Biochemical Cycles Essay

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In this essay we will be discussing macronutrients and micronutrients and their effect global biochemical cycles. A nutrient is defined as any substance that nourishes an organism (n.d.). Nutrients can be broken down into macronutrients and micronutrients. A macronutrient is the substance that consists of the largest part of the nutrients an organism needs to survive. While micronutrients the substance that organisms need a very small amount of, such as vitamins and trace minerals (human beings). A biochemical cycle is the process in which chemical elements are moved to living and non-living locations within the environment. These cycles can be gaseous (their main reservoir is in the atmosphere), sedimentary (their main reservoir is in the rock and soil sediments), or hydrologic. The (1) water cycle is hydrologic as it moves water through the biosphere by condensation, precipitation, and evaporation. The (2) phosphorous and (3) sulfur cycle are sedimentary cycles. In the phosphorous cycle, the phosphorous is released through mining or erosion. It is then absorbed by the roots of plants and travels through the food chains returning to the sediment. Sulfur on the other hand, enters the cycle as hydrogen sulfide and is oxidized to sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide and water vapor makes sulfuric acid in the rainfall. Because of this the sulfur is then absorbed by plant roots and turned into amino acids traveling through the food chain and released by decomposition. The (4) nitrogen and (5) carbon cycles are gaseous cycles. Nitrogen is introduced to the cycle by nitrogen fixation and is the result of ammonia and nitrates that are brought to Earth by precipitation. They will then be absorbed by plants. Photosynthesis introduces carbon to the environment during photosynthesis and is returned through cellular respiration. Micronutrients are essential in each of the
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