Biogeochemical Cycle Components

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE COMPONENTS

by Anton Antonio

April 3, 2015

The biogeochemical cycle involves the movement of chemical elements between living organisms and non-living elements of the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere.  “The atmosphere provides oxygen, carbon and nitrogen for the living organisms while the lithosphere provides the nutritional requirement of plants to grow (such as phosphorous, potassium, sulphur, calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium, cobalt, etc.)  The biogeochemical cycle is recognized as the life support system on earth.”  (Antonio, 2015)

The biogeochemical cycle is quite tricky to explain but let’s give it a good shot.  Just imagine five compartments labelled as (a) available inorganic nutrients or AIN, (b) living organisms or LO, (c) organic detritus or OD, (d) indirect available organic nutrients or IAON, and, (e) indirect available inorganic nutrients or IAIN.  These compartments function and interact with each other as follows:

1. AIN interacts with LO through respiration, leaching and excretion; and assimilation and production.  AIN interacts with OD through burning and leaching; and, decomposition.
2. LO interacts with OD through detritus feeding; and, death and excretion.
3. OD interacts with IAON through peat, coal and oil formation; and, erosion.
4. IAON contributes to AIN through burning.
5. IAIN interacts with AIN through weathering, erosion and biological fixation; and, precipitation and sedimentation.

Mentioned are the basic and notable interactions between and among the five compartments.  Here is how the biogeochemical cycle works…

“Atmospheric carbon dioxide and mineral nutrients such as nitrate and phosphates are examples of available inorganic nutrients.  Carbon enters the trophic structure of a community when carbon dioxide is recruited in photosynthesis.  Some nutrients are absorbed through the roots.  In short, assimilation and production cause elements to move from the inorganic to organic compartment.  Primary production by autotrophs facilitates the cycling of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulphur.  Heterotrophs also assimilate minerals like sodium, potassium, and calcium directly from water they drink.  Carbon and oxygen are returned directly to the pool of available inorganic nutrients through respiration by living organisms.  Other mineral ions such as calcium, sodium, potassium, and phosphorus are leached or excreted through rainfall or the water surrounding aquatic organisms.  The minerals are also recycled rapidly.  The eliminated, excreted, and egested products of organisms like litter, exuvia, feces, and urine and dead body forms the organic detritus.  These materials serve as food of decomposer organisms.  Once these nutrients are incorporated into the biomass of decomposers, they go back to the pool of living organisms.  In this case, the nutrients are locked up in the microbial tissues.  However, burning, leaching, and decomposition will bring back all nutrients to the pool of available inorganic minerals.  Indirect available organic detritus is formed by undecomposed organisms’ biomass that is buried in the ocean sediments.  Burning fossil fuels will release the nutrients into the environment as pollutants.  The last compartment, which is the indirect available inorganic nutrients, is formed when soil particles are locked up in the ocean floor through precipitation and sedimentation.  These locked up nutrients will become available only after millions of years primarily by geological processes.” (Medina, et al, 1999)

This, in a very complex process and system cycle, are the biogeochemical cycle components.

Just my little thoughts…

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REFERENCE:

Antonio, A. C., (2015). “Biogeochemical Cycle”. Retrieved on April 3, 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/

Medina, C. P., Zafaralla, M. T., Sierra, Z. N., Cuevas, V. C., Macandog, D. M. & Cervancia, C. R., (1999). “Ecosystem Structure and Dynamics”. University of the Philippines Open University, Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines