Biogeochemical Cycles - Essay Example

Therefore, the pathway of the cycle covers different regions from ocean to sky to earth and it covers all the Earth systems such as atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. “The movement of water in the hydrological cycle extends through the four parts of the total Earth system—atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere—and strongly depends on the local peculiarities of these systems.” (Kuchment, 2004, p 2). The importance of the hydrological cycle to life’s processes is generally recognized as all living organisms, including humans, depend on the hydrologic cycle for water and different activities of humans such as drinking, respiration, perspiration, and elimination of wastes form part of this cycle. Significantly, human activities have a great impact on the functionality of the hydrological cycle and those activities that change the land cover of river basins and are aimed at regulating the water fluxes in nature can greatly change the hydrological cycle of the separate river basins, and even of large regions. “Due to human activities, the natural hydrological cycle of most river basins is becoming more and more transformed and regimented… The major effects of reservoir construction on the hydrological cycle (excepting runoff control) are an increase of evaporation and a rise of the groundwater table.” (Kuchment, 2004, p 30). Similarly, the impact of irrigation on the hydrological cycle is especially informative in the arid regions, although it is also substantial in regions with a moderate climate where irrigation is of supplementary character. In conclusion, human activities have a great impact on the functionality of the hydrological cycle. Read More