Biogeochemical Cycle

Prepared by: Maria Florida Mariano

BSEd IV BioSci

Ecology
What
What is
is biogeochemical
biogeochemical cycle?
cycle?

Ecologists speak of such constant reuse

as recycling, or more commonly cyling.

In each cycle, the chemical resides for a

time in an organism and then returns to
the nonliving environment.
5 Biogeochemical Cycles

Water Cycle

Carbon Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Phosphorus Cycle

Sulfur Cycle
Water Cycle
Water is everywhere on Earth.
Glaciers, 2.80% Ground water
1%

Groundwater
Ocean
97% - less obvious than the surface
waters.
-occurs in permeable, saturated,
underground layers of rock, sand,
and gravel called aquifers.
-most important water reservoir.
Water Cycle
2 ways of Water Cycle

1. Environmental water cycle

Water vapor in the atmosphere condenses and fall to
the Earth’s surface as rain or snow (precipitation). Heated
there by the sun, it reenters the atmosphere by
evaporation from lakes, rivers, and oceans, where it
condenses and falls to the Earth again.
Water Cycle
2. Organismic water cycle
Surface water does not return directly to the
atmosphere.
Water Cycle
Organismic water cycle can be
break

If the forests are cut down because the

moisture will not return to the
atmosphere. Water drains of to the sea
instead of rising to the clouds and falling
again on the forest.
Example Semiarid desert
German explorer Alexander von Humboldt
- rainforest in Columbia.
Water Cycle

Summary
Precipitation on land makes its way to the ocean
via underground, lakes, and finally rivers. Heat
causes evaporation, adding water to the sky. Plants
give off excess water through transpiration, also
adding water to the atmosphere. Atmospheric water
falls as rain or snow over land and oceans,
completing the water cycle.
Carbon Cycle

It is begun by plants that use CO2 in

photosynthesis to build organic
molecules- in effect they trap the
carbon atoms of CO2 within the living
world.
Carbon Cycle
Carbon Cycle
How Carbon will return to atmosphere?

RESPIRATION

COMBUSTION

EROSION
 Carbon Cycle
Respiration
most organism respire- they extract
energy from the organic food molecules
stripping away the carbon atoms and
combining them with oxygen to form
CO2.
 Carbon Cycle
Combustion
A lot of carbon stays trapped in wood, it
will return if it will burn. Sometimes
the duration of the carbon’s visit to the
organic world is long. Plants that
become buried in the sediment
(transformed by pressure into coal or
oil- fossil fuel) can be released if it is
burned.
Carbon Cycle
Erosion
Carbon are extracted by marine organisms, which
use it to build their calcium carbonate shells. When
marine organisms die, their shells sink to the ocean
floor, become covered with sediments, and form
limestone.
Eventually the ocean recedes and the limestone
becomes exposed to weather and erodes; as a result
the carbon washes back and dissolved in oceans
where it is returned to the cycle through diffusion.
Nitrogen Cycle
Most of the Earth’s atmosphere is diatomic
nitrogen gas cannot be used by most organisms.
Certain bacteria (live encased within bubble called
cysts that admit no oxygen or within special
airtight) are able to covert this nitrogen gas into
ammonia (NH3 through nitrogen fixation).
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle

Steps
1. Nitrogen Fixation
2. Nitrogen assimilation
3. Ammonification
4. Nitrification
5. Denitrification
Phosphorus Cycle
Phosphorus starts out in rocks and then
when it rains the phosphates are washed
off the rocks and distributed into soil
and water all over the planet.
Phosphorus is a very important
chemical because it is essential in the
formation of DNA.
Phosphorus Cycle
There is no phosphorus in atmosphere.
Importance:
-ATP
-DNA
Phosphorus Cycle
Phosphorus Cycle
Phosphorus Cycle
Step 1:
Phosphorus released from weathering of rocks.
Step 2:
Producers absorb phosphorus through their roots.
Step 3:
Phosphorus moves up the food chain as animals eat
producers
Step 4:
Decomposers obtain phosphorus as they feed on
dead remains.
*Phosphorus released in waste
Phosphorus Cycle
Human contribution- fertilizers
Problems:
It will run off to the bodies of water
algal blooms
eutrophication- change of ph.
Sulfur Cycle
Sulfur is a chemical that cycles through the
atmosphere. It can harm an ecosystem when
large amount of it are pumped into the
atmosphere through coal-burning power
plants. The excess sulfur combines with
water vapor and oxygen, producing sulfuric
acid. The acid then reenters the ecosystem as
precipitation. This becomes “acid rain”.
Sulfur Cycle
Sulfur Cycle
Step 1:
Volcanic activity, and industrial factories emit sulfur
dioxide into the biosphere and atmosphere.
Step 2:
Sulfur waste is absorbed by surrounding regions
such as water and the atmosphere.
Step 3:
Dimethyl sulfur is released from the oceans, then
reacts to oxygen gases to form sulfur dioxide.
Step 4:
Eventually the sulfur count will accumulate large
enough to produce clouds.
Step 5:
Sulfur will return to the surface when the cloud
releases in sulfuric acid.
Sulfur Cycle
Step 6:
Sulfur is absorbed by the plants to strengthen their
stems, and accumulate for vitamins.
Step 7:
Animals consume the plantation therefore taking an
amount of sulfur when they eat it.
Step 8:
When animal poops or dies, sulfur is returned to the
soil in the decomposition process.
then the cycle repeats.
Why do living things interact with each
other?

