Biogeochemistry

¨1 Overview of Biogeochemistry
¤ Components of element cycles
¤ Examples of element cycles

¤ Importance of chemical properties

¤ Framework for cycles

¨ Important processes and concepts

¤ Rock weathering
¤ Soil formation

¤ Units and budgets

Biogeochemistry
¨2 Definition: Study of elements cycles as matter moves through
Earth’s atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and
(especially) biosphere.
¨ Importance
¤ Human health
¤ Ecosystem health

20% of wells in S. Willamette > 7mg/L NO3-

Necessary Elements
Minerals necessary for plant growth
3 Relative
Element Symbol mg/kg percent number
of atoms
Nitrogen N 15,000 1.5 1,000,000
Potassium K 10,000 1.0 250,000
Calcium Ca 5,000 0.5 125,000
Magnesium Mg 2,000 0.2 80,000
Phosphorus P 2,000 0.2 60,000
Sulfur S 1,000 0.1 30,000
Chlorine Cl 100 -- 3,000
Iron Fe 100 -- 2,000
Boron B 20 -- 2,000
Manganese Mn 50 -- 1,000
Zinc Zn 20 -- 300
Copper Cu 6 -- 100
Molybdenum Mo 0.1 -- 1
Nickel Ni 0.1 -- 1
Typical concentrations sufficient for plant growth. After E. Epstein. 1965. "Mineral
metabolism" pp. 438-466. in: Plant Biochemistry (J.Bonner and J.E. Varner, eds.)
Academic Press, London.
Nutrient/Element Cycles
4

¨ Ecosystem scale vs Global scale

Nutrient Spirals
¨5 Transport-dominated systems
(e.g. streams)
¨ Spiraling downstream instead
of cycling in place
NO3- NO3- NH4+
¨ Measured by adding nutrients
¤ (e.g. NO3-) and unreactive tracers
(Br-) to streams
orgN
¨ Measuring decline of nutrient
vs. tracer over distance
Linked Element Cycles
¨6 Biomass Stoichiometry
¤ Species-specific element ratios
¤ Redfield ratio (molar)
n Phytoplankton: 106C : 16N : 1P
n Ocean water: 105C :15N : 1P
n Connected immobilization rates
¨ Reaction Stoichiometry
¤ Ex: Denitrification (anaerobic respiration)
n 20HNO3- + 10C6H12O6 à 10N2 + 60CO2 + 7H2O
¨ Gradient Stoichiometry
¤ Cation & anion exchange sites in soil
Element Cycles
¨7 Conceptual Framework
¤ Move = transport = flux
¤ Stick = retention = storage

¤ Change = transformation = chemical change

¨ Components
¤ Ecosystem boundary abiotic biotic

¤ Boxes production
n Pools inorganic organic
¤ Arrows
decomposition
n Fluxes (mineralization)
n Internal
n External
n Transformations ecosystem boundary
Element Cycles Conceptual Framework
¨ Move
8
¤ What causes the movement (mechanism)? ”Vectors”
n With gradient (e.g. diffusion, downstream)
n Against gradient (e.g. active transport, upstream)
¤ How fast? What controls the speed?
¨ Stick
¤ What is the residence time? Reservoir size(g) / flux(g/yr)
n Assuming steady state where inputs = outputs
¤ Is element in a form that is available to organisms or sticks to soil?
n Ex: Ca as a cation adsorbed to a soil particle vs. precipitated in CaCO3
¤ Does the ecosystem have “sticky” properties?
n surface area of minerals, size of particles, reactivity, matrix properties, pH
¨ Change
¤ How do chemical transformation affect mobility & stickiness?
n state changes, bonds broken/formed, biotic/abiotic, solubility, pH
Local S Cycle
9
10
Weathering
¨ Physical & chemical breakdown of parent material
11
¨ Primary mechanism of soil creation

¨ Can cause conversion of inorganic to organic material

Element % Composition
of Crust
Si 28.8
Al 7.96
Fe 4.32
Ca 3.85
Na 2.36
Mg 2.20
K 2.14
Ti 0.40
P 0.076
Mn 0.072
S 0.070
Weathering
¨12 Mechanical
¤ Temperature
¤ Abrasion: water, ice, wind
¤ Plants & animals
¤ Particle size ↓
¤ Surface area ↑

¨ Chemical
¤ Dissolution weathering

¤ Hydrolysis
Clays + CO2 ⇄ Bicarbonate + Ca/Mg/Si
¤ Oxidation
¤ Acid reactions reverse weathering
¤ ↓ chemical complexity
¤ ↑ generation of ions
Chemical C Weathering: Geologic Time
¨ C carried to sea as HCO3- & buried in ocean sediments
¨ CO2 released back to atm by deep metamorphic processes
13

Schlesinger 1997
Parent material (rock)
¨ Type affects nutrients in soil
Mineral Yielded nutrients
Orthoclase K
Anorthite Ca
Biotite K, Mg, Fe
Muscovite K
Hornblende Ca, Fe, Mg
Calcite Ca
Gypsum Ca, S
Dolomite Ca, Mg
Limonite Fe
Hematite Fe
Pyrite Fe, S
Quartz none
Apatite Ca, P
Adapted from Table 2.4 in Soils Lab Manual at SUNY-ESF
Cl.O.R.P.T.
15
Particle Size
¨16 Affects surface area available for ion exchange
¨ Affects infiltration rate
 Example calculations: mass balance
17

¨ P inputs to Mirror Lake

¤ Kg P/year
¨ Is the lake a P source or sink?
¤ Net flux = inputs – outputs
¤ Storage or loss of P?

¨ If the basin receives 700

mm/y of precipitation and
the area of the lake is 15 ha,
what is the mean
concentration of P in rainfall?