Chemical Cycles Flashcards
biogeochemical cycles
the various nutrient circuts, which involve both abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem
3 main chemical cycles
water
carbon
nitrogen
water cycle
evaporation through sea —> percipitation over the sea
evapotranspiration —> percipitation over the land —> percolation in soil —> runoff and groundwater
(net movement of water vapor by wind then transport over the land can combine sea and land evaporation)
carbon cycle
burning —> CO2 in atmosphere —> photosynthesis, plants, algae, cyanobacteria —> [primary consumers —> higher-level consumers —> cellular respiration —> CO2 in atmosphere] / [detritus —> detritovers (soil microbes and others)]
nitrogen cycle
nitrogen in atmosphere —> [nitrogen fixing bacteria in root nodules of legumes] / [ammonium (NH4+) {ammonification & nitrogen fixing soil bacteria} —> nitrites (NO2-) {nitrification & nitrifying bacteria} —> nitrifying bacteria —> nitrates (NO3-) —> [denitrifying bacteria —> nitrogen in bacteria] / [assimilation —> plants —> [decomposers (aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and fungi) —> ammoniun (NH4+) —> …] / [consumers —> decomposers (aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and fungi) —>…]
nitrogen enters the atmosphere in a gaseous form of ____
N2
nitrogen fixation
nitrogen fixing bacteria convert N2 into NH4
ammonification
NH4 is produced by decomposers when breaking down organic matter
nitrification
different bacteria take NH4 and convert it into nitrite (NO2) and nitrate (NO3)
assimilation
nitrification allows producers to use the nitrogen
primary succession
going from nothing (no soil) to pioneering community to climax community
4 causes of primary succession
melting glaciers
volcanic eruptions
landslides
strip mines
secondary succession
re-establish an ecosystem after a disturbance
2 causes of secondary succession
flood
fire
succession
big changes in the system
