The Cycling of

Matter

Earth:
Matter does not come and go

Earth is a
Closed
System
to Matter

Cycles of Matter
Unlike the one-way flow of energy,
matter is recycled within and
between ecosystems.
These cycles are the water cycle,
Nutrient Cycle, Carbon Cycle,
nitrogen cycle and phosphorus cycle.

MATTER CYCLES WITHIN

ECOSYSTEMS
In any ecosystem, the various
organisms depend for survival on
other organisms and on their
surroundings.
Organisms obtain the matter that they
need to build their organic substance
form other organisms and from their
surroundings.

MATTER CYCLES WITHIN

ECOSYSTEMS
Unlike energy, matter cycles within
any ecosystem and is reused.
Matter, such as carbon, nitrogen and
phosphorus, continually cycles within
an ecosystem.

MATTER CYCLES WITHIN

ECOSYSTEMS
These elements are sometimes found
in producers and consumers.
At other times these elements are
found in non-living components
rocks, soil, dissolved in water.

Producer
s

Herbivore
s

Nutrien
t Pool

The Cycling of Matter

Carnivore
s

Decompose
rs

KEY CONCEPT:
Matter cycles in and out of an
ecosystem.

Key Concepts
Matter is what all things are made of.
By matter we mean: elements
(carbon, nitrogen, oxygen) or
molecules (water).
Matter is neither created nor
destroyed. All matter cycles through
the earth cycles.

Key Concepts
Biogeochemical cycles: the movement (or
cycling) of matter through a system.
In general we can subdivide the Earth
system into the atmosphere, hydrosphere,
lithosphere, and biosphere.
Biogeochemical cycles are part of the larger
cycles that describe the functioning of the
whole Earth (not just the surface parts).

Layers of the Earth

Hydrosphere- water layer. Liquid,

Ice, Vapor.
Lithosphere- Earths crust and
upper mantle.
- Fossil fuels, minerals, soil
chemicals.
Biosphere- biotic & abiotic factors.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
1. Why is the biogeochemical used to
describe matter cycling through an
ecosystem?
. Two types of biogeochemical cycles
Carbon and nitrogen cycles where the
element enters the atmosphere at
some point. The atmosphere acts as
the major reservoir or store for the
element.
Phosphorus cycle the element does
not enter the atmosphere at any stage.

What is biogeochemical?
BIO: Biology. Life. Living things. These cycles all play a role in the
lives of living things. The cycles might limit the organisms of Earth or
they might happen along side, changing the environment.
GEO: Earth. Rocks. Land. This refers to the non-living processes at
work. Oxygen cycles through many systems. It's in you and plants for
the 'bio' part of the cycle. Oxygen might also wind up in rocks The
'geo' part of its cycle.
CHEMICAL: Molecules. Reactions. Atoms. All cycles include these
small pathways. Complete molecules are not always passed from one
point to the next. Sometimes chemical reactions take place that
changes the molecules and locations of the atoms. Think about
oxidation as an example of the 'chemical' part of these pathways.
To sum it up, these pathways are all made of different
biological, geological, and chemical processes that help
make the world go 'round and life exist on Earth.

iz
al
er
en
G

c
eo
og
B i cl e
ed Cy

al
ic
m
he

Biogeochemical Cycles:
Reservoirs & Pathways
Atmosphere

Biosphere

Hydrosphere

Lithosphere

I.

The Water Cycle

The hydrologic, or water cycle is
the circular pathway of water on
Earth.
precipitation

condensation
transpiration
evaporation

surface
runoff
lake
water storage in
ocean
groundwater

Key terms for the water cycle:

a) Precipitation: moisture that falls to
the ground (rain, snow, sleet, hail)
b) Evaporation: changing from liquid to
gas (water to water vapor)
c) Transpiration: plants give off water
vapor from their leaves to the air
d) Condensation: changing from gas to
a liquid (little water droplets form on
the outside of a cold glass of
lemonade - thats condensation)

II.

The Oxygen Cycle

1) Plants make food by
photosynthesis
They use carbon dioxide (CO2) to
make oxygen (O2)
2) Animals breathe out carbon by
respiration
They use oxygen (O2) and
breathe
out carbon dioxide (CO2)

Example: Oxygen Cycle:

oxygen
photosynthesis
respiration
carbon
dioxide

III. Carbon Cycle

Carbon is the building block of life.

a. The carbon cycle moves carbon from
the atmosphere, through the food web,
and returns to the atmosphere.
b. Carbon is emitted by the burning of
fossil fuels (like oil, gasoline, and coal)

Key Concepts
The Carbon cycle is one of the most important to
humans because it is important to our existence:
--one of the primary elements forming human
tissues
--necessary to plants, the basis of human food and
because it is important to the climate system
which sets the background for our environment:
-- carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) are
greenhouse gases which help set global
temperatures.

Carbon Cycle: Notice photosynthesis and

respiration are back they both involve CO2
(now were looking at the C for carbon)
carbon
dioxide
in air combustion

respiration

photosynthesis

respiration

decomposition
of organisms

fossil fuels

photosynthesis
carbon dioxide
dissolved in water

IV. The Nitrogen Cycle

1. The nitrogen cycle mostly takes place
underground.
2. Some bacteria convert gaseous nitrogen
nitrogen in
into ammonia through
atmosphere
a process called
Some
animals
nitrogen fixation.
nitrogen
fixing bacteria
live in
nodules on
the roots of
plants; others
live freely in
the soil.

plant

nitrogen-fixing
bacteria in
decomposers
roots
ammonification
nitrogen-fixing
ammonium
bacteria in soil
nitrifying
bacteria

nitrates
nitrifying
bacteria
nitrites
denitrifying
bacteria

3. Ammonia released into the soil is

transformed into ammonium.
4. Nitrifying bacteria change the ammonium
into nitrate.
nitrogen in
atmosphere

Nitrogen moves
through the food
web and returns to
the soil during
decomposition.

animals

plant

nitrogen-fixing
bacteria in
decomposers
roots
ammonification
nitrogen-fixing
ammonium
bacteria in soil
nitrifying
bacteria

nitrates
nitrifying
bacteria
nitrites
denitrifying
bacteria

V.Phosphate Cycle

Phosphate is released by the

weathering of rocks.
a. Phosphorus leaches
into groundwater
from the soil and
is locked in
sediments.
b. Both mining and
agriculture add
phosphorus into
the environment.

rain

plants

geologic uplifting
weathering of
phosphate from rocks
runoff

animalsphosphate
phosphate in solution
in soil
leaching

decomposers

sedimentation
forms new rocks

Review Questions
1. What is the key concept of this unit?
2. Define the key terms for the water cycle.
3. What do plants take in and then give out.
What do animals take in and give out?
4. How does the carbon cycle move carbon?
5. Where is carbon emitted?
6. Where does the nitrogen cycle take place?
7. What are phosphates released by?

AHA??!!
1. It is the building blocks of life.
2. Matter is ________ within and
between ecosystems.
3. It is the circular pathway of water on
Earth.
4. It is released by the weathering of rocks.
5. Some bacteria convert gaseous
nitrogen into ammonia through a
process called ________ fixation.
6. TRUE or FALSE. Matter is neither

AHA??!!
1. It is the building blocks of life.
2. It is the process under the water
cycle that releases or falls out after
the condensation into the ground.
3. What do plants take in and then give
out. What do animals take in and
give out?
4. Where is carbon emitted?
5. TRUE or FALSE. Energy can be
created or destroyed.