NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MODERN

LANGUAGES

Introduction to Environmental
Studies
Course Code: GC302

1
 Biogeochemical cycles
• Any of the natural pathways by which essential elements of
living matter are circulated.
• To keep track of the movement of matter in biogeochemical
cycles, refer as pools.
• Processes that move matter between pools are known as
flows.
• All of Earth’s living organisms are composed of chemical
elements.
• Organisms survive by constantly acquiring these various
elements.
• The elements in the end leave the biotic components of the
ecosystem.
• These biogeochemical cycles have specific features in each of
the ecosystems.
• This is related to the geographical features of the area, the
climate and the chemical composition of the soil.
 Biogeochemical cycles - Importance

• The functions of biogeochemical cycles in the

ecosystem are some way related to the growth and
regeneration of its plant and animal species.
• The six most common elements reside in the different
reservoirs forms both organic and inorganic matters.
• They regulate the elements necessary for life on Earth
by cycling them.
• Our own lives are closely linked to the proper
functioning of these cycles.
• These cycles are a part of global life processes.
• These processes depend on energy basically from
sunlight.
 Why to understand a Biogeochemical cycles
• Biogeochemical cycles are significant to the existence of life.
• These cycles describe the movement of matter between the
major reservoirs of Earth.
• The gaseous and terrestrial cycles, all show models of the
movement of matter.
• Help to explain how the planet conserves matter and uses
energy.
• They are also important because they store elements and
recycle them.
• Understanding the sources of these elements and how they
flow helps us to understand how ecosystems function.
• If human activities go on altering them, humanity cannot
survive on our earth.
 The Water Cycle
• the water cycle is a way of describing the flow of
water in series of steps throughout the Earth.
• These specific steps result in the circulation of water
between oceans, the atmosphere and the land.
• The water cycle involves natural phenomena that
include precipitation, drainage from rivers and the
return of water to the atmosphere.
• Through the history of the Earth, the amount of water
has been relatively constant.
• The cycle has two primary Components:
Storage and movement.
• Storage is where water in the system resides, as it
moves from one water reservoir to another.
 The Water Cycle
• The hydrologic cycle largely depends on the solar
energy.
• Hotter temperatures result in more evaporation,
precipitation and higher humidity.
• man’s activities are making drastic changes in the
atmosphere through pollution
• With the concerning emissions of greenhouse
gases, global warming will likely play a large effect
on this important cycle.
• This is leading to prolonged drought periods causing
floods in countries such as the US.
 The Water Cycle- storage
• Water can be stored in three main places; the atmosphere, on
the surface of the Earth, and underground.
• water storage areas are known as reservoirs
• Most water on earth is found in oceans and seas, then in
glaciers and groundwater.
• 97% of the world's water is stored in the oceans as saltwater.
• This can be seen as the start and end point of the cycle.
• this water can stay in storage for varying lengths of time.
• The average length of time that water stays in any reservoir is
known as the residence time.
• the water in the atmosphere is renewed every 15 days, while
soil moisture lasts a couple of months.
• The type of storage that occurs on the land surface and under
the ground largely depend on the geologic features
 The Water Cycle Stages - Movement
• There are numerous different ways that water moves across the planet in
the water cycle.
• 1. Evaporation
• Here, water is heated by solar radiation from the Sun. They evaporate,
rising into the atmosphere as water vapor.
• 2. Transpiration
• This is the process of water vapor being emitted by plant leaves.
• 3. Evapotranspiration
• Evapotranspiration (ET) is the combined process of water
surface evaporation, soil moisture evaporation, and plant transpiration.
• 4. Sublimation
• When water moves directly from a solid to a gaseous state without ever
entering the liquid state. This process allows water in snow or glaciers to
enter the atmosphere directly.
• 5. Condensation
• When water vapor rises, it cools slightly and condenses. In the liquid form
the particles collect and form clouds.
 The Water Cycle Stages - Movement
• 6. Precipitation
• The clouds then pour down as precipitation due to wind or temperature change.
• Water falls from the sky in various different forms of precipitation including rain,
snow, and hail.
• This precipitation comes from clouds, which are free to move around the world
and are pushed by air currents.
• 7. Runoff
• Runoff is the process where water runs over the surface of earth.
• Rain or snowmelt can move water over land and form small stream or collect in
channel.
• 8.Infiltration and Percolation
• When precipitation falls on the ground, some of it moves downwards into cracks,
joints, and pores in the soil.
• infiltration refers to water entering the soil surface. through pores until it reaches
the water table. At this point it becomes groundwater.
• 9. Groundwater Flow
• Groundwater is water that is held in cracks and pore spaces below ground.
• This water can be tapped by water supply wells or continue moving below the
ground The process by which groundwater exits the ground is known as
groundwater discharge.
 Carbon cycle
• Carbon is a building block of both plant and animal tissues.
• In the atmosphere, carbon occurs as carbon dioxide (CO2).
• In the presence of sunlight, plants take up carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere through their leaves.
• In the presence of sunlight they are able to form Sugar that
contain carbon.
• Plants use this for their growth and development.
• plants release oxygen into the atmosphere.
• It help in regulating and monitoring the percentage of Oxygen and
Carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere.
• All of mankind depends on the oxygen generated through this
cycle.
• Both plants and animals release carbon dioxide during respiration.
• When plants and animals die they return their carbon to the soil.
 The Oxygen Cycle
• Oxygen is taken up by plants and animals from the air
during respiration.
• The plants return oxygen to the atmosphere during
photosynthesis.
• Deforestation is likely to gradually reduce the oxygen levels
in our atmosphere.
 The Nitrogen Cycle
• When animals defecate, this waste material is broken down
by worms and insects.
• This material is broken down further into nutrients by
bacteria and fungi that plants can absorb and use for their
growth.
• Similarly the bodies of dead animals are also broken down
into nutrients .
• Nitrogen fixing bacteria and fungi in soil gives this important
element to plants, which absorb it as nitrates.
• The nitrates are a part of the plant’s metabolism.
• This is used by animals that feed on the plants.
• Carnivorous animals feed on herbivorous animals that live on
plants.
• The nitrogen cycle on which life is dependent is completed.
 The Energy Cycle
• Energy from sunlight is converted by plants themselves into growing new plant material
• They are known as producers in the ecosystem.
• The plants are used by herbivorous animals as food, which gives them energy.
• A large part of this energy is used up for day to day functions of these animals
• Energy is also used for activities such as looking for food, finding shelter, breeding.
• The carnivores in turn depend on herbivorous animals.
• the different plant and animal species are linked to one another through food chains.
• each plant or animal can be linked to several other plants or animals through many different
linkages, depicted as a complex food web.
• The energy in the ecosystem can be depicted in the form of a food pyramid or energy
pyramid.
• The food pyramid has a large base of plants called ‘producers’.
• The pyramid has a narrower middle section that depicts the number and biomass of
herbivorous animals,
• The apex depicts the small biomass of carnivorous animals
• When plants and animals die, this material is returned to the soil , so that plants can absorb
the nutrients through their roots.
• Animals excrete waste products ,which goes back to the soil.