Name: _______________________ Date: ____________

Biogeochemical Cycles Webquest

In this webquest you will search for information that will answer questions about the
water, carbon/oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorous cycles using the listed websites.
Answer all questions in the spaces provided. The easiest way to answer the questions is
to take your time! Don’t rush through the websites, take your time finding the correct
answer. The sites have lots of good information and are interesting, stay on task!

1. Water Cycle

Introduction
Precipitation, evaporation, and
condensation are all terms that you
recognize, but what do they really
mean? They are all part of the water
cycle, which is a complex process
that not only gives us water to drink,
and food to eat, but also helps our
plants grow. Only about 3% of the
Earth’s water is fresh, and 1% of that
water can be used for many human
purposes. Why can’t we use the other
2% of the fresh water found on the
Earth? What about the other 97% of
the water found in the world? To find
these answers and to discover more,
come along for an interactive journey
through the water cycle!

Websites
http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/cycle/index.htm.
http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/cycle/concepts.htm.
http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/cycle/cycle.htm.

Check out these websites for more information!

http://www.biology.arizona.edu/biochemistry/tutorials/chemistry/page3.html
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/chemistry/gilbert/tutorials/chapter_09/water_h_
bond/index.html

Questions
liquid

Evaporation is the process where a liquid changes from its ______________________
gas
state to a _______________________ state.

Why is evaporated water so clean?

During the process of evaporation, impurities are left behind.
______________________________________________________________________________
 gas

Condensation occurs when a ________________________ is changed into a
liquid
__________________________.

evaporation

Condensation is the opposite of __________________________.

tempature

When the __________________________ atmospheric pressure
and ___________________________ are right,
the small droplets of water in clouds form larger droplets and precipitation
occurs.

Using the terms "evaporation", "condensation", and "precipitation", explain the

water cycle in your own words.
As a result of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, water travels from Earth and goes
______________________________________________________________________________
into the atmosphere, then comes back to Earth's surface.
______________________________________________________________________________

What factor is most important in determining whether water is a solid, liquid, or

gas?
Tempature
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Is the amount of water on Earth always changing or is it a constant amount?

The amount of water on Earth is essentially constant, but it is always moving around in a cycle.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Explain surface runoff.

Water that flows downhill into streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. Carbon/Oxygen Cycle

Introduction

Carbon is an element that is

found in all organisms, fossil
fuels, soil, the ocean, and
the atmosphere. We take
part in the carbon cycle by
breathing CO2 into the air;
autotrophs participate by
removing atmospheric CO2
for use in building leaves,
stems and other organs
through the process of photosynthesis. As we burn more and more fossil fuels, such
as oil and coal, we release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere-
more than can be removed by oceans and photosynthetic organisms. Within the
atmosphere, this extra CO2 traps heat. As more CO2 accumulates, the Earth
becomes warmer through a process known as the greenhouse effect.

Websites
http://nortonbooks.com/college/biology/animations/ch38a03.htm
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/chemistry/gilbert/tutorials/interface.swf?chapte
r=chapter_04&folder=carbon_cycle

Check this website out for more information!

http://www.open2.net/science/element/html/

Questions

Why do plants and other photosynthetic organisms need CO2 from the
atmosphere?
CO2 builds their parts, such as the leaves and stems.
______________________________________________________________________________

How can carbon move from “land” to bodies of water?

Products of metabolism, such as plants and animals, release CO2 in various ways directly into
______________________________________________________________________________
water or from runoff

Describe the way human impact has leads to increased levels of CO2 in the
atmosphere.
Burning fossil fuels like oil and coal releases extra CO2 into the atmosphere
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

What is the greenhouse effect?

CO2 in the atmosphere is like the glass in a greenhouse. It lets the sun warm the Earth, but
______________________________________________________________________________
keeps all of the heat from escaping into space.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

0.04%

How much carbon is stored in the atmosphere as CO2? ________________________

waste/organic debris

What is detritus? ______________________________________________________________

How can human use of fossil fuels be detrimental to the environment?

The use of fossil fuels increases CO2 levels, therefore increasing the Earth's temperature
______________________________________________________________________________
with the greenhouse effect.
______________________________________________________________________________

Describe one of the many paths a carbon molecule can take through the
carbon cycle.
 A carbon molecule can be absorbed by a plant and turned into sugar, during the process of
______________________________________________________________________________
photosynthesis.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. Nitrogen Cycle

Introduction
The nitrogen cycle represents one of the
most important nutrient cycles found in
terrestrial ecosystems. Nitrogen is used by
living organisms to produce a number of
complex organic molecules like amino
acids, proteins, and nucleic acids. The
majority of nitrogen is found in the
atmosphere, where it exists as a gas
(mainly N2). Other major reserves of
nitrogen include organic matter in soil
and the oceans. Despite its large quantity
in the atmosphere, nitrogen is often the
most limiting nutrient for plant growth. This
problem occurs because most plants can
only take up nitrogen in two solid forms:
ammonium ion (NH4+ ) and the ion nitrate
(NO3- ). Specialized bacteria “fix”
nitrogen, converting it to a form that can
be used by organisms. By fixing nitrogen,
these bacteria are a critical link between
atmospheric nitrogen and life on Earth.

