Transcript Ecosystem Recycling - Harrison High School

Ecosystem Recycling
IN
• ENERGY FLOWS THROUGH ECOSYSTEM
• WATER—NITROGEN—CARBON—PHOSPHORUS ARE
RECYCLED!!!
• THEY MOVE THRU A BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE:
• ABIOTIC (non-living) PORTION OF ENVIRONMENT
(ATMOSPHERE)  LIVING THINGSTHEN BACK AGAIN
Water Cycle
• CELLS CONTAIN 70-90% H20
• VERY LITTLE OF EARTHS
AVAILABLE H20 IS IN
LIVING THINGS
• RIVERS / LAKES /
STREAMS / OCEANS
CONTAIN A BIG %
• ATMOSPHERE CONTAIN
WATER = WATER VAPOR
• GROUND WATER = IN SOIL
OR UNDERGROUND IN
POROUS ROCK
• WATER CYCLE =
MOVEMENT OF H20 B/T
RESERVOIRS
– EVAPORATION
– TRANSPIRATION
– PRECIPITATION
Evaporation
• ADDS H20 VAPOR TO
ATMOSPHERE
• HEAT CAUSES WATER
TO EVAPORATE
• 90% OF EVAPORATED
WATER FROM
TERRESTRIAL
ECOSYSTEM PASSES
THROUGH PLANTS IN
A PROCESS CALLED…
Transpiration
• PLANTS TAKE IN H20 THRU ROOTS
• RELEASE WATER & TAKE IN CO2 (CARBON
DIOXIDE)
• ANIMALS DRINK/
EAT
TO TAKE IN H20
• ANIMALS
RELEASE IT WHEN:
– BREATHING
– SWEATING
– EXCRETION
Precipitation
• WATER LEAVES
ATMOSPHERE
• TEMP & AIR
PRESSURE (ABIOTIC
FACTORS)
DETERMINE HOW
MUCH WATER CAN
BE HELD
• ONCE ATM. IS
SATURATED
W/VAPOR =
– SNOW, RAIN, SLEET,
HAIL OR FOG
Carbon Cycle
• PHOTOSYNTHESIS + CELLULAR RESPIRATION
• PHOTOSYNTHESIS = PLANTS & OTHER
AUTOTROPHS USE:
CO2 + H20 & SUNLIGHT = CARBOHYDRATES
CELLULAR RESPIRATION
• PROCESS IN WHICH
AUTOTROPHS &
HETEROTROPHS USE
OXYGEN (O2) TO
BREAKDOWN CARBS.
• CELLS MAKE ATP
(ENERGY) BY
BREAKING DOWN
ORGANIC
COMPOUNDS :
– A COMPOUND THAT
RESULTS FROM LIVING
THINGS & CONTAINS
CARBON
HUMAN INFLUENCE ON THE CARBON
CYCLE
• IN THE PAST 150 YEARS
CO2 IN THE ATMOSPHERE
HAS RISEN 30% ALMOST
½ IN THE LAST 40 YEARS
• HUMANS ACTIVITY IS THE
CAUSE
• BURNING FOSSIL FUEL:
– REMAINS OF
ORGANISMS THAT HAVE
BEEN TRANSFORMED BY
DECAY, HEAT, &
PRESSURE 
ENERGY RICH ORGANIC
MOLECULES
• BURNING RELEASES
ENERGY & CO2
• BURNING
VEGETATION
RELEASES CO2
• TROPICAL
RAINFOREST
DESTRUCTION
• WITH NO PLANTS
CO2 IS NOT
ABSORBED
Nitrogen Cycle
• NITROGEN IS NEEDED TO MAKE PROTEINS &
NUCLEIC ACIDS:
• ORGANIC MOLECULE, DNA OR RNA, THAT STORES
& CARRIES IMPORTANT INFO FOR CELL FUNCTION
• N2 (NITROGEN GAS) MAKES UP 78% OF THE
ATMOSPHERE
• N2 IS HOWEVER
LIMITED TO
AMMONIA FOR
MOST LIVING
THINGS
NITROGEN FIXATION
• CONVERSION OF N2 TO AMMONIA
• CERTAIN BACTERIA CAN CONVERT  NH3 =
NITROGENFIXING
BACTERIA
• LIVE IN SOIL &
IN SOME ROOTS
Recycling Nitrogen
• BODIES OF DEAD ORGANISMS CONTAIN “N”
– URINE & DUNG ALSO
• DECOMPOSERS BREAK DOWN CORPSES & WASTE
OF ORGANISMS GIVE OFF NITROGEN AS
AMMONIA =
AMMONIFICATION
• NITRIFICATION =
BACTERIA IN SOIL
TAKE IN AMMONIA
& OXIDIZE IT INTO
NITRITES, NO2 &
NITRATES, NO3
DENITRIFICATION
• RETURNING NITROGEN TO ATMOSPHERE
• PLANTS CAN ABSORB NITRATES & AMMONIA
FROM SOIL
– ANIMALS CANNOT!
• ANIMALS OBTAIN IT
BY EATING OTHER
ORGANISMS &
DIGESTING THE
PROTEINS &
NUCLEIC ACIDS
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. WHAT IS THE BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE
2. WHERE DO NITROGEN-FIXING BACTERIA
LIVE? WHAT CRUCIAL FUNCTION DO
THEY PERFORM?
3. DESCRIBE THE ROLE OF DECOMPOSERS IN
NITROGEN CYCLE?
4. HOW HAS BURNING FOSSIL FUELS
AFFECTED CARBON CYCLE?
5. THROUGH WHAT PROCESS DOES MOST H20
VAPOR ENTER ATM.