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Many different materials such as WATER, CARBON and NITROGEN cycle through the abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem.
All materials in the living world are recycled to provide the building blocks for future organisms.
In a stable COMMUNITY, there's a balance between the materials taken from and returned to the soil, maintaining a CONSTANT CYCLE.
The Water Cycle
The WATER CYCLE is Earth's way of recycling water. Here's how it works:
- ENERGY from the SUN heats water on land and sea, causing it to EVAPORATE and turn into WATER VAPOUR.
- TRANSPIRATION occurs when water evaporates from plants.
- The warm WATER VAPOUR rises and CONDENSES into clouds as it cools down.
- PRECIPITATION happens when water falls from clouds as rain, snow, or hail, providing FRESH WATER for plants and animals.
- Water is ABSORBED by the soil and taken in by PLANT ROOTS, aiding in PHOTOSYNTHESIS. This water can also become part of the plants' TISSUES and move through food chains to animals.
- Animals and plants use water for CHEMICAL REACTIONS necessary for life. They RETURN water to the soil and atmosphere through EXCRETION (like sweating and urinating).
- RUN OFF occurs when water that isn't absorbed by soil flows into STREAMS and RIVERS.
- Eventually, all this water DRAINS back into the SEA, and the cycle starts again with more EVAPORATION.
The Carbon Cycle
The CARBON CYCLE is nature's way of reusing carbon atoms, which are vital for life on Earth.
- CO₂ is removed from the ATMOSPHERE by plants and algae during PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Carbon is then used to make GLUCOSE and is turned into other organic materials like carbohydrates and fats.
- Plants and algae RESPIRE, returning some carbon to the atmosphere as CO₂.
- When plants and algae are consumed by ANIMALS, carbon becomes part of the animals' bodies and moves through the food chain.
- Through ANIMAL RESPIRATION, carbon is returned to the atmosphere as CO₂.
- Upon death, PLANTS, ALGAE, and ANIMALS are broken down by microorganisms known as DECOMPOSERS, which release CO₂ during RESPIRATION. The decomposers also return some of the carbon as MINERAL IONS in the soil.
- When plants and animals are buried and subjected to HIGH TEMPERATURES and PRESSURES for millions of years, they turn into FOSSIL FUELS.
- BURNING the fossil fuels (COMBUSTION) releases CO₂ back into the atmosphere.
- The whole cycle keeps REPEATING.
Many different materials such as WATER, CARBON and NITROGEN cycle through the abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem.
All materials in the living world are recycled to provide the building blocks for future organisms.
In a stable COMMUNITY, there's a balance between the materials taken from and returned to the soil, maintaining a CONSTANT CYCLE.
The Water Cycle
The WATER CYCLE is Earth's way of recycling water. Here's how it works:
- ENERGY from the SUN heats water on land and sea, causing it to EVAPORATE and turn into WATER VAPOUR.
- TRANSPIRATION occurs when water evaporates from plants.
- The warm WATER VAPOUR rises and CONDENSES into clouds as it cools down.
- PRECIPITATION happens when water falls from clouds as rain, snow, or hail, providing FRESH WATER for plants and animals.
- Water is ABSORBED by the soil and taken in by PLANT ROOTS, aiding in PHOTOSYNTHESIS. This water can also become part of the plants' TISSUES and move through food chains to animals.
- Animals and plants use water for CHEMICAL REACTIONS necessary for life. They RETURN water to the soil and atmosphere through EXCRETION (like sweating and urinating).
- RUN OFF occurs when water that isn't absorbed by soil flows into STREAMS and RIVERS.
- Eventually, all this water DRAINS back into the SEA, and the cycle starts again with more EVAPORATION.
The Carbon Cycle
The CARBON CYCLE is nature's way of reusing carbon atoms, which are vital for life on Earth.
- CO₂ is removed from the ATMOSPHERE by plants and algae during PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Carbon is then used to make GLUCOSE and is turned into other organic materials like carbohydrates and fats.
- Plants and algae RESPIRE, returning some carbon to the atmosphere as CO₂.
- When plants and algae are consumed by ANIMALS, carbon becomes part of the animals' bodies and moves through the food chain.
- Through ANIMAL RESPIRATION, carbon is returned to the atmosphere as CO₂.
- Upon death, PLANTS, ALGAE, and ANIMALS are broken down by microorganisms known as DECOMPOSERS, which release CO₂ during RESPIRATION. The decomposers also return some of the carbon as MINERAL IONS in the soil.
- When plants and animals are buried and subjected to HIGH TEMPERATURES and PRESSURES for millions of years, they turn into FOSSIL FUELS.
- BURNING the fossil fuels (COMBUSTION) releases CO₂ back into the atmosphere.
- The whole cycle keeps REPEATING.
