Cycles of Matter

INTRODUCTION
Photo Credit: 123RF.com
One of the essential commodities in the ecosystem is the matter (nutrients). These
nutrients cycle through the biotic and abiotic components for the repeated use of
organisms in the ecosystem. These cycles of use and reuse are called biogeochemical
cycles.
This module includes the different biogeochemical cycles and their impacts on
the environment.

OBJECTIVES
Photo Credit: Vectorstock.com
Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:
1. discuss the biogeochemical cycles of water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus,
and sulfur; and
2. explain how human activities have impacted these cycles

Biogeochemical Cycles are pathways for the transformation of matter within the
Earth’s biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and the atmosphere. It links together all
organisms and abiotic features on earth.

When living organisms die, the decaying matter disintegrates and transforms into
molecules/elements that enter the biogeochemical cycle. These elements are transported
in the biogeochemical cycles and have been categorized as microelements and macro
elements. Microelements are required by living organisms in smaller amounts like boron,
copper, and molybdenum. On the other hand, the elements needed by living organisms
in larger amounts like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, and sulfur are
referred to as macroelements.

Importance of Biogeochemical cycles

1. They transform matter from one form to another and enable organisms to utilize this
matter in a specific form. For example, humans utilize water in liquid form. Through the
hydrological cycle, water vapor is condensed to liquid, and ice converted to liquid water.
2. They transfer molecules from one locality to another. Some elements such as nitrogen
are highly concentrated in the atmosphere, but some of the atmospheric nitrogen is
transferred to soil through the nitrogen cycle.
3. They facilitate the storage of elements in their natural reservoirs, and are released to
organisms in small consumable amounts. For example, nitrogen is abundant in the
atmosphere, yet, green plants utilize this gas through the nitrogen cycle and with the help
of the nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
4. They assist in the functioning of ecosystems. Whenever any disruptions and
imbalances occur, the biogeochemical cycles restore to the equilibrium state of the
ecosystem. Though it may take a few days or many years, still, the disturbing factor is
eliminated.
5. They link the biotic (living component) and the abiotic component of the ecosystem
with regards to the flow of nutrients engineered by the biogeochemical cycles.
6. They regulate the flow of substances through a particular medium and the rate at which
elements flow in different spheres.

Categories of Biogeochemical Cycles

Carbon-Oxygen Cycle
Carbon is one of the most important elements that sustain life on earth and exists
in many forms. Carbon dioxide is an example of carbon-containing compounds which has
a substantial effect on earth's heat balance. On the other hand, oxygen is important for
respiration and combustion. The main driving factor of carbon and oxygen and are usually
linked through the carbon-oxygen cycle. Organisms are connected in many ways such as
the exchange of carbon between heterotrophs and autotrophs using atmospheric carbon
dioxide.

The atmosphere is a major reservoir of carbon in the form of carbon dioxide. Green
plants utilize CO2 with the aid of sunlight in the process of photosynthesis. In the process,
it converts the inorganic carbon into organic matter (sugar) and releases oxygen in the
atmosphere.
6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight  C6H12O6 (sugar) + 6O2
 (Photo Credit: www.easynotecards.com)
When a cow eats grass, it will get some of the organic molecules produced by the
plant’s photosynthesis. This implies that those organic compounds can be passed to
higher trophic levels. At each level, organisms are performing the respiration process. It
is a metabolic process in which organic molecules (food) is oxidized to release energy,
CO2, and water.
C6H12O6 (sugar) + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O + Energy

As these organic molecules are broken down during respiration, the carbon once
again is released into the atmosphere as CO2.
Moreover, the combustion process intensifies the concentration of CO 2 in the
atmosphere. A very large amount of CO2 is released through forest fires, burning fossil
fuels and the like. Nowadays, the increase in CO2 emission causes global warming and
climate change.
Watch this video at the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLqFUI2Pvlc to
learn more about the carbon cycle.

Water Cycle (Hydrologic Cycle)

Water is the most important chemical for all living organisms. It exists naturally into
three states: solid, liquid, and gas. Water vapor in the atmosphere condenses to liquid
water and turns to ice when temperature is at 00C.
 (Photo Credit: ecobluelife.com)

The main driving force of the water cycle is the energy coming from the sun which
warm bodies of water (oceans, surface, and frozen water). This leads to the process of
evaporation (liquid water to water vapor) and sublimation (ice to water vapor).
Also, plants transpire (transpiration) huge amounts of water into the atmosphere. These
processes are responsible for large amounts of water into the atmosphere as water vapor.