Websites
http://nortonbooks.com/college/biology/animations/ch38a02.htm
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/9s.html

Check out this website for more information!

http://www.neuse.ncsu.edu/nitrogen/

Questions

How is nitrogen important in our lives?
Nitrogen can be found in the human body. Nitrogen is a component of DNA, RNA, proteins,
_______________________________________________________________________________
and many other molecules.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

Why are nitrogen-fixing bacteria contributions to the nitrogen cycle so important?

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria converts nitrogen to an accessible form for living organisms.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

78%

Nitrogen gas makes up ____________________________ of the air we breathe.
 fixation nitrogeon

Nitrogen __________________________ converts ____________________________ to
ammonium
_____________________________ for organisms to use.

Another useable form of nitrogen, NH4+ can be converted to

nitrate other bacterias
_________________________ by ___________________________ for organisms to use.

ammonium

Plants use both __________________________ nitrate
and ________________________ to
incorporate nitrogen into DNA, protein, and other molecules.

Explain how animals get their needed amounts of nitrogen.

Animals get their needed amounts of nitrogen by consuming plants.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

Explain how nitrogen cycles through the land and ocean ecosystems.
The growth, death, and decomposition of organisms into river flows.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

How does the human impact of fertilizers impact the nitrogen cycle?
The industrial production of fertilizer creates a fixed or excess amount of nitrogen.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

Once in plants and animals, explain how does nitrogen return to the atmosphere?
When organisms die, their bodies decompose-- bringing the nitrogen into soil or water. Bacteria
_______________________________________________________________________________
alter the nitrogen into a form that plants are able to use.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

4. Phosphorous Cycle

Introduction
Phosphorus is an important
chemical for plants and
animals. It is part of DNA,
certain fats in cell membranes,
bones, teeth and shell of
animals. Phosphorus circulates
through water, the Earth's
crust, and living organisms. It is
not in the atmosphere and is
most likely to enter food chains
following the slow weathering
of rock deposits. Some of the
released phosphates become
dissolved in soil water which is
taken up by plant roots.
Phosphorus is therefore the
main limiting factor for plant
 growth in most soils and aquatic ecosystems.
Animals obtain phosphorus by eating plants and/or herbivores. Dead organisms and
animal wastes return phosphorus to the soil, to streams, and eventually to ocean
floors as rock deposits.

Websites
http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/480.html
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/chagedor/biol_4684/Cycles/Pcycle.html
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/chagedor/biol_4684/Cycles/cycles.html

Check out these websites for more information!

http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/fellows/Kelly/webquest/savecrab.htm

Questions

Explain why phosphates are a critical part of life.
Phosphates make up an important part of the structural framework that holds DNA and RNA together,
_________________________________________________________________________________
and are a critical component of ATP.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

How is the phosphorus cycle different from other biogeochemical cycles? Explain.
The phosphorus cycle differs from the other biogeochemical cycles because it does not include a
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
gas phase.
_________________________________________________________________________________

sedemantary

The largest reservoir of phosphorus is in _____________________________ rock.

Explain how phosphorus travels through the cycle from rock to omnivores.
Through rain, phosphates are removed from rocks and are distributed through both soils and
_________________________________________________________________________________
water. Plants then take up phosphate ions from the soil. The phospates then move from plants to
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
animals when consumers eat the producers or herbivores.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Why are excessive concentrations of phosphorus sometimes considered a

pollutant?
In surface waters, excessive concentration of phosphorus is considered a pollutant because it stimulates the
_________________________________________________________________________________
growth of plankton and plants. Excess growth of these plants can suffocate fish and other marine animals
_________________________________________________________________________________
due to the plants consuming large amounts of dissolved oxygen.
_________________________________________________________________________________

How do humans contribute to these excessive levels of phosphorus?

Humans can contribute to these excessive levels by cutting down tropical rain forests and through the use of
_________________________________________________________________________________
agricultural fertilizers.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
 Earths Crust

Phosphorus is mainly stored in the ___________________ _______________________.

How does the soil-based view of the phosphorus cycle compare/contrast with the
global-view of the phosphorus cycle?
The soil-based view focuses on rocks and soil, while the global view is everything.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________