Wong Sing Lien 54233
Yap Wen Ling 55136 Categories of Biogeochemical Cycles Nature provides key elements for living things to exist and survive. These elements such as water and oxygen constantly travel and transform in a cycle (Biogeochemical cycles, 2010). The cycles of these elements are called biogeochemical cycles. There are three components in biogeochemical cycles namely biological, geological and chemical (Biogeochemical cycle, 2015). This essay will only cover four categories of biogeochemical cycles which are the hydrological cycle, carbon cycle, oxygen cycle and nitrogen cycle. The first category of the biogeochemical cycles is the hydrological cycle or water cycle. In this cycle, the sun is the main driving force. For
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Generally, the nitrogen cycle is the conversion of nitrogen gas to various forms in the atmosphere. Nitrogen gas is abundant mainly in the atmosphere, which consists of approximately 78% in the atmosphere (Galloway et al., 2004). The nitrogen gas in the atmosphere cannot be used by organisms directly. Nitrogen gas can only be used when it is converted into inorganic or organic compounds. According to Schindler (2011), the key process in nitrogen cycle is nitrogen fixation, a process to reduce nitrogen gas into ammonia through the actions of bacteria. The ammonia will then be converted to ammonium by the same bacteria. Other processes in nitrogen cycle are nitrification and ammonification. Nitrification is the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite and further oxidation from nitrite to nitrate by aerobic bacteria (Thompson, n.d.). On the other hand, ammonification is decomposition process with the production of ammonia through the action of bacteria on the nitrogenous organic matter. Ammonia and nitrate are important nutrients for plants growth. Moreover, the nitrogen will be lost through denitrification, volatilization, leaching and runoff (Killpack & Buchholz,
Cunningham, William P. Cunningham, Mary Ann and Saigo, Barbara. Environmental Science, A Global Concern. McGraw-Hill. New York, NY. 2005.
Nitrogen fertilizers: firstly nitrogen is found in the air, so air is pumped into a large vessel. The air is warmed and oxygen is removed becoming steam. This leaves hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. To remove the carbon dioxide an electric current is introduced into the system. And finally remains ammonia. Ammonia is further processed adding air to the solution and making nitric acid. In conclusion when ammonia and nitric acid are combined is made ammonium nitrate, the component used as fertilizers.
Purpose: The purpose of this lab is to investigate the various components of different ecosystems in a smaller representation and study the conditions required for the ecosystem’s sustainability as well as the connections between
The Earth’s biosphere is being affected by climate change in numerous ways. The interactions that occur between the hydrosphere and atmosphere are leading to changes in our ocean’s chemistry that could be devastating to humans in the future generations to come. Climate change is the modification in the climate patterns. The effects of climate change have become particularly apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and have been substantially contributed to by the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.
Audesirk, T. (2003). Life on Earth. In (Ed.), (3rd ed., pp. 581-620). New York: Pearson Custom Publishing - Prentice Hall, Inc..
Cellular respiration and photosynthesis are important in the cycle of energy to withstand life as we define it. Cellular respiration and photosynthesis have several stages in where the making of energy occurs, and have diverse relationships with organelles within the eukaryotic cell. These processes are central in how life has evolved.
* Nitrogen Oxides are presented through the atmosphere. N2O are very powerful in the chemistry of the troposphere and the stratosphere, and they are very important in ozone production and in the destruction processes. There are a number of sources (the oxidation of N2O like lightning and fossil fuel combustion) whose contribution to NOx concentrations in the upper troposphere is not well measured.
Microbial decomposition releases nutrients into the environment that are needed by other organisms. Microbes are also involved in the cycling of many other important compounds in — and between — ecosystems, including oxygen, carbon and nitrogen. Many microbes use the energy of sunlight to convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, which we need to breathe. As they do this, they create new organic material — themselves — which are then eaten by other organisms. In this way, the cycling of nutrients and energy
Hester, R. and Harrison, R., 2002. Global environmental change. 1st ed. Cambridge, U.K.: Royal Society of Chemistry.
A major part of the carbon cycle occurs as carbon dioxide is converted to carbohydrates through photosynthesis. Carbohydrates are utilized by animals and humans in metabolism to produce energy and other compounds. Carbohydrates are initially synthesized in plants form a complex series of reactions involving photosynthesis. They store energy in the form of starch or glycogen in animals and humans. They provide energy through metabolism pathways and cycles. Carbohydrates also supply carbon for synthesis of other compounds. (Berdanier, Pgs 45-47).
Temperature has a strong effect on nitrifying bacteria, as in the case of heterotrophic aerobic bacteria. The temperature dependence for the nitrification process corresponds to an Arrhenius equation, at least below 30 °C. At higher temperatures (30-35 ° C), the growth rate of nitrifying bacteria is constant and Begins to decrease between 35 and 40 °C. The two-stage biological nitrification process is a two-sludge system which is generally used when ammonia Disposal is subject to advanced treatment. The process is also used prior to biological denitrification systems where nitrate removal is required. The first step of the two-step process is typically a high-throughput activated sludge that is designed to achieve at least 75% to 85% elimination of carbonated BOD5. By realizing this Level of reduction of BOD5 in the first stage, conditions can be developed in the second step to improve nitrification. The nitrification of ammonia into nitrate occurs chiefly in the second stage. Nitrification is realized in a two-stage process by the biological activities of two specific groups of bacteria known as Nitrosomonas and
Scientists have begun to say that we have to do more to protect our ecosystem, because our very existence is depending upon it. When the ecosystem is not functioning properly the continuation of plant, animal and human life ecosystems would be impossible. Life cycles can not function without ecosystems. The ecosystem provides us with clean air, water, habitats for fish and other services. They also aid in the mod...
The four spheres of the Earth system are highly interdependent causing interactions between the spheres to have many cause and effect relationships. A change in one sphere can cause changes in another sphere, which may cause changes in yet another sphere. The biosphere is sustained through interactions with the gasses from the atmosphere, minerals of the lithosphere, and water of the hydrosphere in the energy cycle (Answers.com). The atmosphere is essential for the biosphere because it supplies oxygen, water, CO2 and some nutrients (N) to living organisms, and protects living organisms from temperature extremes and excessive UV radiation (Answers.com). Outside of the biosphere, the atmospheric interacting with the lithosphere and hydrosphere is when the ocean waves are affected by the wind being slowed by friction from the land (Lenkeit). The lithosphere interacts with the hydrosphere and atmosphere through processes such as erosion where rock and soil become removed through physical and chemical weathering.
For instance, ammonium nitrate used as ammonium nitrate fertilizer”. The philosophy of agriculture
...eochemical cycles. By increasing the amount of crops that are removed from the soil and the subsequent soil erosion, phosphorus levels in the soil have dropped. The phosphorus lost from the soils travels to aquatic ecosystems which then can cause massive algal blooms. The increased use of nitrogen based fertilizers has also altered that cycle. The fertilizers add high levels of nitrates to the soil, and in natural ecosystems, nitrates will undergo denitrification and be returned as atmospheric nitrogen. This is not the case because the nitrate levels exceed the levels of denitrification that bacteria can handle. Additionally, much of the denitrifying bacteria is found in marshes and wetlands, which are currently being destroyed at incredible rates. In some areas, the excess nitrate has made it into the ground water system and contaminated the drinking water system.