Nutrients
When is a chemical considered a nutrient vs. a toxin?
A chemical is considered a nutrient when it is essential in appropriate amounts, while it becomes a toxin when in excessive quantities or when it causes harmful effects even in small amounts, depending on the specific chemical and the exposure to it; essentially, the dose and context determine whether a chemical is a nutrient or a toxin. Too much or too little of any nutrient can disrupt normal cycles.
What is the unique role of legumes?
Legumes play a crucial role in the nitrogen cycle by ‘fixing’ atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, essentially acting as a natural fertilizer by converting nitrogen gas from the air into ammonia that can be absorbed by plants, thus enriching the soil and making nitrogen available to other plants in the ecosystem; this process is known as biological nitrogen fixation. It is done with the bacteria nodules in roots, creating a symbiotic relationship.
What is the unique role of rocks?
Rocks play a crucial role in the phosphorus cycle as the primary reservoir of phosphorus, releasing phosphate into the soil and water through weathering and erosion, making phosphorus available to plants and subsequently other organisms in the ecosystem; essentially acting as the initial source of phosphorus in the cycle due to their large stores of phosphate minerals.
What are the main fluxes and reservoirs of the carbon cycle?
The main fluxes (mechanisms that move carbon between reservoirs) in the carbon cycle include photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, ocean absorption/release of CO2, and combustion of fossil fuels, while the major carbon reservoirs (areas that absorb and store carbon for long periods) are the atmosphere, oceans, biosphere (living organisms), and the geosphere (sediments and fossil fuels), with the ocean being the largest carbon reservoir overall, while most carbon is stored in rocks and sediment as well.
Give the definitions of Respiration and Biogeochemical Pathways
Respiration: In the carbon cycle, respiration plays the crucial role of releasing carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere by breaking down organic compounds (like sugars) produced by plants through photosynthesis, essentially acting as the opposite process to photosynthesis and allowing carbon to cycle through the ecosystem from living organisms to the atmosphere.
Biogeochemical Pathways: Any of the natural pathways by which essential elements of living matter are circulated. The term biogeochemical is a contraction that refers to the consideration of the biological, geological, and chemical aspects of each cycle.
Why is the Chesapeake Bay is uniquely vulnerable to nutrient pollution?
The Chesapeake Bay is particularly vulnerable to nutrient pollution because of its large watershed, which includes extensive agricultural land, urban areas, and a high population density, leading to significant runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus from sources like fertilizers, sewage, and stormwater, causing algal blooms and depleting oxygen levels in the water, harming aquatic life. There are also areas called ‘dead zones’ that are very harmful to the bay. Dead zones are areas of water with low oxygen levels that are harmful to aquatic life. They are caused by excess nutrients, like algae blooms, from human activities, such as agriculture and industrial emissions. But overall, The primary source of nutrient pollution in the Bay is agricultural runoff from farms, which contributes large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers.
What are sources of nitrogen and excess nitrogen in the cycle?
The primary sources of nitrogen in the nitrogen cycle are atmospheric nitrogen (N2), as most of nitrogen is in gas form, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (nodules), and human activities like the production of fertilizers. Furthermore, excess nitrogen in the cycle stems primarily from human activities, particularly the use of fertilizers in agriculture, the burning of fossil fuels, and wastewater discharge. These activities introduce significant amounts of reactive nitrogen into the environment, disrupting the natural nitrogen cycle and leading to various environmental problems.
What are sources of phosphorus and excess phosphorus in the cycle?
The primary source of phosphorus in the natural cycle is weathered rock, where phosphate minerals are released into the soil and water through erosion; however, excess phosphorus in the environment primarily comes from human activities like agricultural fertilizer runoff and waste from CAFO farms.
What are sources of carbon and excess carbon in the cycle?
The primary sources of carbon in the carbon cycle are natural processes like volcanic eruptions, animal respiration, and decaying organic matter (essentially fossil fuels), while the main source of excess carbon contributing to climate change is human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes, which release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere faster than natural sinks can absorb it.