Over time, this water vapor condenses to form clouds and eventually leads to
precipitation (rain, snow, hail), where water falls from the atmosphere and reaches the
ground. Rain reaching Earth’s surface may evaporate again. Also, the most easily
observed is the flow of water through streams and lakes to the oceans (runoff); and the
flow of freshwater over land (surface runoff). Moreover, the rain may percolate into the
ground. Percolation is the movement of water though the soil layers by gravity and
capillary forces. Groundwater is a significant reservoir of fresh water. As such, the three
basic locations of water storage are in the atmosphere, surface water, and underground
water.

Watch this video at the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaDkph9yQBs

to learn more about the Earth’s water cycle.

Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen gas is the most abundant element in the atmosphere. It is an essential
component of protein and is required by all living organisms. It is difficult for living
organisms to get nitrogen. Plants and phytoplankton are not equipped to obtain nitrogen
from the atmosphere. Nitrogen enters the living world through certain species of bacteria
that can perform nitrogen fixation. Nitrogen Fixation is a process that involves the
conversion of gaseous nitrogen into Ammonia (NH3), and eventually to ammonium
(NH4+). Atmospheric nitrogen can be fixed by various methods such as atmospheric
fixation (Lightning), industrial fixation, and bacterial fixation (symbiotic bacteria -
Rhizobium and free-living -Azobacter and Cyanobacteria)

(Photo Credit: studyblue.com)

Ammonium is converted by bacteria into nitrites (NO2−) and then nitrates (NO3−) in
the process called Nitrification. Such bacteria include Nitrosomonas Nitrococcus and
Nitrobacter. At this point, the nitrogen-containing molecules are used by plants and
converted into organic molecules such as DNA and proteins.
When living organisms produce waste products (urea and uric acid), as well as
when they die, the nitrogen that enters living systems is eventually converted back into
inorganic ammonia (NH3) by certain bacteria. This process is called ammonification.
Eventually, bacteria convert it into nitrates and back into gaseous nitrogen in the process
of denitrification. This allows nitrogen gas to re-enter the atmosphere.
Watch this video at the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbBgPekjiyc
to learn more about the Nitrogen Cycle.

Phosphorus Cycle
. Phosphorus is a primary nutrient, in which large quantities are needed for healthy
plant growth. It is a major component of nucleic acids and other organic phosphorus
compounds. The phosphorus cycle does not involve the atmosphere and is the slowest
one of the sedimentary cycles.

Phosphorus occurs in nature as the phosphate ion (PO43-) from the weathering of
rocks. The phosphate percolates into the soil and is absorbed by plants. Phosphorous
moves up the food chain as the animals eat the plants. When the animals die, the
decomposers obtain phosphorous as they feed on dead remains. Thus, the phosphorous
is eliminated through their waste and become a soil then eventually a rock component.

On the other hand, when a natural surface runoff occurs, phosphate-containing

rock is leached and sends phosphates into bodies of water. Phosphate-containing ocean
forms sediments through time. This sediment then is moved to land over geologic time by
the uplifting of Earth’s surface through volcanic eruptions and so on.

Watch this video at the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfW6JJ0ZiG0

to learn more about the Phosphorous Cycle.

Sulfur Cycle
Sulfur in its natural form is a solid, and limited to the sedimentary cycle in this form.
It is transported by physical processes like wind, erosion by water, and geological events
like volcanic eruptions. However, in its compounds such as sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid,
salts of sulfate or organic sulfur, sulfur can be moved from the ocean to the atmosphere,
to land, and then to the ocean through rainfall and rivers.

(Photo Credit: https:thinglink.com)

Atmospheric sulfur in the form of sulfur dioxide (SO2). As rain falls, sulfur is
dissolved in liquid water forming a weak sulfuric acid (H2SO4). The process in which sulfur
falls directly from the atmosphere is called fallout. The sulfur-containing rain may fall into
the ground and percolates deep within. Plants absorbed the sulfate ion through their roots
and enter the food chain. When these plants decompose and die, decomposers break
down organic sulfur compounds to gases. Sulfur is released back into the atmosphere in
the form of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas.
Also, sulfur-containing rocks weathered releasing sulfur into the soil, and
eventually leached to the bodies of water. Most sulfur is bound up in rocks and salts or
buried in deep ocean sediments. These ocean sediments are moved to land by the
geologic uplifting.
Watch this video at the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNTTJ4N3kIE&list=RDQM1nxHYxmJUAE&start_ra
dio=1 to learn more about the Sulfur Cycle.
Now for application of what you have learned, make a diagram that includes all
the cycles.