Cycles of Matter

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Cycles of Matter
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Recycling in the Biosphere

• Unlike the one way flow of energy, matter is
  recycled within and between ecosystems
• Elements, chemicals and all other forms of matter
  are passed from one organism to another and from
  one part of the biosphere to another, this is
  known as the Biogeochemical cycles.

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The Water Cycle

• All living things need water to survive!
• Water is recycled, it moves between the ocean,
  atmosphere, and land.
• Evaporation water changes from water to
  atmospheric gas.
• Water can also enter the atmosphere in by
  evaporating from the leaves of plants in the
  process of transpiration.

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The Water Cycle

• Water once in the atmosphere as water vapor
  condenses into droplets.
• Once these droplets become to large they fall to
  the earths surface as precipitation.
• Once on the ground, water runs along the surface
  of the ground until it enters a river or stream
  that carries it back to an ocean or lake.

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The Water Cycle
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Nutrient Cycles

• Every living organism needs nutrients to grow and
  carry out essential life functions.
• Just like water nutrients are passed between
  organisms and the environment through
  biogeochemical cycles.
• Nutrient all the chemical substances that an
  organism need to live.

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The Carbon Cycle

• Carbon is especially important to living systems
  because it is the key ingredient in all living
  organisms.

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The Nitrogen Cycle

• Organisms require nitrogen to make amino acids,
  which build proteins
• Nitrogen fixation converting nitrogen gas into
  ammonia, usually done by bacteria that live in
  the soil
• Some bacteria convert ammonia into nitrates and
  nitrites
• Denitrification when bacteria convert nitrates
  into nitrogen gas

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The Nitrogen Cycle
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The Phosphorus Cycle

• Phosphorus is essential to living organisms
  because it forms part of important molecules such
  as DNA and RNA.

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Nutrient Limitations

• Primary Productivity the rate at which organic
  matter is create by producers
• When an ecosystem is limited by a single nutrient
  that is scarce or cycles very slowly, this
  substance is called a limiting nutrient.
• Example fertilizers they usually contain
  nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.