BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES

Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c7wdql

1. biogeochemical Energy flows directionally through the ecosystems, en-

cycle tering as sunlight (or inorganic molecules for chemoau-
totrophs) and leaving as heat during the transfers be-
tween trophic levels. Rather than flowing through an
ecosystem, the matter that makes up living organisms is
conserved and recycled.

2. The six most cª arbon

common ele- ªnitrogen
ments associat- ªhydrogen
ed with organic ªOxygen
molecules are ªphosphorus
ªSulfur

3. .Geologic such as weathering, erosion, water drainage, and the

processes subduction of the continental plates, all play a role in the
cycling of elements on Earth.

4. geology and have major roles in the study of geologic process

chemistry

5. biogeochemical the recycling of inorganic matter between living organ-

cycle isms and their non-living environment is called

6. biogeochemical a pathway by which a chemical element or molecule

cycle or nutrient moves through both biotic (biosphere) and abiotic (lithos-
cycle phere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere)compartments of
the Earth.

7. BIO Biotic components

8. GEO Geological & abiotic components

9. CHEMICAL Chemical cycles

10. reservoirs In effect, the element is recycled, although in some cycles

there may be places

11. ocean or lake for where the element is accumulated or held for a long
water period of time
1 / 10
 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c7wdql

12. carbon cycle, the The most well-known and important biogeochemical cy-
nitrogen cycle, cles, include:
the oxygen cy-
cle, the phospho-
rus cycle, the sul-
fur cycle, and the
water cycle.

13. CARBON CYCLE The carbon cycle is the process that moves between
plants, animals, and microbes; minerals in the earth; and
the atmosphere.

14. carbo means "coal".

15. CARBON CYCLE It is non-metallic element

16. CARBON CYCLE The fourth most abundant element in the universe

17. 18% Carbon makes up for _________ of the human body.

(Sugar, glucose, proteins, DNA)

18. CARBON CYCLE It is also found in the atmosphere in the form of carbon
dioxide or CO2

19. Joseph Priest- the carbon cycle was initially discovered by

ley and Antoine
Lavoisier

20. Humphry Davy the carbon cycle was initially popularized by

21. •The atmosphere It is now usually thought of as five major reservoirs of

• The terrestrial carbon interconnected by pathways of exchange. These
biosphere reservoirs are:
• The oceans
• The sediments
including fossil
fuels .
• The Earth's inte-
rior, carbon from
2 / 10
 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c7wdql
the Earth's man-
tle and crust

22. STEPS IN THE 1. Carbon enters the atmosphere as CO2 from respiration
CARBON CY- and combustion
CLE: 2. CO2 is absorbed by producers to make carbohydrates
in photosynthesis
3. Animals feed on the plants passing the carbon com-
pound along the food chain. Most of the carbon compound
they consume is exhaled as CO2 formed during the res-
piration. The plants and animals eventually die.
4. The dead organisms are eaten by decomposers and
the carbon in their bodies is returned to the atmosphere
as CO2. In some conditions the decomposition is blocked.
The plant and animal material may then be available as
fossil fuel in the future for combustion.

23. Fossil fuel Carbon Source

24. fossil fuel The plant and animal material may then be available as
__________ in the future for combustion.

25. greenhouse ef- Burning of fossil fuels like coal and volcanic eruptions also
fect releases CO2 to the atmosphere. These occurrences can
result in increased CO2 in the environment, which can
bring about the __________.

26. temperature of This happens because the heat from the sun that reaches
the earth is in- the earth's surface is prevented by the presence of gases
creased from escaping back into space.

27. RESPIRATION is defined as a metabolic process wherein, the living cells

of an organism obtains energy (in the form of ATP) by
taking in oxygen and liberating carbon dioxide from the
oxidation of complex organic substances.

28. WEATHERING is the breaking down or dissolving of rocks and minerals

on Earth's surface.

29. LEACHING
3 / 10
 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c7wdql
is the removal of soluble material from a substance, such
as soil or rock, through the percolation of water.

