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1 Bio-Geo-Chemical Cycling
or
Nutrient Cycling

2 Functions of the ecosystem.

• The living world depends upon the energy flow and the nutrients circulation that occurs through
ecosystem.
• Both influence the abundance of organisms, the metabolic rate at which they live, and the
complexity of the ecosystem.
• Energy flow
• Energy flows through ecosystems enabling the organisms to perform various kinds of work and
this energy is ultimately lost as heat forever.
• Nutrients circulation
• On the other hand, nutrients of food matter never get used up.
• They can be recycled again and again indefinitely.

3 Biogeochemical cycling
• These elements or mineral nutrients are always in circulation moving from non-living to living and
then back to the non-living components of the ecosystem in circular fashion.
• This circular fashion is known as biogeochemical cycling .
• The nutrient cycle is a concept that describes how nutrients move from the physical environment
to the living organisms, and subsequently recycled back to the physical environment.
• This movement of nutrients from the environment into plants and animals and again back to the
environment is essential for life and it is the vital function of the ecology of any region.
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4 Nutrient cycling
• Nutrient cycling is typically studied in terms of specific nutrients, with each nutrient in an
environment having its own particular pattern of cycling.
• Among the most important nutrient cycles are the carbon nutrient cycle and the nitrogen nutrient
cycle.
• Both of these cycles make up an essential part of the overall soil nutrient cycle.
5 Types of Nutrient Cycle

• Based on the replacement period a nutrient cycle is referred to as Perfect or Imperfect cycle.
• Perfect nutrient cycle
• A perfect nutrient cycle is one in which nutrients are replaced as fast as they are utilised.
• Most gaseous cycles are generally considered as perfect cycles.
• Imperfect cycle
• In contrast sedimentary cycles are considered relatively imperfect, as some nutrients are lost from
the cycle and get locked into sediments and so become unavailable for immediate cycling.
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• Based on the nature of the reservoir, there are two types of cycles namely Gaseous and

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sedimentary cycle
• Gaseous Cycle – where the reservoir is the atmosphere or the hydrosphere
• Sedimentary Cycle – where the reservoir is the earth’s crust.

6 Water Cycle (Hydrologic)

• Water as an important ecological factor determines the structure and function of the ecosystem.
• Cycling of all other nutrients I also dependent upon water as it provides their transportation
during the various steps.
• It acts as a solvent medium for their uptake of nutrients by organisms.
• The hydrologic cycle is the continuous circulation of water in the Earth-atmosphere system which
is driven by solar energy.
• Water on our planet is stored in major reservoirs like atmosphere, oceans, lakes, rivers, soils,
glaciers, snowfields, and groundwater.
• Water moves from one reservoir to another by the processes of evaporation, transpiration,
condensation, precipitation, deposition, runoff, infiltration, and groundwater flow.

7 The Carbon Cycle

• Carbon is a minor constituent of the atmosphere as compared to oxygen and nitrogen.
• However, without carbon dioxide life could not exist, because it is vital for the production of
carbohydrates through photosynthesis by plants.
• Carbon is present in the atmosphere, mainly in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2).
• Carbon cycle involves a continuous exchange of carbon between the atmosphere and organisms.
• Carbon from the atmosphere moves to green plants by the process of photosynthesis, and then to
animals.
• By process of respiration and decomposition of dead organic matter it returns back to
atmosphere.
• It is usually a short term cycle.
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8 The Carbon Cycle

• Respiration
• Respiration is carried out by all living organisms.
• It is a metabolic process where food is oxidized to liberate energy, CO2 and water.
• The energy released from respiration is used for carrying out life processes by living organism
(plants, animals, decomposers etc.).
• Thus CO2 is released into of the atmosphere through this process.
• Decomposition
• A major part is retained by them as their own biomass which becomes available to decomposers
on their death.
• The dead organic matter is decomposed by microorganisms and CO2 is released into the
atmosphere by decomposers.
• Combustion
• Burning of biomass releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

