Material cycling in environment

Material Cycling, Biodegradation,
Different cycles of gases and decomposition of living and dead human, animals and plants

1. Material Cycling In Environment Saba Shahzadi AIOU, Islamabad

2. Outline Ecosystem Functioning Biogeochemical Cycles (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus and hydrological cycles)

3. Ecosystem Functioning What is ecosystem functioning? An ecosystem is a dynamic complex of plant, animal and microorganism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit. Ecosystems are not only important in terms of the species they contain, but also in terms of the functions they carry out.

4. Ecosystem function… The collective intraspecific and interspecific interactions of the biota, such as primary and secondary production and mutualistic relationships. The interactions between organisms and the physical environment, such as nutrient cycling, soil development, water budgeting, and flammability.

5. Biogeochemical Cycles In this section, we examine material cycles of nature: cycles of water, carbon, sulfur, phosphorus and nitrogen(substances central to maintaining life on Earth). The material cycles consist of the transfer of chemicals from biological systems to geological systems and are therefore called biogeochemical cycles. Processes that affect these transfers are biological processes such as respiration, transpiration, photosynthesis, and decomposition, as well as geological processes such as weathering, soil formation, and sedimentation.

6. Biogeochemical Cycles… As materials cycle through, we note that the total quantity (mass) of matter remains the same, and energy that is put in changes to work (often to rearrange forms of matter) and is eventually lost to the surroundings.

7. Types of cycles There are three main types of biogeochemical cycles: Atmospheric or Gaseous cycles (C , N) Sedimentary cycles (P , S ) Those which act as both Gaseous and Sedimentary (Hydrological H2O)

8. Carbon Cycle All living things are made of carbon. Carbon is also a part of the ocean, air, and even rocks. Because the Earth is a dynamic place, carbon does not stay still. It is on the move!

9. Carbon cycle… There are five major steps of carbon cycle : Plants remove carbon dioxide from the air. When the plants died, they were buried in the earth. After millions of years, their remains turned into coal and oil. People mine the earth for coal and oil, which are called "fossil fuels". When people burn fossil fuels, they send carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air.

10. Carbon Cycle

11. Sulfur Cycle Sulfur is found in every living cell. It's part of the molecules that form the amino acids (protein building blocks) methionine , cysteine , and taurine, which are essential for health. It's a constituent of vitamin B1 and biotin, the antioxidant glutathione, the anticoagulant heparin, and coenzyme A, which drives energy production in cells. Sulfur is an integral part of the biological cement that forms skin, hair, nails, and the cartilage that shapes your nose and pads your joints.

12. Sulfur Cycle… There are four steps in the sulfur cycle: First, organic sulfur becomes mineralized into organic hydrogen sulfide, sulfide minerals, and elemental sulfur. Next, the hydrogen sulfide, sulfide minerals, and elemental sulfur are oxidized into sulfate. Third, sulfate is reduced to sulfide. Finally, sulfide becomes incorporated into organic compounds. This cycle represents the way in which sulfur moves back and forth between living systems and minerals.

13. Sulfur Cycle

14. Phosphorus Cycle Phosphorus is an essential element to all living organisms. It is part of our DNA and RNA, and it forms the molecule ATP, which gives all living things energy. 

15. Phosphorus Cycle… There are five major steps involved in phosphorus cycle: 1. Phosphate is released by the erosion of rocks. 2. Plants and fungi take up the phosphate with their roots. 3. Phosphorus moves from producers to consumers via food chain. 4. Phosphorus may seep into groundwater from soil, over time forming into rock. 5. When these rocks erode, the cycle begins again.

16. Phosphorus Cycle

17. Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen is one of the basic building blocks for life, and farmers require a steady supply of nitrogen fertilizers to ensure high-quality crop growth and yields. Nitrogen production capacity is relatively accessible due to the abundant supply of the main raw materials – natural gas and air.

18. Nitrogen Cycle… There are five major steps of nitrogen cycle: Nitrogen fixation: conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, performed by bacteria in the roots of legumes or lightning. N2 --> NH3 Nitrification: conversion of ammonia to nitrite to nitrate performed by bacteria. NH3 --> NO2 --> NO3- Assimilation: inorganic nitrogen is uptaken by the roots of plants and becomes part of the food chain. NO3- --> organic nitrogen (proteins and nucleic acids) Ammonification: conversion of organic nitrogen into ammonia. Performed by decomposers (bacteria, fungus) to return nitrogen to the soil. Organic nitrogen --> NH3 Dentrification: nitrates are returned to the atmosphere by anaerobic bacteria. NO3- --> N2

19. Nitrogen Cycle… Ammonification: conversion of organic nitrogen into ammonia. Performed by decomposers (bacteria, fungus) to return nitrogen to the soil. Organic nitrogen --> NH3 Dentrification: nitrates are returned to the atmosphere by anaerobic bacteria. NO3- --> N2

20. Nitrogen Cycle

21. Water Cycle With two thirds of the earth's surface covered by water and the human body consisting of 75 percent of it, it is evidently clear that water is one of the prime elements responsible for life on earth. Water circulates through the land just as it does through the human body, transporting, dissolving, replenishing nutrients and organic matter, while carrying away waste material. Further in the body, it regulates the activities of fluids, tissues, cells, lymph, blood and glandular secretions.

22. Hydrological Cycle… There are 5 steps in the water cycles: Evaporation :(the process of water converting to water vapor using heat.), Condensation: (the vapor cools and form droplets of water), Precipitation: (water falls back to Earth as rain, snow, etc.) Run off: (water stays on the surface of the Earth.) Percolation: ( when water on the surface seeps into the Earth.

23. Hydrological Cycle