BIOGEOCHEMICAL

CYCLES
• Biogeochemical cycles are representations of the circulation
and recycling of matter in nature.
 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
• In the energy pyramid, energy is not cycled because at each change
energy is lost. This is not the case for elements necessary for life. These
elements including carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, water, and phosphorous
undergo biogeochemical cycling
• Water cycling involves: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration,
and runoff.
• Nitrogen and phosphorous cycles are more complicated and involve multi-
step chemical changes.
• The two main processes involved in carbon and oxygen cycling is
photosynthesis (CO2 +H20 +sunlight yields glucose C6H12O6 and oxygen O2)
and cellular respiration (glucose +H2O +O2 yields ATP and CO2).
 NUTRIENT CYCLES

• A nutrient is a chemical substance that an

organism needs to sustain life
• Important nutrient cycles
• Carbon Cycle
• Nitrogen Cycle
• Phosphorus Cycle
 THE CARBON CYCLE

•Carbon’s Roles
• Ingredient in living tissue
• Important component of animal skeletons
(CaCO3)
• Important component of the atmosphere
(CO2)
 CO2 in
Atmosphere

CO2 in Ocean
 THE CARBON CYCLE
• Carbon enters the atmosphere by:
• Respiration
• Geochemical processes
• Human activities
• Carbon is taken up by:
• Photosynthesis
• Burial and decomposition of dead organisms (formation
of fossil fuels)
• The oceans are a major carbon storage system for
carbon dioxide.
 THE NITROGEN CYCLE

•The roles of nitrogen:

•Important component of amino acids
•Major component of fertilizer (NO3-)
•Major component of atmosphere (N2)
 THE NITROGEN CYCLE
• Nitrogen gas (N2) cannot be used by plants so it must be
converted into a usable form
• Soil bacteria (Rhizobium) convert nitrogen gas into
ammonia (NH3) in the process of nitrogen fixation
• More soil bacteria (Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacteria)
convert ammonia into nitrates (NO3-) and nitrites (NO2-) a
usable form – (nitrification process)
• Other soil bacteria (Pseudomonas and Clostridium) then
convert nitrates and nitrites back into nitrogen gas, which is
known as denitrification
 Nitrogen in
the air

nitrogen fixing plant

eg pea, clover animal protein

plant made dead rabbit

protein

denitrifying dead plants & animals

root nodules bacteria urine & faeces
(containing nitrogen
fixing bacteria)
decomposition by bacteria & fungi
nitrates absorbed

nitrates ammonia

bacteria bacteria
nitrites

(nitrifying bacteria)
 THE PHOSPHORUS CYCLE
• Roles of Phosphorus
• Important component of DNA and RNA
• Does not enter atmosphere (gas)
• Steps
• Phosphorus is found in rocks and sediment which gets
moved by water
• Plants absorb phosphorus in the form of phosphate from
soil and water
• Heterotrophs consume plants
THE WATER CYCLE
 THE BASICS OF WATER

•Water, essential to the survival of all living things, is

one of the most abundant and important
substances on earth. Humans cannot go for more
than several days without water. No living organism
on earth can survive without water. Some may be
better adapted to survival in areas with minimal
water sources, but they still need it.
• Water covers about 75 percent of the earth’s surface. Ninety-seven percent of all water
on earth is saltwater in the oceans. Only three percent is freshwater, found in the form of
glaciers, ice sheets, surface water, groundwater, and in the atmosphere. The majority of
freshwater is found in glaciers and ice sheets. Most of the remaining freshwater is found
as groundwater. Only a small fraction of all freshwater on earth is found as surface water
in lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. The remaining fraction of freshwater is found in the
atmosphere.
 THE WATER CYCLE
• The water cycle or hydrologic cycle is a
model that describes continuous movement of
water, through storage and transfer, between the
atmosphere, land, and water bodies.
• The transfer of water occurs in several different ways.
 THE WATER CYCLE

• Water moves between the ocean,

atmosphere, and land
• Water evaporates from bodies of water into
the atmosphere
• Water can also enter the atmosphere through
transpiration (process by which water is lost
through the leaves of plants)
 CANOPY INTERCEPTION

• The precipitation that is intercepted by plant

foliage, eventually evaporates back to the
atmosphere rather than falling to the ground.
 THE WATER CYCLE

• Evapotranspiration refers to the two ways of

moving water from the land to the
atmosphere, evaporation and transpiration.
Powered by the sun, transpiration releases
water to the atmosphere from plant tissue that
loses moisture absorbed from the soil through
the leaves. Evaporation moves water from
oceans, lakes, streams, and other surface
water bodies (storage).
 THE WATER CYCLE
• The sun causes water to evaporate (convert to
vapor) and rise to the atmosphere, where it can be
carried long distances before cooling, condensing
(reduction to a denser form) in clouds, and falling
back to earth as precipitation (dew, rain, sleet, hail,
or snow). When precipitation falls back to earth it
drains across the land as surface runoff. Most runoff
follows the drainage patterns of a watershed and
enters lakes, streams, and other water bodies. A
portion of the runoff replenishes groundwater
through infiltration (or percolation).
 THE WATER CYCLE
• Groundwater is stored in aquifers.
• Aquifers are water-bearing layers of permeable rock, sand,
or gravel. Groundwater is discharged to the surface through
well pumping or by natural springs and seeps. Water
on the earth’s surface is stored in lakes, ponds, streams, rivers,
oceans, wetlands, and groundwater aquifers.
• The amount of water on earth never changes but is
continually moving through the water cycle. While drought
may cause a shortage of water in one location, another
place will be getting more water than it needs.
 POLLUTION VERSUS POLLUTANTS

