Biogeochemical Cycles

 Biogeochemical Cycles

Photo from: https://www.britannica.com/science/biogeochemical-cycle

Biogeochemical cycles describe how matter, such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, move through ecosystems in a cyclic manner. Energy flows directionally through ecosystems, while matter is conserved and recycled. Water, an essential component of life, plays a crucial role in these cycles as it moves through various forms such as liquid water on the surface, groundwater, ice, and water vapor in the atmosphere. The cycling of these elements is interconnected, with water playing a role in leaching nutrients like nitrogen and phosphate into rivers, lakes, and oceans. However, only a small percentage of water on Earth is freshwater, and even less is easily accessible to living organisms. Understanding biogeochemical cycles is important for studying the interactions between living organisms and their environment, including the impacts of human activities such as agriculture and burning fossil fuels.