What makes the carbon cycle so different from the nitrogen or phosphorus cycle?
The most key difference between the carbon cycle and the other two cycles is how vast the carbon cycle truly is. It has expanse everywhere. While the other two are far smaller and more uniform, carbon is everywhere all at once.
How do living organisms need and use nutrients?
Living organisms require nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon to build essential organic molecules like proteins, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), and cell membranes, which are crucial for carrying out basic life functions such as growth, repair, and reproduction; essentially, these elements are the building blocks of life and are used in various biological processes within an organism. These nutrients are constantly recycled through the environment, moving around through processes like decomposition and nitrogen fixation.
What are the various parts of the nitrogen cycle and the organisms and processes that perform different functions?
The nitrogen cycle consists of several key stages: nitrogen fixation (process of converting nitrogen gas into ammonia or a form that plants can use by bringing it into the soil), nitrification (a bioprocess where ammonia (NH3) is converted to nitrate/NO3-), decomposition (When the animals die, they decompose, and their remains become sediment, trapping the stored carbon in layers that eventually turn into rock or minerals), assimilation (when living things take up nitrogen from the non-living world), and denitrification (process by which bacteria convert nitrates into nitrogen gas), with each stage involving different organisms converting nitrogen into various forms usable by living organisms throughout the ecosystem. Two vital organisms in the nitrogen cycle include legumes, which I will explain in the next question, and bacteria (nodules in roots), which converts nitrogen into usable forms. They change N2 into NO3 (Nitrite). N2 is unusable to most organisms, as it is atmospheric nitrogen. NO3, on the other hand, is very usable.
What are the various parts of the phosphorus cycle and the organisms and processes that perform different functions?
The phosphorus cycle primarily consists of the following stages: weathering of rocks (which are a key part of the cycle), absorption of phosphate by plants, consumption of plants by animals, decomposition of dead organisms returning phosphate back to the soil, and potential runoff into water bodies, with key organisms involved being plants, animals, decomposers like bacteria, and the primary process being weathering and erosion to release phosphorus from rocks into the environment.
What are the various parts of the carbon cycle and the organisms and processes that perform different functions?
The carbon cycle primarily involves the movement of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere, plants (producers), animals (consumers), decomposers, and the ocean, with key processes being photosynthesis (carbon absorption by plants), respiration (carbon release by organisms), decomposition (breakdown of dead organisms), and long-term storage in fossil fuels and rocks; the main organisms involved are plants, animals, decomposers like bacteria and fungi, and marine organisms that absorb carbon from the ocean.
How do living things use Carbon that makes it so vital?
It is the basis of all living things, and the most important element of life on Earth. Found in the backbone of all organic molecules, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids and used to build the structural components of cells and tissues. It forms the backbone of these structures, making it crucial for cell function and energy storage. It is also part of the cell membrane and walls.
What are dead zones and why are they bad?
A ‘dead zone’ is an area in a body of water where oxygen levels are so low that most aquatic life cannot survive, typically caused by excessive nutrient pollution leading to large algal blooms which then decompose and consume oxygen as they sink to the bottom; this process is harmful because it significantly disrupts the ecosystem, causing fish kills and impacting marine biodiversity in affected areas. Excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers used in agriculture, sewage, and urban runoff flow into waterways, stimulating the growth of algae. Then, when large amounts of algae grow rapidly due to the excess nutrients, they form dense blooms that block sunlight from reaching underwater plants. As the algae die, they sink to the bottom and decompose, consuming large amounts of oxygen in the process, creating a low oxygen environment. Dead zones are so awful because they kill marine life, hurt the fisheries and other marine-related businesses in the area, and the absence of certain species can have cascading effects on the entire ecosystem, affecting the balance of predator-prey relationships
Why is nitrogen is essential to all life?
