Nutrient Cycling
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The Carbon Cycle The Carbon Cycle briefly: briefly: Has Has stores of carbon stores of carbon which hold the which hold the carbon carbon – Atmosphere Atmosphere – Soil and lithosphere (fossil fuels) Soil and lithosphere (fossil fuels) – Vegetation Vegetation – Oceans Oceans Carbon is TRANSFERRED between stores Carbon is TRANSFERRED between stores – By respiration and photosynthesis By respiration and photosynthesis – Plants are eaten and die Plants are eaten and die – Decomposers Decomposers – Burning of fossil fuels Burning of fossil fuels
Transcript of Nutrient Cycling
The Carbon Cycle briefly:The Carbon Cycle briefly:
Has Has stores of carbonstores of carbon which hold the carbon which hold the carbon– AtmosphereAtmosphere– Soil and lithosphere (fossil fuels)Soil and lithosphere (fossil fuels)– VegetationVegetation– OceansOceans
Carbon is TRANSFERRED between storesCarbon is TRANSFERRED between stores– By respiration and photosynthesisBy respiration and photosynthesis– Plants are eaten and diePlants are eaten and die– DecomposersDecomposers– Burning of fossil fuels Burning of fossil fuels
Nutrient cyclingNutrient cycling
Key terms:Key terms:
Nutrient cycleNutrient cycleBiomassBiomassSoilSoilLitterLitter
April 12, 2023
Recycling of nutrientsRecycling of nutrients
Ecosystems cycle nutrientd as well as Ecosystems cycle nutrientd as well as transferring food energytransferring food energy
Two types:Two types:– Micronutrients e.g. sulphur, magnesiumMicronutrients e.g. sulphur, magnesium– Macronutrients e.g. Oxygen, carbon, hydrogen Macronutrients e.g. Oxygen, carbon, hydrogen
and nitrogenand nitrogen
Sources of nutrients…Sources of nutrients…
RECYCLING OF NUTRIENTSRECYCLING OF NUTRIENTS
LITTERSurface layer of
vegetation
LITTERSurface layer of
vegetation
BIOMASS Weight of living
material
BIOMASS Weight of living
material
SOILSOIL
Additional nutrients added by weathering of parent rock
Trees and organisms die
Plants take up nutrients
Some nutrients lost due to leaching
Decomposition of plants and leaves releases nutrients
The Nutrient Cycle
The rainforest/ The rainforest/ selvas nutrient selvas nutrient
ecosystemecosystemBiomass-trees and
plants
Litter Soil
Gain from precipitation
Gain from weathering
Loss from leaching
A carboniferous tropical rainforest is an
evergreen forest – leaves grow all year
Runoff
Steppe and prairie Steppe and prairie grasslandsgrasslands
B
LS
Gain from precipitation
Gain from weathering
Loss from leaching
Runoff
Northern coniferous Northern coniferous forest (Taiga)forest (Taiga)
B
L S
Gain from precipitation
Gain from weathering
Loss from leaching
Runoff
Factors influencing the stores and
transfers of nutrients
HomeworkHomework
Complete a written comparison of the Complete a written comparison of the selvas (tropical rainforest) nutrient selvas (tropical rainforest) nutrient cycle, the prairie nutrient cycle and cycle, the prairie nutrient cycle and the taiga nutrient cycle.the taiga nutrient cycle.