•Pollution is defined as the man-made or man-

induced alteration of the chemical, physical, and
biological integrity of water. Pollution is caused by
activities that affect overall water quality. A few
examples of pollution are the damming of rivers to
create reservoirs, channelization and levee
construction for flood control, or impacts from
recreational activities or urban development.
 POLLUTION VERSUS POLLUTANTS

• A pollutant is a substance that can cause

pollution. Heavy metals, pesticides, and nutrients are
examples of pollutant categories. Elevated levels of
one pollutant alone or in conjunction with other
pollutants can cause adverse effects to the quality
of the aquatic environment. Although some
pollutants are from natural sources, most originate
from man-made sources.
 SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION
• Point source pollution- pollution that enters water
from a specific location and can be controlled or
treated before it enters the water.
• examples: sewage pipe, a factory, a sinking ship,
a leaking barrel or trash dump.
• Non-point source pollution- pollution that enters
water from a large area and cannot be traced to a
single location.
-examples: runoff from farms, roads, parking lots,
construction sites, and acid rain.
 SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION
• Point source pollution
1. Municipal wastewater treatment plants. Biochemical
oxygen demand (BOD), nutrients, ammonia, bacteria,
chlorine, total dissolved solids (TDS), chloride, and sulfate.
2. Industrial facilities. BOD and chemical oxygen demands
(COD), and toxic substances.
3. Sewage bypasses. BOD, bacteria, nutrients, total
suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, TDS, and ammonia.
4. Oil production areas. Oil, brine water.
 SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION
• Non-Point source pollution
• Agricultural runoff from crops, feedlots, and pastures.
Nutrients, TSS, turbidity, TDS, chloride, sulfate, bacteria,
ammonia, pesticides.
• Urban runoff. TSS, turbidity, bacteria, nutrients, TDS, oil and
grease, pesticides, and trash (cans, bottles, other debris).
• Construction runoff. TSS, turbidity, and nutrients.
• Septic systems. Bacteria, and nutrients.
• Landfills and spills. Substances present vary with type of
landfill and material spilled.
 OCEAN POLLUTION
• How much pollution can oceans
tolerate?
• Some pollutants degrade and dilute in
oceans
• Ocean dumping controversies
 COASTAL WATER POLLUTION
Industry Cities Urban sprawl Construction sites
Nitrogen oxides from Toxic metals and Bacteria and viruses from sewers Sediments are washed into waterways,
autos and smokestacks; oil from streets and and septic tanks contaminate choking fish and plants, clouding
toxic parking lots pollute shellfish beds and close beaches; waters, and blocking sunlight.
chemicals, and heavy waters; sewage runoff of fertilization from lawns
metals in effluents flow adds nitrogen and adds nitrogen and phosphorus.
Farms
into bays and estuaries. phosphorus.
Run off of pesticides, manure,
and fertilizers adds toxins and
excess nitrogen and phosphorus.

Red tides
Closed Excess nitrogen causes
shellfish beds explosive growth of toxic
microscopic algae, poisoning
Closed fish and marine mammals.
beach Oxygen-depleted
zone

Toxic sediments
Chemicals and toxic metals
contaminate shellfish beds,
kill spawning fish, and
accumulate in the tissues
of bottom feeders.

Healthy zone
Clear, oxygen-rich waters
promote growth of plankton
Oxygen-depleted zone and sea grasses, and support fish.
Sedimentation and algae overgrowth reduce sunlight,
kill beneficial sea grasses, use up oxygen, and
degrade habitat.
 PREVENTING AND CLEANING UP
POLLUTION IN COASTAL WATERS
Solutions
Coastal Water Pollution
Prevention Cleanup

Reduce input of toxic pollutants

Improve oil-spill cleanup
Separate sewage and capabilities
storm lines
Ban dumping of wastes and Sprinkle nanoparticles over an
sewage by maritime and cruise oil or sewage spill to dissolve
ships in coastal waters the oil or sewage without
Ban ocean dumping of sludge and creating harmful byproducts
hazardous dredged material (still under development)

Protect sensitive areas from

development, oil drilling, and oil Require at least secondary
shipping treatment of coastal sewage

Regulate coastal
development Use wetlands, solar-aquatic, or
Recycle used oil other methods to treat sewage

Require double hulls for oil tankers

 Solutions What Can You Do?
Water Pollution Water Pollution

• Prevent groundwater contamination • Fertilize your garden and yard plants

• Greatly reduce nonpoint runoff with manure or compost instead of
commercial inorganic fertilizer.
• Reuse treated wastewater for
• Minimize your use of pesticides.
irrigation
• Never apply fertilizer or pesticides near
• Find substitutes for toxic pollutants a body of water.
• Work with nature to treat sewage • Grow or buy organic foods.
• Practice four R's of resource use • Compost your food wastes.

