Cycles of Matter• Matter is constantly recycled through the biosphere in biogeochemical cycles– Hydro cycle moves water– Carbon cycle moves organic and

inorganic carbon molecules– Nitrogen cycle moves organic

and inorganic nitrogen molecules• Earth is a closed system which

follows the Law of Conservation of Matter– Energy is the ONLY part of the

cycle that enters and leaves the system of Earth

Water Cycle• The Water (hydro) Cycle moves

water between solid, liquid, and gaseous states.– Processes:

• Evaporation… liquid water entering a gaseous state at the surface of a liquid

• Transpiration… liquid water entering a gaseous state through openings (stomata) in leaves of plants

• Condensation… formation of clouds from gaseous water vapor in the atmosphere

• Precipitation… transformation of gaseous water to a solid or liquid that falls back to Earth

• Runoff, percolation (seepage)…the movement of liquid water back to the groundwater system

Nutrient Cycles - Carbon

• The carbon cycle is a biogeochemical cycle– Sources of carbon

• Organic… most all organic molecules• Inorganic… calcium carbonate (CaCO3) deposits

& CO2

– Processes:• Photosynthesis… fixes CO2 into organic

molecules• Cellular respiration… uses organic molecules for

energy producing CO2

• Decomposition… break down of complex carbon molecules into simpler forms– Burial & compression… leads to formation of coal

and oil

• Combustion & igneous activity… converts organic sources to atmospheric CO2

• Absorption… CO2

• that enters lakes and oceans may become concentrated into mineral deposits

Nutrient Cycles – Nitrogen & Phosphorus

• Nitrogen is an important element in DNA and every protein molecule in your body– Phosphorous is essential as it is also part of

DNA and ATP– Both Nitrogen and phosphorous cycle

between inorganic and organic sources in biogeochemical cycles

– Sources of Nitrogen: • Atmospheric gas (N2), organic molecules,

ammonia (NH3), nitrates (NO3-) , nitrites (NO2

-) and ammonium (NH4

+)

– Processes:• Denitrification… the release of nitrogen gas

from organic molecules through decomposition• Nitrogen fixation… the process of changing

ammonia and nitrogen gas to a form useful to plants (nitrates and nitrites)– Through bacteria in the soil and on the roots of

certain plants (legumes)

• Assimilation… transformation of inorganic nitrogen in the soil into organic compounds

Primary Production• Primary production in an ecosystem

reflects an ecosystems new dry biomass added per area per unit time (g/m2/yr)– Net primary production is limited by

the nutrients available – Not based on biomass but on new

material– Ecologist use to describe the carrying

capacity of an ecosystem• The amount and type of organisms that

can be supported

Limiting Nutrients

• Replacing limiting nutrients;– Fertilization• N, P, K

– Crop rotation• Adds nutrients back to

soil as different types of plants utilize nutrients in different quantities

Eutrophication• Process that creates abnormal

algal and cyanobacteria blooms from sewage and fertilizer runoff– Can rob a lake ecosystem of

resources due to over utilization of resources for primary production• Decreases aquatic species

– Phosphorus is the limiting reactant in eutrophication • Water quality controls and using

phosphate-free detergents are steps that are helping mediate this problem

Drought• Santa Barbara has estimated that they will

run out of fresh water by 2017!– The national average for individual water use

is between 60 and 100 gallons per person per day. Goleta is at 66 gallons per person per day; Santa Barbara at 86; and Montecito at 290.

– With California state water at its lowest allocation in history, the snowpack at 18 percent of its average and reservoirs at half their normal levels, shortages are around the corner, according to the scientists, but people continue to think of water as a limitless resource.

– In California, agriculture accounts for 80 percent of water use, with the remaining 20 percent going to urban areas.

– Recycling!• Right now, we’re recycling 10 to 15 percent of

the water in the state — “showers to flowers”• Making our gardens look more like the climate

that we live in!!!!