In order
to
survive.
SYMBIOTIC
Symbiotic Relationship

Symbiosis means different

species of organisms living
together in order to survive.
 Mutualism
A symbiotic relationship in which both
species benefit .
One may provide
protection while the other
provides food.

One may provide food

while the other provides a
means of reproduction.
 Commensalism
A symbiotic relationship where one
benefits and the other is not helped nor
harmed.

Barnacles living on a whale is an example

of commensalism.
One organism may provide protection or food, but
does not get harmed in the process - nor does it
receive a benefit.
 Commensalism

Bird makes its nest in a tree.

The bird does not harm the tree by preparing a nest
in the tree branches.
 Parasitism
Some organisms live on or in other
organisms at the expense of the other
organism.
TYPES:
1.Ectoparasite
2.Endoparasite
3.Brood parasite
Parasites cause harm, but usually do not
kill their hosts. However, they may
weaken their host.
 Parasitism
External parasites (ectoparasite)
parasites that feed on the exterior surface
of an organism.
 Parasitism
Internal parasites (endoparasites)- mark
more extreme that external parasitism.

Parasitoid are insects that lay eggs on the

living hosts. This behavior is common among
wasps, whose larvae feed on the body of the
unfortunate host, often killing it.
 Parasitism
Brood parasites- not all parasites
consume the body of their host.

Cuckoo and cowbird

 Competition

Intraspecific competition (two species)

and interspecific competition (two
individuals)

Two categories: 1) Interference

competition and 2) Exploitative
competition
 Predation

Predator (organism that benefits) and the

prey (negatively affected organism).
Amensalism

Negative zero interaction wherein one

organism is inhibited while the other is
not affected.
 Summary
Symbiotic Interaction
Relationship
Mutualism Positive-positive
Commensalism Positive-zero
Parasitism Negative-positive
Competition Positive negative
Predation Positive negative
Amensalism Negative-zero
 Let’s determine which symbiotic
relationship is this….

1
MUTUALISM
An oxpecker will perch on the backs
of rhinoceros’ and feed on ticks and
bloodsucking flies that bother the
animals.
 Let’s determine which symbiotic
relationship is this….

2
PARASITISM
Mistletoe grows on oak trees,
obtaining support and food from the
tree. Trees with lots of mistletoe are
often weakened by the mistletoe.
 Let’s determine which symbiotic
relationship is this….

3
MUTUALISM
An oxpecker will perch on the backs
of rhinoceros’ and feed on ticks and
bloodsucking flies that bother the
animals.
 Let’s determine which symbiotic
relationship is this….

4
COMMENSALISM
Spanish moss grows on the branches
of trees but does not obtain
nourishment from the tree.
 Let’s determine which symbiotic
relationship is this….

5
MUTUALISM
A clownfish lives among the tentacles of
the sea anemone where it gathers bits of
food left over from the anemone’s meal. It
chases off predators of the anemone.
 Let’s determine which symbiotic
relationship is this….

6
MUTUALISM
Ants will ‘farm’ aphids, keeping them safe,
giving them food, then eating the sugary
residue they emit as feces.
 Let’s determine which symbiotic
relationship is this….

7
PARASITISM
A tick attaches itself to your dog
and sucks its blood.
 Let’s determine which symbiotic
relationship is this….

8
COMMENSALISM
A moth lives in the fur of sloths, but
does not feed on it. Its larvae will
eat the dung of the sloth.
 Let’s determine which symbiotic
relationship is this….

9
PARASITISM
Lungworms live in the lungs of
bighorn sheep causing them to be
sick, or even die.
 Let’s determine which symbiotic
relationship is this….

10

COMMENSALISM
A bromeliad grows on the branches
of trees but does not obtain
nourishment from the tree.
 References….

Johnson, G. and Losos J. (2008). “Essentials of the Living World:

Second edition". pp.393-397. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Maton, Hepkins, Johnson, et. Al. “Ecology- Earth’s living
resources”.
(2014). “Biogeochemical Cycles” retrieved from
http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/sectors/biogeochemicalc
ycles
.
Maton, Hepkins, Johnson, et. Al. “Ecology- Earth’s living
resources”.
“Fundamentals of Environmental Science”. pp.17-29.
Pascual, E. (2016). “Symbiotic Relationship”. Retrieved from
https:/mauiocenter.com
Thank you for
participation!