Cycles in Nature Life depends on the recycling

Cycles in Nature Life depends on the recycling of chemicals

The Cycles of Matter Three cycles that move matter among the environment and living things Water cycle l Carbon cycle l Nitrogen cycle l

Chemical cycles in an ecosystem involve both abiotic and biotic components

Water is essential to life Most organisms are made of water Water’s unique properties make environments on Earth habitable

The Water Cycle

Why is the Water Cycle Important? The hydrologic cycle is important because it is how water reaches plants, animals and us! Besides providing people, animals and plants with water, it also moves things like nutrients, pathogens and sediment in and out of aquatic ecosystems.

The Water Cycle The movement of water among oceans, atmosphere, land, and living things. Precipitation- water moving from atmosphere to land Ex: rain, snow, sleet, hail l 91% falls into the ocean, 9% on land renews fresh water supply l

The Water Cycle Evaporation- water moving from the land to the atmosphere l The sun’s heat causes water to change from liquid to vapor Condensation- water vapor becoming liquid again due to cool atmosphere Transpiration- water moving from living things back into the atmosphere l Ex: evaporation from leaves, perspiration from humans

The Water Cycle Ground Water- precipitation that seeps into the ground and is stored in underground caverns and porous rock l Provides water for the soil, streams, rivers, and oceans

The Carbon Cycle

Why is the Carbon Cycle Important? Carbon is exchanged, or "cycled" among Earth's oceans, atmosphere, ecosystem, and geosphere. All living organisms are built of carbon compounds. It is the fundamental building block of life and an important component of many chemical processes.

The Carbon Cycle Like water, the element carbon has an atmospheric reservoir and cycles globally. Carbon is the major ingredient of all organic molecules.

The Carbon Cycle Photosynthesis- carbon moves from the environment into living things Plants use carbon dioxide from the air to make sugar l Animals get carbon from eating plants l Respiration- carbon moves from living things back to the environment l Sugar molecules are broken down to release energy and carbon dioxide is given off when we exhale

The Carbon Cycle Decomposition- carbon moving from dead organisms back to the environment l Fungi and bacteria decompose dead organisms Combustion- the process of burning fuel l Burning fossil fuels releases carbon back into the atmosphere

The Carbon Cycle

The Nitrogen Cycle

Why is the Nitrogen Cycle Important? The nitrogen cycle provides nitrogen to the ecosystem from the atmosphere, ground and oceans. Nitrogen is an important component of complex molecules such as amino acids and nucleotides, which lead to the creation of proteins and DNA, the building blocks of all life.

Nitrogen is essential to the structure and function of all living organisms Proteins Nucleic acids

The Nitrogen Cycle The movement of nitrogen from the environment to living things and back again. l 78% of our atmosphere is nitrogen gas Nitrogen fixation- the process of bacteria changing nitrogen gas into usable nitrogen for plants l Animals get nitrogen from eating plants Other bacteria decompose dead animals and animal waste and return nitrogen to the atmosphere

The Nitrogen Cycle

Dr. Destruction Comic Strips You and your group will be responsible for creating a comic strip featuring an evil villain who plans to destroy an ecosystem by interrupting one of the cycles that runs in the ecosystem. Choose one cycle from the following: l l l Water Cycle Carbon Cycle Nitrogen Cycle

Dr. Destruction Comic Strips The comic strip must explain: l l l How the villain plans to disrupt the cycle What effects the villain’s interruptions will have on the cycle What plan your superheroes have for stopping the interruption You will be graded on: l l Having all requirements in your comic strip Using color and creativity in the final product