(refuse, reduce, recycle, reuse) • Do not use water fresheners in toilets.

• Do not flush unwanted medicines
• Reduce resource waste
down the toilet.
• Reduce air pollution
• Do not pour pesticides, paints,
• Reduce poverty solvents, oil, antifreeze, or other
• Reduce birth rates products containing harmful chemicals
down the drain or onto the ground.
WHAT ARE
MICROPLASTICS?

• Microplastics are
small pieces
of plastic, less than 5
mm (0.2 inch) in
length, that occur in
the environment as
a consequence
of plastic pollution.
MICROPLASTICS ARE IN OUR
FOOD!
• According to a study
conducted by
biologists at the
University of Victoria in
Canada, the average
American may be
inadvertently
swallowing as many as
50,000 microplastic
particles every year
because of
contaminated food
• Margaret Claire Layug, “Tahong Samples from PHL test
positive for microplastics”. GMA News Online, 15 June
2019,www.gmanewsonline/scitech. Accessed July 4,
2019
In a study conducted by Dr. Jose
Isagani Janairo of the De La Salle
University in coordination with the
Department of Science and
Technology (DOST), the green
mussels or tahong samples taken
from three different areas in the
Philippines have tested positive
for microplastic.
• A study conducted by State University of
New York in Fredonia which involved 259
bottles of water from 11 brands across nine
countries found out that, only 17 out of all
the bottles tested were found to be free of
plastic.
• They were bought from China, Brazil, India,
Indonesia, Mexico, Lebanon, Kenya,
Thailand and the U.S.
• According to a study conducted by
researchers from France, UK, and
Malaysia, it shows that salt we eat is
contaminated with microplastic.
• The researchers took 17 samples from
eight countries — Australia, Japan,
Portugal, France, Malaysia, Iran, New
Zealand, and South Africa — and 16 of
these salt samples tested positive for
microplastic.
• Dr. Jose Isagani Janairo to conduct an
initial experiment on salt samples from the
Philippines.
• Four samples were taken to the laboratory:
salt from the sea dried on land, washed
salt, salt cooked for six hours, and salt from
the market.
• All four samples tested positive for
microplastic.
 in human stools,

• This is the first study of its kind

and it confirms that plastics
ultimately reach the human
gut.
 Authors:
• Amanda
CallaghanAssoci
MICROPLASTICS ARE GETTING INTO
MOSQUITOES AND CONTAMINATING NEW ate Professor of
FOOD CHAINS
SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 6.41PM AEST
Zoology,
University of
Reading
▪ This study concluded that flying insect that • Rana Al-
spends part of its life in water can become jaibachiPhD
researcher,
a carrier of plastic pollution and can move
University of
the plastics into new food chains. Reading
• Scientists recorded a daily rate of 365
microplastic particles per square meter falling
from the sky in the Pyrenees Mountains in
southern France.
• Microplastic is a new atmospheric pollutant
 WHAT ARE THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF
MICROPLASTICS?

• According to an article for mountelizabeth.com.sg by

DR OTHELLO DAVE, few studies have been done
on humans to determine how microplastics affect
human health. It is speculated that the amount of
microplastics that enter your body are small and will
simply pass through your digestive tract. It remains to
be known exactly how many plastics we consume are
big enough to be causing us harm.
 LAWS AND POLICIES
• On December 28, 2015, President Obama signed
the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, banning
plastic microbeads in cosmetics and personal care
products. (https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/micr
oplastics.html)
• The House Committee on Ecology headed by Nueva
Ecija Rep. Estrellita Suansing gave its green light to
House Bill 8120, or the “Microplastics Ban Act of
2018.” A bill that seeks to prohibit the use by any
company of products such as rinse-off cosmetics and
clothing that contain harmful microplastics.
(Delon Porcalla (The Philippine Star) - September 13, 2018)
 THISJULY 29, 2019, HUMANITY
HAS REACHED THE EARTH'S LIMIT
IN PROVIDING FOR OUR NEEDS.
WE ARE CONSUMING THE
WORLD'S RESOURCES AT A RATE
IN WHICH ITCANNOT KEEP UP
WITH, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY
LIVING IN DEBT BY USING THE
RESOURCES MEANT FOR THE
FUTURE.
MAY TODAY SERVE AS A
REMINDER THAT EVERY LITTLE
ACTION COUNTS. DO YOUR
PART AND ADVOCATE FOR THE
CONSERVATION AND
PROTECTION OF OUR PLANET'S
NATURAL AND
ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES—
NOT ONLY FOR YOUR BENEFIT,
BUT FOR THE SAFETY AND
FUTURE ALL HUMANKIND.
Thank You ☺