Ecol 21n | Lecture| 2nd Sem.

AY: 2023-2024

Lesson 1.5:
Biogeochemical
Cycles
Nitrogen Cycle
Sulfur Cycle

Cheryl C. Batistel
Lecturer
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Nitrogen Cycle
Importance
of Nitrogen
• Component of the
Processes of different molecules in
Nitrogen living things
Cycle
• Build proteins and nucleic
Assimilation acids
of Nitrogen • Atmospheric nitrogen has
limited availability for
Forms of biological use, leading to
Nitrogen a scarcity of usable • Most abundant element in
nitrogen in many types of Earth’s atmosphere (approx.
Human
ecosystems. 78%), cannot be used by
Influence on plants and animals directly
the Nitrogen
Cycle
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Nitrogen Cycle
Importance
of Nitrogen The stages in the assimilation of
nitrogen are as follows:
Forms of nitrogen:
Processes of
Nitrogen 1. Nitrogen fixation: N2 to NH4+
Cycle • urea → CO(NH2)2
by nitrogen-fixing bacteria
(prokaryotes in the soil and • ammonia → NH3 (gaseous)
Assimilation • ammonium → NH4
root nodules), N2 to N03- by
of Nitrogen
lightning and UV radiation. • nitrate → NO3
• nitrite → NO2
Forms of 2. Nitrification: NH4+ to N02- and • atmospheric dinitrogen →N2
Nitrogen N02- to N03- by various nitrifying • organic N
bacteria.
Human
Influence on
the Nitrogen Ammonia gas is toxic to plants!
Cycle
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Nitrogen Cycle
Importance
of Nitrogen The stages in the assimilation of nitrogen are as follows:

Processes of 3. Assimilation – incorporation of NH3 and NO3 into

Nitrogen biological tissues; plants absorb nitrogen as either
Cycle NH4+ or as N03-, animals obtain nitrogen by eating
plants and other animals.
Assimilation
4. Ammonification - bacteria or fungi convert the
of Nitrogen
organic nitrogen within the remains back into
ammonium (NH+4)
Forms of 5. Denitrification - reduction of nitrates back into
Nitrogen nitrogen gas (N2), completing the nitrogen cycle
Human
Influence on
the Nitrogen Ammonia gas is toxic to plants!
Cycle
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Nitrogen Cycle
Importance
of Nitrogen (Nitrogen is required for the manufacture of amino
acids and nucleic acids)
Processes of
Nitrogen
Sources:
Cycle 1. Reservoir – atmosphere (as N2); soil
(as NH4+ or ammonium, NH3 or • Lightning
Sources of ammonia, N02- or nitrite, N03- or nitrate • Inorganic fertilizers
Nitrogen • Nitrogen Fixation
• Animal Residues
Forms of 2. Assimilation – plants absorb nitrogen
• Crop residues
Nitrogen as either NH4+ or as N03-, animals
• Organic fertilizers
obtain nitrogen by eating plants and
Human other animals.
Influence on
the Nitrogen
Cycle
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Nitrogen Cycle
Importance
of Nitrogen 3. Release – denitrifying
bacteria convert N03-
Processes of
Nitrogen back to N2
Cycle (denitrification);
detrivorous bacteria
Sources of convert organic
Nitrogen compounds back to NH4+
(ammonification); animals
Forms of excrete NH4+ (or NH3)
Nitrogen urea, or uric acid.

