Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen is an important element for all living

organisms
Covers up the 78% of Earths atmosphere
Nitrogen Cycle is the circulation of Nitrogen
from atmosphere [Abiotic] to soil [Biotic] and
back to atmosphere

 Nitrogen from atmosphere is converted

into:
Ammonia (NH3)
Nitrates (NO3)

It is converted because most of living

organisms cant use the existing Nitrogen
in atmosphere
Some organisms can utilize e.g.:
Azotobacter.sp and Rhizobium
Nitrogen is the component of DNA &
Proteins
Not all plants can utilize Ammonia, thus it
needs to be processed

Rhizobium root nodules

 Ammonia that is not utilize by plants is

absorbed into soil particles
Ammonia thats in the soil is stored
and change into the useable form that
plants can use
ITS NOT THAT SIMPLE! The
ammonia must combine with oxygen
to form nitrites, where the bacteria
within the soil convert nitrites into
nitrates
Plants can absorb and grow because of
nitrates.

 Nitrates (NO3) from the soil is converted back into Atmospheric

Nitrogen (N2)
This process helps the replenishing of Nitrogen
Bacteria that lives deep in soil use nitratres and the their product is
nitrogen gas

Human activities on Nitrogen Cycle

Emission from vehicles and factories which is nitrous
oxide can make acid rain
Releasing nitrogen into the Troposphere through
deforestation
Contaminating groundwaters from non-organic
fertilizers which contains nitrate ions

Phosphorous Cycle

The circulation of ofphosphorusthrough lithosphere,hydrosphere,

andbiosphere.
Phosphorus and phosphorus-based compounds are usually solids found
on Earth.

Phosphorous Cycle
1. Phosphorous rocks that contains Phosphate ions (PO43-) are
exposed to water, the rock weathers out and become
sediments (rock erosion)
2. Plants absorb this phosphorus sediments from groundwater and
utilize it
3. Plants then eaten by animals thus obtaining phosphorus
(through food
chain)
4. Then it seep into the soil or groundwater, and as time goes by
it forms into
rocks

Human activities on Phosphorus Cycle

The removal of phosphate from earth for making
fertilizers
Phosphorus reduction in tropical soils by clearing forests
Phosphate excession to aquatic systems from runoff of
animal wastes and fertilizers caused algal blooms
Algal blooms are the result of an excess of nutrients
(particularly phosphorus and nitrogen) into waters and
higher concentrations of these nutrients in water cause
increased growth of algae and green plants.
As more algae and plants grow, others die.
Produce biotoxins that may have severe biological
impacts on wildlife.

Sulfur Cycle

Movement of sulfur from minerals and living organisms.

Essential for plants and bacteria

Sulfur Cycle
1. Plants absorbed sulfate (SO4) and then circulate
through series of food chains
2. Dead animals will be degraded into components by
bacteria
3. Bacteria reduce sulfate into sulfide (H2S)
4. The sulfide is then used by a photoautotroph bacteria
to produce sulfur and oxygen
5. Sulfur is then oxidized into sulfate again.