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9 The Carbon Cycle

• Some carbon also enters a long term cycle.
• It accumulates as un-decomposed organic matter in the peaty layers of marshy soil or as insoluble
carbonates in bottom sediments of aquatic systems which take a long time to be released.
• In deep oceans such carbon can remained buried for millions of years till geological movement
may lift these rocks above sea level.
• These rocks may be exposed to erosion, releasing their carbon dioxide, carbonates and
bicarbonates into streams and rivers.
• Fossil fuels such as coals, oil and natural gas etc. are organic compounds that were buried before
they could be decomposed and were subsequently transformed by time and geological processes
into fossil fuels.
• When they are burned the carbon stored in them is released back into the atmosphere as carbon-
dioxide.
10 Nitrogen Cycle
 Apart from carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, nitrogen is the most prevalent element in living
organisms.
 This circulation of nitrogen from soil through plants and animals and back to the soil is called the
nitrogen cycle.
 Nitrogen is a constituent of amino acids, proteins, hormones, chlorophylls and many of
the vitamins Plants compete with microbes for the limited nitrogen that is available in the soil.
 Thus, nitrogen is a limiting nutrient for both natural and agricultural ecosystems.
 Nitrogen exists as two nitrogen atoms (N2) joined by a very strong triple covalent bond (N ≡ N).
 In nature, lightning and ultraviolet radiation provide enough energy to convert nitrogen to
nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2, N2O).
 Industrial combustions, forest fires, automobile exhausts and power-generating stations are also
sources of atmospheric nitrogen oxides.
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11 Nitrogen Cycle
 Nitrogen is an essential constituent of protein and is a basic building block of all living tissue.
 It constitutes nearly 16% by weight of all the proteins.
 There is an inexhaustible supply of nitrogen (79%) in the atmosphere but the elemental form
cannot be used directly by most of the living organisms.
 Nitrogen needs to be ‘fixed’ = that is, converted to ammonia, nitrites or nitrates, before it can be
taken up by plants.
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12 Nitrogen Fixing
• Nitrogen fixation: This process involves conversion of gaseous nitrogen into ammonia, nitrites or
nitrates a form in which it can be used by plants.
•

• Nitrogen fixation on earth is accomplished in three different ways:

• (i) By microorganisms (bacteria and blue-green algae)
• (ii) By man using industrial processes (fertilizer factories)
• (iii) To a limited extent by atmospheric phenomenon such as thunder and lighting = The periodic

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(iii) To a limited extent by atmospheric phenomenon such as thunder and lighting = The periodic
thunderstorms convert the gaseous nitrogen in the atmosphere to ammonia and nitrates which
eventually reach the earth’s surface through precipitation and then into the soil to be utilized by
plants.

13 Nitrogen Fixing
 Certain microorganisms are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia
(NH3) and ammonium ions (NH4+).
 Ammonia (NH3) is a molecule consisting of nitrogen and hydrogen, while ammonium (NH4+) is
an ion of ammonia that is formed by accepting a hydrogen ion.
 Microbes called N2-fixers include:
 Free-living nitrogen fixing bacteria (non-symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria or nitrogen-fixing soil
bacteria) (e.g. aerobic Azotobacter and Beijemickia; anaerobic Clostridium and Rhodospirillum),
 Symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g. Rhizobium) living in association with leguminous plants
and non-leguminous root nodule plants.
 Leguminous: denoting plants of the pea family (Leguminosae), typically having seeds in pods,
distinctive flowers, and root nodules containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
 Some cyanobacteria (a major source of nitrogen fixation in oceans) (blue-green algae. E.g.
Nostoc, Anabaena, Spirulina etc.).
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14 Nitrification – Ammonia to Nitrates

 Ammonium ions can be directly taken up as a source of nitrogen by some plants.

 Others absorb nitrates which are obtained by oxidising ammonia and ammonium ions.
 Ammonia and ammonium ions are oxidised to nitrites or nitrates by two groups of specialized
bacteria.
 Ammonium ions are first oxidised to nitrite by the bacteria Nitrosomonas and/or Nitrococcus.
 The nitrite is further oxidized to nitrate with the help of the bacterium Nitrobacter.
 These steps are called nitrification.
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15 Nitrification – Ammonia to Nitrates

 The nitrate thus formed is absorbed by plants and is transported to the leaves.
 In leaves, it is reduced to form ammonia that finally forms the amine group of amino acids, which
are the building blocks of proteins.
 These then go through higher trophic levels of the ecosystem.
 During excretion and upon the death of all organisms nitrogen is returned to the soil in the form
of ammonia.
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16 Nitrates/nitrites to elemental nitrogen

 Certain quantity of soil nitrates, being highly soluble in water, is lost to the system by being
transported away by surface run-off or ground water.
 In the soil as well as oceans there are special denitrifying bacteria (e.g. Pseudomonas), which
convert the nitrates/nitrites to elemental nitrogen.
 This nitrogen escapes into the atmosphere, thus completing the cycle.

