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Cycle Chart Solutions

The document compares key biogeochemical cycles including water, carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus. For each cycle it outlines the important compartments or spheres the element moves through, including the lithosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. It also summarizes the major flows and processes involved in each cycle such as evaporation, photosynthesis, weathering, runoff, and sedimentation. Additional notes provide more details on specific aspects of each cycle.

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785 views1 page

Cycle Chart Solutions

The document compares key biogeochemical cycles including water, carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus. For each cycle it outlines the important compartments or spheres the element moves through, including the lithosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. It also summarizes the major flows and processes involved in each cycle such as evaporation, photosynthesis, weathering, runoff, and sedimentation. Additional notes provide more details on specific aspects of each cycle.

Uploaded by

api-368121935
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES­ COMPARISON CHART 
Compartments? 
Additional 
CYCLE  Why important?  Sphere/form of nutrient/location  Flows/Processes 
Interesting Notes 
/time frame 
Lithosphere: liquid, above surface (fast),  
Evaporation/Transpiration
surface soils (rel. fast), deep in ground (slow,  Some purification, 
Fresh water,  Condensation/Precip. 
many years)  some contamination 
land use  Run‐off 
Water  Biosphere: plants, animals liquid  Evapotranspiration 
decisions,  Infiltration 
Hydrosphere: mostly liquid (fast/slow/really  Leaching 
Water pollution  Percolation 
slow – streams/groundwater/glaciers)  Erosion 
(Absorption) 
Atmosphere: rel. fast precipitation 
Respiration/Photosyn 
Bios: biomass, energy (fast) structure (slow) 
C bonds=energy!  Weathering, run‐off 
Atm: CO2, CH4 (medium) important!  Climate “thermostat” 
organic  Shell, rock, fuel formation 
Carbon  Lithosphere: CaCO3 limestone (very slow)  Sinks/sources 
molecules,  Combustion, volcanoes, 
Hydrosphere: equilibrium with ocean,  Ocean acidification 
Climate change  dissolution 
biomass/structure 
Sedimentation/lithification
Nitrogen fixation  
Nutrient,   Atmosphere (main): N2 stable  (N2 to NH3/NH4+) 
amino acids/  Bios: absorb into tissues, amino acids (medium)  Nitrification (NO2‐/NO3‐) 
Lots of types of 
Nitrogen  proteins/nucleic  Lithosphere: NH3/NH4+NO2‐toxicNO3‐  Assimilation (uptake by 
bacteria! 
acids  (medium)  plants/animals) 
eutrophication  Hydrosphere: run‐off (short‐term)  Ammonification (decomp) 
Denitrification (to N2)  
Lithosphere: (main) – gypsum, pyrite (in coal)  Combustion of coal 
Atmosphere: SO2, H2S from volcanoes,   Volcanoes, vents  More regional than 
Acid rain, 
SO2,  SO4 from combustion (fast/med), DMS 
‐2  Wet/dry deposition  global, 
Sulfur  extreme 
Bios: less significant assim (some proteins),  Assimilation, Decomp.  DMS condensation 
environments 
decomposition, some deposition on plants   Weathering/run‐off  nuclei, smell 
Hydro: SO4‐2, forms DMS, spray  Sedimentation/lithification
Often limiting  Lithosphere: (main) – P, PO4‐3 (slow unless  Assimilation, Decomp. 
nutrient,  mined)  Weathering  Upwelling  guano 
Phosphorous  DNA, ATP  Bios: absorbs PO4  (medium) 
‐3 Leaching/run‐off to rivers,   No atmospheric 
Cell membranes,  Hydrosphere: some in solution, sediments  to ocean.  component 
Eutrophication  (slow)  Mining, fertilizing 
 

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