Human
Influence on Ammonification/mineralization - Bacteria or fungi convert the
the Nitrogen organic nitrogen within the remains back into ammonium (NH+4)
Cycle
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Nitrogen Cycle
Importance
1. Atmospheric fixation - A natural
of Nitrogen
phenomenon where the energy of
lightning breaks the nitrogen into
Processes of
nitrogen oxides and is then used by
Nitrogen
plants.
Cycle
• Powerful electrical energy from
lightning ionize the air
Assimilation • This ionization process converts the
of Nitrogen free nitrogen of the air into its Lightning: nature's way of converting
water soluble state which all plants atmospheric nitrogen into fertilizer
Fixing of need
Nitrogen
2. Industrial fixation - Is a man-made alternative that aids in
Human nitrogen fixation by the use of ammonia. Ammonia is produced
Influence on by the direct combination of nitrogen and hydrogen and later, it
the Nitrogen is converted into various fertilizers such as urea.
Cycle
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Nitrogen Cycle
Importance
of Nitrogen 3. Biological nitrogen fixation: fixing
nitrogen by living organisms
Processes of Bacteria like Rhizobium and blue-green
Nitrogen algae transform the unusable form of
Cycle nitrogen into other compounds that are more
readily usable. These nitrogen compounds Anabaena Azolla
Assimilation get fixed in the soil by these microbes.
of Nitrogen
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria: Rhizobium
Nitrogen • Some live in a symbiotic relationship with plants of the
Fixation legume family (e.g. soybeans, clover, peanuts)
• Some nitrogen-fixing bacteria live free in the soil.
Human
Influence on • Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria are essential to maintaining
the Nitrogen the fertility of semi-aquatic environments like rice paddies.
Cycle
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Nitrogen Cycle
Importance
of Nitrogen
Human influences on the nitrogen cycle
• creation of chemical fertilizers
Processes of
Nitrogen
• pollution emitted by vehicles and industrial plants
Cycle • significantly contributed to the transfer of nitrogen trace
gases from earth to the atmosphere and from the land
Assimilation to aquatic systems
of Nitrogen
• ammonia (reactant in the atmosphere) in the
atmosphere has tripled as the result of human activities.
Forms of
acts as an aerosol, decreasing air quality and clinging
Nitrogen
to water droplets, eventually resulting in nitric acid that
Human produces acid rain and damage respiratory systems.
Influence on
the Nitrogen
Cycle
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Nitrogen Cycle
Importance Consequence of human modification of the
of Nitrogen
nitrogen cycle
Processes of
• Nitrogen gases and aerosols can be directly toxic to
Nitrogen
Cycle certain plant species, affecting the aboveground
physiology and growth of plants near large point
Assimilation sources of nitrogen pollution.
of Nitrogen • Increased availability of inorganic nitrogen in aquatic
ecosystems include water acidification; eutrophication
Forms of of fresh and saltwater systems; and toxicity issues for
Nitrogen animals, including humans.
Human • Nitrate accumulation in drinking water
Influence on
the Nitrogen
Cycle
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Sulfur Cycle
Importance • 10th most abundant element in the universe
of Sulfur
• a brittle, yellow, tasteless, and odorless non-metallic
element
Sources of
Sulfur • comprises many vitamins, proteins, and hormones
that play critical roles in both climate and in the
health of various ecosystems
Sulfur Cycle
• majority is stored underground in rocks and
Sulfur in
minerals, including as sulfate salts buried deep
Terrestrial within ocean sediments
Ecosystems
• used for things such as fertilizers, matches and
Sulfur in insecticides
Aquatic
Ecosystems
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Sulfur Cycle
Importance
of Sulfur Natural sources that emit sulfur directly into
the atmosphere:
Sources of
Sulfur
• volcanic eruptions
Sulfur Cycle • breakdown of organic matter in swamps
and tidal flats
Sulfur in • evaporation of water
Terrestrial
Ecosystems

Sulfur in
Aquatic
Ecosystems
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Sulfur Cycle
Importance Essential steps of the sulfur
of Sulfur cycle:
1. Mineralization of organic
Sources of sulfur to the inorganic form,
Sulfur hydrogen sulfide (H2S).
2. Oxidation of sulfide and
elemental sulfur (S) and
Sulfur Cycle related compounds to sulfate
(SO4²-).
3. Reduction of sulfate to
Sulfur in
sulfide.
Terrestrial
Ecosystems 4. Microbial immobilization of
the sulfur compounds and
Sulfur in subsequent incorporation
Aquatic into the organic form of sulfur.
Ecosystems
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Sulfur Cycle
Importance
of Sulfur Terrestrial
• weathering of rocks, releasing the stored sulfur
• sulfur then comes into contact with air where it is converted
Sources of into sulfate (SO4)
Sulfur • sulfate is taken up by plants and microorganisms and is
converted into organic forms; animals then consume these
organic forms through foods they eat, thereby moving the
Sulfur Cycle sulfur through the food chain.
• As organisms die and decompose, some of the sulfur is again
released as a sulfate and some enters the tissues of
Sulfur in microorganisms.
Terrestrial
• Sulfur eventually settles back into the Earth or comes down
Ecosystems
within rainfall. A continuous loss of sulfur from terrestrial
Sulfur in ecosystem runoff occurs through drainage into lakes and
Aquatic streams, and eventually oceans.
Ecosystems
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Sulfur Cycle
Importance Aquatic
of Sulfur • Within the ocean, some sulfur
cycles through marine
Sources of communities, moving through the
Sulfur food chain.
• A portion of this sulfur is emitted
back into the atmosphere from
Sulfur Cycle sea spray.
• The remaining sulfur is lost to the
Sulfur in ocean depths, combining with
Terrestrial iron to form ferrous sulfide which is
Ecosystems responsible for the black color of
most marine sediments.
Sulfur in
Aquatic
Ecosystems
 Biogeochemical Cycles: Sulfur Cycle

Effects of sulfur on nature

• Natural weathering of rocks, landforms, etc.
• Volcanoes release large amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere
• Sulfur dioxide gas can react chemically with oxygen, dust particles and water
to form volcanic smog.

Human impact on sulfur cycle

• Burning of fossil fuels from factories and automobiles releases SO2 into the
atmosphere.
• SO2 combines with water in clouds which creates acid rain (H2 SO4)
• Acid rain slowly erodes structures, both natural and man made