30. RUNOFF occurs when there is more water than land can absorb.
The excess liquid flows across the surface of the land and
into nearby creeks

31. oxygen cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement
of oxygen within its three main reservoirs.

32. the atmosphere, three main reservoirs:

biosphere and
lithosphere

33. the atmosphere air

34. biosphere (the global sum of all ecosystems),

35. lithosphere (Earth's crust).

36. hypoxic zones Failures in the oxygen cycle within the hydrosphere (the
combined mass of water found on, under, and over the
surface of a planet) can result in the development of
______________.

37. photosynthesis The main driving factor of the oxygen cycle.

38. photosynthesis responsible for the modern Earth's atmosphere and life.

39. combustion oxygen is withdrawn from the atmosphere; thus, there is

processes an increase in carbon dioxide

40. Nitrogen one of the basic elements that compose of proteins.

41. Proteins the structural components of all living things

42. All organisms are made up of proteins.

43. 78% About __________ of the atmosphere is nitrogen gas

44. nitrogen fixation

4 / 10
 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c7wdql
These bacteria found in the nodules of legumes (such
as soybean, mongo, or pea) convert nitrogen (N2) to
ammonia (NH3+) or ammonium (NH4+) by a process
called ______________.

45. ammonia or am- When this bacteria die, _____________ is released and
monium used by other bacteria as energy source.

46. lightning A small portion of gaseous nitrogen is fixed in the air by

___________ and the fixed nitrogen is brought down to
the soil by rain.

47. nitrification ammonia or ammonium is converted into nitrites (NO2)

by nitrifying bacteria in the soil. Some of this bacteria
converts nitrites to nitrates (NO3)

48. ammonification metabolic wastes (i.e. urea, uric acid)and remains of

plants and animals are broken down by decomposers
releasing ammonia or ammonium in the process.

49. denitrifying bac- Nitrates not used by plants are converted by

teria _____________ to nitrogen gas which is released to the
atmosphere.

50. nitrogen-fixing Some of the gaseous nitrogen is converted by

bacteria ____________ to ammonia or ammonium, thereby re-
peating the cycle.

51. anoxia (no oxygen)

52. hypoxia (low oxygen)

53. Eutrophication cšauses prolific growth of algae which in turn will use up
of water the dissolved oxygen in the water for their decomposition.
Decrease in the amount of dissolved oxygen can lead to
massive killing of fishes.

54. Human activities use of artificial nitrogen fertilizers and release of nitrogen
such as fossil in wastewater have dramatically altered the global nitro-
fuel combustion gen cycle.
5 / 10
 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c7wdql

55. EUTROPHICA- It has also been defined as "nutrient- induced increase in

TION phytoplankton productivity".

56. EUTROPHICA- is the process by which an entire body of water, or parts

TION of it, becomes progressively enriched with minerals and
nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus.

57. Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plants and animals in the form
of ions PO43- and HPO42- .It is a part of DNA-molecules,
molecules that store energy (ATP and ADP) and of fats of
cell membranes.

58. Phosphorus is also a building block of certain parts of the human and
animal body. Such as the bones and teeth.

59. Phosphorus can be found on earth in water, soil and sediments.

60. Phosphorus Unlike the compounds of other matter cycles, it cannot be

found in air(gaseous state).

61. Phosphorus usually liquid at normal temperatures and pressures. It is

mainly cycling through water, soil and sediments.

62. phosphorus In the atmosphere, __________ can mainly be found as

very small dust particles.

63. phosphorus moves slowly from deposits on land and in sediments, to

living organisms, and then much more slowly back into
the soil and water sediment.

64. phosphorus is the slowest one of the matter cycles that are described
here.

65. phosphorus most commonly found in rock formations and ocean sed-
iments as phosphate salts.

66. Phosphates are also limiting factors for plant-growth in marine ecosys-
tems, because they are not very water- soluble.

67. much faster than it does through rocks and sediments.

6 / 10
 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c7wdql
Phosphorus cy-
cles through
plants and ani-
mals

68. tropical rain- A very serious case of man's interfering with the phospho-
forests rus cycle is seen in the cutting of ____________.

