
Materials are transported through organisms, the atmosphere, water and land in a series of CYCLES
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLING
“Bio” – life, participation of organisms
“Geo” - abiotic environment as source of nutrients
“Chemical” – nature of substances being cycled
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BASIC TYPE OF CYCLES
www.colorado.edu
Gaseous type – the reservoir is the atmosphere and/or hydrosphere (e.g. N2, CO2, O2)
Sedimentary type – the reservoir is the Earth’s crust (e.g. Phosphorus)
Linkage type – the reservoir includes major pathways in air, water, and crust (e.g. sulfur)
WHEN DO THE PROBLEMS COME IN?
Errors in Nutrient Cycling
www.foe.co.uk
SOURCES OF ERRORS
Pollution – accumulation of a chemical form that is higher than the standards
njitvector.com
Clean Air Act of 1998
SOURCES OF ERRORS
Non-biodegradable substances – change to form new chemical structure where no organism has yet to utilize it
A to A’ to A’’ to A’’’sarahmosko.wordpress.com
SOURCES OF ERRORS
Reduction of the concentration of other chemical forms – limits growth of the subsequent components of the cycle
www.conserve-energy-future.com
SOURCES OF ERRORS
Eutrophication - the channeling of a substance to other pathways (greater amounts of phosphates in aquatic systems)
ericrumble.typepad.com
THE DIFFERENT BIOGEOCHEMICAL
CYCLES
HOW NUTRIENTS CYCLE
PURPOSE: Mediates Nutrient Cycle and A Major Energy
Dissipation Pathway
IMPACTS OF HUMAN INTRUSION
More consumption than supply
Pumping waters from aquifers - not a normal part of the water cycle
Garbage and wastes pollute the water and clog drainage systems induces flooding
Asphalting – render the ground impervious to water blocks infiltration
WATER POLLUTION
www.conserve-energy-future.com
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU THINK OF?
THE OXYGEN CYCLEenviron.andrew.cmu.edu
TYPE: Gaseous
!Major Reservoir: Atmosphere
Forms: Free and Molecular Oxygen
Sources: Photosynthesis from producer AND Photodissociation of Water Vapor
Fate of Free O2:
Reach higher levels of trophosphere and reduced to ozone (provides protection by filtering out the sun's UV rays)
May react with chemicals and organic compounds of the earth’s crust
May be used up in cell respiration which release CO2 to be used by autotrophs to produce more O2
IMPACTS OF HUMAN INTRUSION
CFC’s (chlorofluorocarbons) deplete ozone layer “ozone hole”
Eutrophication (nutrient enrichment from agricultural and domestic wastes) leads to depletion of oxygen in water
Combustion of fossil fuels and removal of vegetation (deforestation) deplete the supply of oxygen in the atmosphere
DEPLETION OF OXYGEN
www.wri.org
DEPLETION OF OXYGEN
www.theguardian.com
TYPE: Gaseous
!
Major Reservoir: Atmosphere but also calcium carbonate in shells and limestone, as well as fossil fuel
Significance : Major element of organic compounds; building blocks of all biomolecules
TYPE: Gaseous
!Processes:
Photosynthesis removes CO2 while respiration and combustion add CO2 to the atmosphere.
CO2 from air and water combine to form bicarbonate (HCO3) – source of carbon for aquatic producers. Carbonic acid makes rainwater also slightly acidic
Similarly, when aquatic organisms respire, CO2 is released and combine with water to form HCO3. HCO3 (water) = CO2 (air)
CRUCIAL ISSUEExcess Carbon Emissions
(Anthropogenic)
www.foe.co.uk
NORMALLY….mpe.dimacs.rutgers.edu
HOWEVER… croesy-gcse-geography.doomby.com
TYPE: Gaseous
!
Major reservoir – ATMOSPHERE
Importance – Essential for many biological processes, constitutes part of proteins (amino acids), in bases of nucleic acids that make up DNA and RNA
79% of atmosphere is made up of nitrogen (N2) but this is INERT
It must be fixed for organisms to utilize it
THE NITROGEN FIXERSblog.targethealth.com
micro-scopic.tumblr.com
IMPACTS OF HUMAN INTRUSION
USE OF NITROGEN FERTILIZERS
NITROGEN OXIDES RELEASED THROUGH COMBUSTION
Human use of nitrogen fertilizers causes runoff, leading to eutrophication in aquatic systems (e.g. eutrophication)
Ozone + PAN Photochemical Smog
NITROGEN IN FISH FARMINGwww.marketplace.org
IMPACTS OF HUMAN INTRUSION
LIVESTOCK RELEASE OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF AMMONIA (FROM WASTES)
The ammonia released from wastes of livestock can have detrimental effects on fish and other organisms
NITRATES LEACHING INTO GROUNDWATER
Nitrogen level in drinking water rises
A large rise of nitrogen in drinking water supplies leads to Methemoglobinemia / Blue-Baby Syndrome
There is reduction in diversity
TYPE: PURELY SEDIMENTAL
Major reservoir – Earth’s crust
Importance
Phosphorous -also found in bones, in phospholipids which are found in biological membranes.
TYPE: PURELY SEDIMENTAL
Gradual cycle - It has no gaseous phase
Phosphorous normally occurs in nature as part of phosphate ion. Most phosphates found as salts in ocean sediments or in rocks.
Over time : geologic processes can bring sediments from ocean to land, and weathering can bring it from land to ocean
Phosphorous constituent of nucleic acids in DNA, and energy currency of cell ATP
PHOSPHATES IN YOUR BODY
www.apsu.edu
www.lactate.com
IMPACTS OF HUMAN INTRUSION
Humans mine phosphate ores for use in fertilizer production and detergents
Human actions could lead to eutrophication of aquatic systems which cause algal blooms
Algal blooms cause fish kills
ALGAL BLOOMaklanforum.blogspot.com
THE SULFUR CYCLEsulfurcycle.tripod.com
TYPE: SEDIMENTARY WITH ATMOSPHERIC COMPONENT
Major reservoir – inorganic sulfur in rocks and fossil fuel
Biological Importance
Sulfur is an important element in protoplasm which is an important component of some amino acids
Sulfur is part of proteins, vitamins and hormones
ISSUE ASSOCIATED WITH SULFUR CYCLE: ACID RAIN
www.ypte.org.uk
science.howstuffworks.com
HEAVY METALSPOISONING THE CYCLE
www.watersafe.co.za
Marilen M. Parungao-Balolong
Marilen M. Parungao-Balolong
Marilen M. Parungao-Balolong
Marilen M. Parungao-Balolong
BIOMAGNIFICATIONIt is the increase in concentration of an element or compound that occurs in the food chain as a result of food chain energetics or degradation of substance
Accumulation of chemicals in higher predators or in higher trophic levels
sustainable-nano.com
BIOMAGNIFICATIONChemical concentration is said to be magnified thousand fold in tissues of higher trophic level organisms
It is important in ecology because : it indicates that solution to certain types of pollution is not dilution because food chains will concentrate the pollutant
BIOREMEDIATIONFINDING SOME SOLUTION www.expertsbuzz.com
BIOREMEDIATION BY BACTERIA
BIOREMEDIATION BY FUNGI (Mycoremediation)
www.kolumbus.fi
BIOREMEDIATION BY FUNGI (Mycoremediation)
BIOREMEDIATION BY PLANTS (Phytoremediation)
systemsbiology.usm.edu
BIOREMEDIATION BY ALGAE (Phycoremediation)
www.emerginginvestigators.org
