Transcript Abiotic Cycles - Arrowhead High School

Abiotic- NutrientCycles

Abiotic – Non-living components
essential to all environments.
– Water cycle
– carbon cycle
– nitrogen cycle
– phosphorous
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen Fixation
Nitrogen Fixation organisms convert
gas into useable
form.
The Reaction
N2 + 3 H2
2 NH3
NH3 is ammonia
Ammonification – bacteria and fungi producing
ammonia.
Nitrogen gas
in atmosphere
Ammonia
Nitrites
and
Nitrates
Denitrification – puts Nitrogen back into the air

Plants need Nitrogen for:
1. Protein
2. Chlorophyll
What percent of the atmosphere is Nitrogen
gas?
78%
Plants can NOT use N2 from the air
PHOSPHOROUS CYCLE
(not in the air)
Limiting Nutrient – a substance required by
organisms and without them they will not grow and
develop.
 Import for making DNA and ATP

Sources of phosphates
Cow manure
 Yard / crop fertilizers
 Soaps and detergents
 Sewage treatment plants

Carbon Cycle
CO2 in
Atmosphere
CO2 in Ocean
Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as
measured in the atmosphere and ice
cores.
The amount of net carbon increase in
the atmosphere, compared to carbon
emissions from burning fossil fuel.
That’s it, any questions?
Homework: Read the excerpt from “ A
Sand County Almanac” and diagram
two cycles of “X.”
Use RED arrows to indicate the flow of X
and BLUE arrows to indicate the flow of
energy.