69. Sulfur the tenth most abundant element in the universe, is a brit-
tle, yellow, tasteless, and odorless non-metallic element.

70. Sulfur It comprises many vitamins, proteins, and hormones that

play critical roles in both climate and in the health of
various ecosystems.

71. Sulfur The majority of the Earth's ________ is stored under-

ground in rocks and minerals, including as sulfate salts
buried deep within ocean sediments.

72. weathering The sulfur cycle contains both atmospheric and terrestrial
portion, the cycle begins with the ____________of rocks,
releasing the stored sulfur. The sulfur then comes into
contact with air where it is converted into sulfate (SO4).

73. sulfate is taken up by plants and microorganisms and is con-

verted into organic forms; animals then consume these
organic forms through foods they eat, thereby moving the
sulfur through the food chain

74. Sulfur eventually settles back into the Earth or comes down
within rainfall. A continuous loss of sulfur from terrestrial
ecosystem runoff occurs through drainage into lakes and
streams, and oceans.

75. ferrous sulfide The remaining sulfur is lost to the ocean depths, combin-
ing with iron to form ___________ which is responsible
for the black color of most marine sediments.

76. sulfur cycle is increasingly affected by industrial air pollution.

7 / 10
 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c7wdql
77. sulfur dioxide present at very low concentrations in the air.

78. ACID RAIN Sulfur and nitrogen oxides are released from industrial
factories, electrical power plants, smelting plants, and
motor vehicles.

79. ACID RAIN When these gases combine with the moisture in the at-
mosphere, they return to the ground as sulfuric acid and
nitric acids.

80. ACID RAIN brings damage to the lakes, the soil, forest, and buildings.

81. Water (chemical formula H2O)

82. Water is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, and nearly color-

less chemical substance, which is the main constituent
of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living
organisms.

83. Water IVt is vital for all known forms of life, despite providing
neither food, energy, nor organic micronutrients.

84. 71% Water covers about __________ of the Earth's surface,

mostly in seas and oceans (about 96.5%).

85. Water provides for the needs of living organisms. Without it,
plants and animals will die.

86. Water It is important for the survival of living things.

87. Water is a raw material in photosynthesis to produce food. It has

also its domestic uses such as drinking, washing, bathing,
and cooking. It is also used in factories as well as in farms.

88. Water cycle also known as the hydrologic cycle or the hydrological
cycle, is a biogeochemical cycle that describes the contin-
uous movement of water on, above and below the surface
of the Earth.

89. water cycle

8 / 10
 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c7wdql
It is a complex system that includes many different
processes.

90. transportation Water in different phases moves through the atmosphere

91. runoff Liquid water flows across land

92. infiltration and Into the ground

percolation

93. groundwater And through the ground

94. plant uptake Groundwater moves into plants

95. transpiration evaporates from plants into the atmosphere

96. sublimation Solid ice and snow can turn directly into gas

97. deposition The opposite can take also place when water vapor be-
comes solid

98. anthropogenic š ave heavily destroyed freshwater supplies such as

h
activities rivers, streams, and aquifers. Intensive agriculture is a
leading cause on account of the large amounts of chem-
ical fertilizers, herbicides and other agrochemicals that
find a way into water ways.

99. Deforestation has also resulted in an increased runoff, this results also
in the flooding of lowlands and the reduction of water in
subsoil.

100. Drying of ground may be caused by wasteful and mismanaged domestic

water and industrial use of water. Water should be placed back
into aquifers instead of storing the water in man made
lakes or building dams.

101. THE š nable the transformation of matter from one form to

e
IMPORTANCE another.
OF š the transfer of molecules from one locality to another.
š facilitates the storage of elements.
9 / 10
 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c7wdql
BIOGEOCHEMI- šassist in functioning of ecosystems.
CAL CYCLES š link living organisms with living organisms, living organ-
isms with the nonliving organisms and nonliving organ-
isms with nonliving organisms.
š regulate the flow of substances.

10 / 10