Matter Cycling in Ecosystems:

Biogeochemical Cycles
• Nutrient (biogeochemical) cycles

• Hydrologic (water) cycle

• Carbon cycle

• Nitrogen cycle

• Phosphorus cycle

• Sulfur cycle
 Simplified Hydrologic (Water) Cycle
Condensation

Rain clouds

Transpiration
Evaporation
Precipitation Transpiration
Precipitation to land from plants
Evaporation Precipitation
From Evaporation
Surface runoff ocean Precipitatio
Rapid From
(rapid) n
ocean
to ocean

Infiltration and Surface

percolation runoff
(rapid)

Groundwater movement (slow)

Ocean storage

Fig. 3-24, p. 54
 Human Intervention in the
Hydrologic Cycle

• Large withdraw of surface and ground

waters

• Clearing vegetation

• Pollution
 The Carbon Cycle (Marine)
Diffusion between
atmosphere and ocean

Combustion of fossil fuels

Carbon dioxide
dissolved in
ocean water

photosynthesis aerobic
respiration

Marine food webs

Producers, consumers,
decomposers, detritivores

incorporation death, uplifting over

into sediments sedimentation geologic time

sedimentation
Marine sediments, including
formations with fossil fuels

Fig. 3-25a, p. 56
 The Carbon Cycle (Terrestrial)
Atmosphere
(most carbon is in carbon dioxide)

Combustion
volcanic action of fossil
fuels

combustion of
photosynthesis aerobic wood (for clearing
Terrestrial respiration land; or fuel)
rocks

Land food webs deforestaion

weathering
Producers, consumers,
decomposers,
detritivores
Soil water
(dissolved carbon)
Peat,
death, burial, compaction over geologic time
fossil fuels
leaching,
runoff

Fig. 3-25b, p. 57
Human Interference in the Global
Carbon Cycle

High
projection

Low
projection

Fig. 3-26, p. 56
 The Nitrogen Cycle
Gaseous Nitrogen (N2)
Nitrogen
in Atmosphere
Fixation
by industry
for agriculture
Food Webs
on Land
uptake by excretion, death, uptake by
Fertilizers autotrophs decomposition autotrophs

Nitrogen Fixation
bacteria convert N2 to Nitrogenous Wastes, NO3– Denitrification
ammonia (NH3); this Remains in Soil by bacteria
in Soil
dissolves to form
ammonium (NH4+)
Ammonification 2. Nitrification
bacteria, fungi convert the
NH3, NH4+ bacteria convert NO2–
residues to NH3; this
to nitrate (NO3–)
in Soil dissolves to form NH4+
1. Nitrification NO2–
loss by bacteria convert NH4+ loss by
leaching in Soil leaching
to nitrite (NO2–)

Fig. 3-27, p. 58
Human Interference in the Global
Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen fixation by natural processes

s
se
es
oc
pr
man
hu
Nitrogen fixationby

Fig. 3-28, p. 58
 The Phosphorus Cycle

mining Fertilizer
excretion Guano
agriculture

uptake by uptake by
autotrophs autotrophs

Dissolved leaching, runoff Dissolved Land

Marine in Soil Water, Food
in Ocean
Food Webs Lakes, Rivers Webs
Water
death,
decomposition weathering

sedimentation settling out weathering

uplifting over
geologic time
Marine Sediments Rocks

Fig. 3-29, p. 59
 The Sulfur Cycle
Water Ammonia
Sulfur trioxide Sulfuric acid Acidic fog and precipitation

Ammonium sulfate
Oxygen
Sulfur dioxide Hydrogen sulfide

Plants

Volcano
Dimethyl sulfide
Animals
Industries
Ocean

Sulfate salts

Metallic Decaying matter Sulfur

Sulfide
deposits
Hydrogen sulfide

Fig. 3-30, p. 60