Biogeochemical Cycles - Assignment Example

Download file to see previous pages The present research has identified that a nitrogen cycle consists of a gas phase and a mineral phase. Since plants require nitrogen as a mineral rather than a gas, they receive their requisite via biological nitrogen fixation, aided by bacteria. Legumes play an important role by giving them a home and transferring the fixed organic nitrogen, thus produced, in the ecosystem through food chains. Animals, for the purposes of energy, break down proteins and organic compounds and excretes the ammonium ion form of nitrogen. Either the plants reabsorb it or bacteria convert it into nitrate, hence creating an organic cycle. “The key processes in a carbon cycle are of respiration and photosynthesis. During the process of respiration, carbohydrates and oxygen in a combination, produces carbon dioxide, water, and energy”. Whereas, during the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide produces the carbohydrates and oxygen, back again. Besides being liberated by a plant, either the carbon remains in them when they die or animals eat plant and respire them back into the atmosphere through respiration. Moreover, either decomposer decompose actively cycled carbon in a dead organic matter to release it back into an atmosphere or the dead matter stays intact to form coal, oil or natural gas (fossil fuels). As per hydrogen cycle, since, the largest reservoir for hydrogen is water; electrons from H2O, H2S, and low-molecular-weight organic compounds reduce CO2 whereas the electrons from reduced organic compounds travel through the respiratory chain to ultimately form water from dioxygen reduction. Moreover, anaerobic fermentation, photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation produces and releases free gaseous H2. The life-supporting oxygen has three sources, atmosphere, water and carbon dioxide. ...Download file to see next pagesRead More