Human Impacts on the Carbon, Phosphorus and Nitrogen Cycles

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Jessica Musser Human Impacts on the Carbon, Phosphorus and Nitrogen Cycles October 27, 2012 Professor Amanda Slaughter Environmental Science The carbon cycle is the set of biogeochemical processes by which carbon undergoes chemical reactions, changes form, and moves through different reservoirs on earth, including living organisms. The geological component of the carbon cycle is driven by plate tectonics and includes processes like volcanic eruptions and burial of carbon-rich sediments on the ocean floor. The biological component of the carbon cycle is driven by respiration and photosynthesis by living organisms. Humans affect the carbon cycle in many ways but mostly by burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas). The burning rate of these fossil fuels is close to 6 gigatons per year. These fossil fuels are used as sources for electricity generation, industrial processes, commercial and residential uses and transportation. The Unites States is the leading consumer of fossil fuels, burning close to 1.5 gigatons each year. The United States is presently responsible for approximately one quarter of global CO2 emissions. Humans in general are diverting or removing 40% of photosynthetic effort of land plants in order to support human enterprises. Burning fossil fuels has amplified atmospheric carbon dioxide by 35% over preindustrial levels. The phosphorus cycle is representative of all the biologically important mineral nutrients- those elements that have their origin in the rock and soil minerals of the lithosphere, such as iron, calcium and potassium. Phosphorus exists in various rock and soil minerals as the inorganic ion phosphate (PO43-). Phosphate is incorporated into many molecules essential for life such as ATP, adenosine triphosphate, which is important in the storage and use of energy. It is also in the backbone of DNA and RNA which is involved

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