Nitrogen is essential to all life because it is a key component of crucial biological molecules like proteins, DNA, and RNA, which are the building blocks of all living organisms; without nitrogen, organisms cannot synthesize these essential compounds necessary for growth and survival. It is also the building block of amino acids, which are the base of protein creation.
Why is phosphorus is essential to all life?
Phosphorus is the backbone of the DNA structure, is vital for DNA+RNA formation, kidney functions (for some reason?), part of the (phospho)lipid membrane, helps the transfer of internal energy, and is part of ATP and ADP. All of these aspects are vital to supporting life.
Why is carbon is essential to all life?
Carbon is the basis of all life, and is arguable the most vital element for life Carbon is essential to all life because it acts as the primary building block for organic molecules, allowing for the creation of complex compounds like proteins, DNA, lipids, and carbohydrates, which are necessary for the structure and function of all living organisms. It is 20% of your body weight, part of the cell membrane and walls, and stores energy.
How do living organisms use phosphorus and nitrogen specifically?
Phosphorus: Key component of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. It is the backbone of the DNA structure, is vital for DNA and RNA, part of the lipid membrane, helps te transfer of internal energy, as well as ATP and ADP.
Nitrogen: Primarily found in amino acids, the building blocks of proteins (it builds proteins), and also in nucleic acids (DNA and RNA); it is essential for certain functions, growth, and development.
What is the role of agriculture, including factory farms (CAFOs) and other areas that have poor farming practices, on the health of the Chesapeake Bay?
Agriculture, including factory farms and poor farming practices, contributes to the pollution of the Chesapeake Bay. This pollution harms the water quality, which in turn affects the health of the bay's ecosystem and the people who live near it. Agriculture contributes to pollution via runoff of excess nutrients and waste (from things such as fertilizers or pesticides), an abundance animal waste from CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations), and algae blooms caused by too much nutrients that create low-oxygen dead zones.
What are the human interactions within the nitrogen cycle and what consequences do they have?
Humans significantly impact the nitrogen cycle primarily through agricultural practices like fertilizer use, which leads to excess nitrogen entering ecosystems via runoff, causing issues like dead zones via algae blooms in water bodies(The overgrowth of algae consumes oxygen and blocks sunlight from underwater plants. When the algae eventually dies, the oxygen in the water is consumed. The lack of oxygen makes it impossible for aquatic life to survive), and industrial activities like burning fossil fuels release nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere, contributing to air pollution and further disrupting the natural nitrogen balance. The consequences of this are enormous, as dead zones can harm wildlife and impact fisheries around them.
What are the human interactions within the phosphorus cycle and what consequences do they have?
Humans primarily interact with the phosphorus cycle by mining phosphate rocks to produce fertilizers, which when used in agriculture, can lead to excess phosphorus runoff into water bodies, causing algal blooms, disrupting aquatic ecosystems, and impacting water quality due to a process called eutrophication (A process where excess nutrients (primarily nitrogen and phosphorus) from fertilizers used in agriculture lead to excessive algal growth in water bodies. The increase in algal growth reduces the water's oxygen, ultimately leading to the death of the other organisms in the waterway); other human activities contributing to this include sewage discharge and livestock waste management (think CAFO chicken farms), all leading to environmental damage.
What are the human interactions within the carbon cycle and what consequences do they have?
Human interactions within the carbon cycle primarily involve the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and land use changes, which release large amounts of stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, leading to consequences like climate change, aquatic impacts, and disruptions to ecosystems globally.
What is the chemical formula for photosynthesis and respiration?
Photosynthesis: 6CO2 + 6H2O --> C6H12O6 + 6O2 (Plants take in carbon dioxide mixed with water and it reacts with sunlight, forming glucose and oxygen as energy. Photosynthesis is the only process of the 4 that does not release carbon dioxide, as it is the opposite of respiration.)
Respiration: C6H12O6 +6O2 --> 6CO2 +6H2O (Glucose and oxygen is combined and reacts with energy to release carbon dioxide and water. It is the opposite of photosynthesis.)