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17
Ammonification – Urea, Uric Acid to Ammonia

 Living organisms produce nitrogenous waste products such as urea and uric acid (organic
nitrogen).
 These waste products, as well as dead remains of organisms, are converted back into inorganic
ammonia and ammonium ions by the bacteria. This process is called ammonification.
 Some of this ammonia volatilizes and re-enters the atmosphere, but most of it is converted
into nitrate by soil bacteria.

18 Denitrification – Nitrate to Nitrogen

 Nitrate present in the soil is reduced to nitrogen by the process of denitrification.
 In the soil as well as oceans there are special denitrifying bacteria
(Pseudomonas and Thiobacillus), which convert the nitrates/nitrites to elemental nitrogen.
 This nitrogen escapes into the atmosphere, thus completing the cycle
 The amount of nitrogen fixed by man through the industrial process has far exceeded the
amount fixed by the Natural Cycle.
 As a result, nitrogen fixed by man has become a pollutant which can disrupt the balance of
nitrogen. It may lead to Acid rain, Eutrophication and Harmful Algal Blooms.
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19 Fixing to Denitrification
• Step 1: N2 Fixing  Nitrogen → Ammonia or Ammonium Ions
• Step 2: Nitrification  Ammonia or Ammonium Ions → Nitrite → Nitrate
• Step 3: Ammonification  Dead Matter + Animal Waste (Urea, Uric Acid) → Ammonia or
Ammonium Ions
 Some ammonia escapes into the atmosphere. Rest is Nitrified (Step 2) to nitrates.
 Some of the nitrates is available for plants. Rest is Denitrified (Step 4).
• Step 4: Denitrification  Nitrate → Nitrogen
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20 Sedimentary Cycle

• Phosphorus and Sulphur are circulate by means of the sedimentary cycle.

• The element involved in the sedimentary cycle normally does not cycle through the atmosphere
but follows a basic pattern of flow through erosion, sedimentation, mountain building, volcanic
activity and biological transport through the excreta of marine birds.
21 Phosphorus Cycle

• Phosphorus plays a central role in aquatic ecosystems and water quality.

• Unlike carbon and nitrogen, which come primarily from the atmosphere, phosphorus occurs in
large amounts as a mineral in phosphate rocks and enters the cycle from erosion and mining
activities.
• This is the nutrient considered to be the main cause of excessive growth of rooted and free-
floating microscopic plants in lakes.
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22 Phosphorus Cycle

• The main storage for phosphorus is in the earth’s crust.

• On land phosphorus is usually found in the form of phosphates.
• By the process of weathering and erosion phosphates enter rivers and streams that transport
them to the ocean.
• In the ocean once the phosphorus accumulates on continental shelves in the form of insoluble
deposits.
• After millions of years, the crustal plates rise from the sea floor and expose the phosphates on
land.
• After more time, weathering will release them from rock and the cycle’s geochemical phase begins
again.
23 Sulphur Cycle

• The Sulphur reservoir is in the soil and sediments where it is locked in organic (coal, oil and peat)
and inorganic deposits (pyrite rock and Sulphur rock) in the form of sulphates, sulphides and
organic sulphur.
• It is released by weathering of rocks, erosional runoff and decomposition of organic matter and is
carried to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in salt solution.
• The sulphur cycle is mostly sedimentary except two of its compounds hydrogen sulphide (H2S)
and sulphur dioxide (SO2) add a gaseous component to its normal sedimentary cycle.
• Sulphur enters the atmosphere from several sources like volcanic eruptions, combustion of fossil
fuels, from surface of ocean and from gases released by decomposition.
• Atmospheric hydrogen sulphide also gets oxidised into sulphur dioxide.
• Atmospheric sulphur dioxide is carried back to the earth after being dissolved in rainwater as
weak sulphuric acid.
24 Sulphur Cycle

• Whatever the source, sulphur in the form of sulphates is take up by plants and incorporated
through a series of metabolic processes into sulphur bearing amino acid which is incorporated in
the proteins of autotroph tissues.
• It then passes through the grazing food chain.
• Sulphur bound in living organism is carried back to the soil, to the bottom of ponds and lakes and
seas through excretion and decomposition of dead organic material.

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