Biogeochemical cycles Pt2- The
Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles
Lecture 8 ENV101
What is the • Carbon Cycle is a biogeochemical cycle where
various carbon compounds are interchanged
carbon among the various layers of the earth, namely, the
biosphere, geosphere, pedosphere, hydrosphere
and atmosphere.
cycle?
• Carbon Cycle is an important aspect of the
survival of all life on earth. From an
Why is the environmental perspective, carbon provides
insulation by trapping the sun’s heat. From a
carbon cycle biological perspective, carbon is the building
important? block of life and forms stable bonds with
other elements necessary for life.
• Carbon Cycle can be classified into two types
based on the duration of the process into
two types:
• Short term – This type occurs within a
relatively short period of time. It is named as
Types of the such because it takes just days, months or
carbon cycle years for carbon to flow across the various
carbon reservoirs.
• Long term – This type takes thousands of
years to occur. The excess carbon from the
short-term cycle is stored for a long time
before they are released.
Short term
Carbon Cycles
• Photosynthesis =6CO2 + 6H2O +
Sunlight ———> C6H12O6 + 6O2.
• Respiration=C6H12O6 (s) + 6 O2 (g)
→ 6 CO2 (g) + 6 H2O (l) + heatΔG =
−2880 kJ per mol of C6H12O6
• The Calvin Cycle
• The Kreb Cycle
• Comparing Photosynthesis to respiration.
The Calvin and Kerb’s Cycles
Long term
carbon cycle
• What are the 4 steps of the carbon
cycle?
• Carbon enters the atmosphere as CO2
• CO2 is absorbed by autotrophs such as
green plants
• Animals consume plants, thereby,
incorporating carbon into their system
• Animals and plants die, their bodies
decompose and carbon is reabsorbed
back into the atmosphere.
The
Oceanic
Carbon
cycle
Oceanic Carbon Cycle
• This is essentially a carbon cycle but in the sea. Ecologically, oceans take in more carbon
than it gives out. Hence, it is called a “carbon sink.” Marine animals convert carbon to
calcium carbonate and this forms the raw building materials require to create hard shells,
similar to the ones found in clams and oysters.
• When organisms with calcium carbonate shells die, their body decomposes, leaving
behind their hard shells. These accumulate on the seafloor and are eventually broken
down by the waves and compacted under enormous pressure, forming limestone.
• When these limestone rocks are exposed to air, they get weathered and the carbon is
released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
The Nitrogen
Cycle
• The entire process of the Nitrogen Cycle, one of
the important biogeochemical cycle takes place
in five stages:
• 1) Nitrogen Fixation by Bacteria – Converting
inert atmospheric nitrogen (N2)into biologically
available forms such as ammonia (NH3), nitrates,
or nitrites
• 2) Nitrification by Bacteria – Converting
ammonia to nitrite and then to nitrate
• 3) Assimilation by Plants – Absorbing nitrogen
from the soil and incorporating them in
the plant and animal bodies
• 4) Ammonification by Decomposers –
Converting the dead organic nitrogen of plants
or animals back into ammonia
• 5) Denitrification by Denitrifiers –
Reducingnitrates or nitrites and releasing
gaseous nitrogen
What role do bacteria play in the nitrogen cycle?
• Nitrogen fixation – Performed by two different groups of bacteria – a) symbiotic nitrogen fixers like Rhizobium,
which keep a close association with the host leguminous plant, and b) free-living, non-symbiotic bacteria like
Azotobacter.
• Both these group of bacteria use specific enzymes to complete the biological nitrogen fixation process by the
following reaction –
• N2 + 8 H+ + 8 e− → 2 NH3 + H2
• Nitrification – Performed by nitrifying bacteria in two steps –
• i) Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria such as Nitrosomonas species perform oxidation of ammonia to nitrite by the
following reaction –
• 2NH4+ + 3O2 + 8 e− → 2 NO2– + 4H2 + 2H2O
• ii) Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria such as Nitrobacter species perform oxidation of nitrite (NO2–) to nitrate (NO3–) by the
following reaction –
• 2 NO3– + O2 → 2 NO3–
• The carbon and nitrogen cycles explained
Human
interactions Climate change and the carbon cycle
with the Why is the nitrogen cycle important in nature?
How do humans impact the nitrogen cycle?
Human activities release excess nitrogen into the environment, eventually disturbing the balance of nitrogen in its different
Carbon and
reservoirs in two possible ways:
Burning of Fossil Fuels
Use of Nitrogen-Containing Fertilizers
Carbon dioxide and the oceans and how they act as carbon sinks and the impact of humans on sinks
Nitrogen How is the carbon cycle linked to the hydrological cycle?
Cycles?
Textbook readings pages 69-72
