...The Nitrogen Cycle: Processes, Players, and Human Impact Nitrogen is one of the primary nutrients critical for the survival of all living organisms. Although nitrogen is very abundant in the atmosphere, it is largely inaccessible in this form to most organisms. This article explores how nitrogen becomes available to organisms and what changes in nitrogen levels as a result of human activity means to local and global ecosystems. Introduction Nitrogen is one of the primary nutrients critical for the survival of all living organisms. It is a necessary component of many biomolecules, including proteins, DNA, and chlorophyll. Although nitrogen is very abundant in the atmosphere as dinitrogen gas (N2), it is largely inaccessible in this form to most organisms, making nitrogen a scarce resource and often limiting primary productivity in many ecosystems. Only when nitrogen is converted from dinitrogen gas into ammonia (NH3) does it become available to primary producers, such as plants. In addition to N2 and NH3, nitrogen exists in many different forms, including both inorganic (e.g., ammonia, nitrate) and organic (e.g., amino and nucleic acids) forms. Thus, nitrogen undergoes many different transformations in the ecosystem, changing from one form to another as organisms use it for growth and, in some cases, energy. The major transformations of nitrogen are nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, anammox, and ammonification (Figure 1). The transformation of nitrogen into...
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...world’s supply of natural resources than any other species. Most likely it is because of the large size of the species, or perhaps it is the result of over-consumption. There are three biogeochemical cycles that humans effect daily: The Carbon Cycle, The Phosphorus Cycle as well as the Nitrogen Cycle. As learned by the Law of Conservation of Matter, atoms simply cannot be destroyed or created, instead they recycle themselves, so these cycles indicate how the unique variations of atoms are converted and used by consumption. Carbon is found in the World’s atmosphere, as well as released from the burning of fossil fuels or just breathed out of many species’ mouth, including humans. In this cycle you may choose to begin using the large amounts of carbon that may be in the atmosphere and which is then pulled in from plant life and developed into organic matter (oxygen) that can help animals breathing. In eating the plant, the animal then picks up the transformed atom and in turn, transforms it back into carbon when they breathe. In death their bodies are eaten by scavengers that will release the carbon back into the air or perhaps stay deposited in the earth, which could then turn into coal or another fossil fuel which have been burned, releasing the carbon back into the air to complete its cycle. Humans are cutting down forests for an ever-growing population which is decreasing the amount of CO2 transferred to oxygen, decreasing our air quality. To make situations worse , over ingestion...
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...Naturally occurring fire must be mentioned along with these basic systems. The thermodynamic park has strange and wonderful powers of recovery and rejuvenation. With more than 10,000 hydrothermal features active in assisting life for thousands of plant and animal species, Yellowstone is one of the few remaining unaltered natural ecosystems left in Earth’s temperate zones (National Park Service", 2013). The national park is home to many species of microscopic life perfectly evolved to cope with the high temperatures of the heated mineral-laden water that bubbles and rushes to the surface. Coexisting alongside are hundreds of other easily recognized species. The carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen cycles are each apparent and active in the park. Carbon is part of every living thing, and cycles through living organisms, air, water, and will fixate in the ground; coal is carbon stored in a solid mineral state. Carbon is stored in several places; it is found in the atmosphere, the biosphere, and the oceans in both living (fish and plants) and non-living (dissolved carbon and carcasses) distributions. It is stored in sediments and the strata, the mantle and the crust of the Earth, where interactions occur as the result of geological processes. This fixed carbon moves between these assorted reservoirs using various chemical, biological, and geologic processes. Without human influences like pollution from the burning of fossil fuels, the reservoirs would be much more stable than they...
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...higher levels of the pyramid 10% are the only amount of energy that is transferred from one level to the next. In the case of the lower trophic levels provide and transfer the higher energy. Therefore, the energy transfers decrease as the level increase or get higher. The consumption of more producers in the lower levels should be consumer by the higher trophic levels so that more energy transfers in the consumption process. Therefore, the benefits of consumer food from the lower level of the food chain has inspired me to make changes necessary in my diet because I start consumer more food from the lower levels my energy will increase. * Review Figures 4-13 and 4-14 in Ch. 4 of Environmental Science. Summarize the steps of the carbon cycle....
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...carbon and nitrogen cycles. Last but not least you will learn about natural and anthropogenic disturbances and how to recover them. There will also be examples of each. THE DESERT The desert can be one of the most beautiful places to visit. It also can be one of the hottest places every. The desert Al Kharj is in Saudi Arabia. Al Kharj is in the middle of Saudi Arabia. Al Kharj has a lot of small towns. Location The ecosystem the desert can be found in many places. One example were you can see the desert is Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. I still remember the day that I stepped off the airplane. The desert has its surprising moments. One of them is when it is cold it is very cold. Abiotic and Biotic Components1 The abiotic components of the desert are non-living. The desert abiotic components are sand, sunlight, water, air, and temperature to name a few. When I was in Al Kharj, there were a couple of sand storms. The sand storms actually hurt. We were not allowed to drink the water over there. The temperature was over 100 degrees every day. The sunsets and sun raises were beautiful. The biotic components of the desert are all living things. The desert biotic components are scorpions, coyotes, snakes, spiders, and cacti to name a few. I saw a dead scorpion and a live scorpion while I was over there. As for the snakes, I only saw the skin of one. I was hoping that I could see a camel, but I never did. The coyotes that I say were from a distance. Carbon and Nitrogen Cycle The carbon...
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...of 25 4.0 Points Which of the following people is INCORRECTLY matched with his/her environmental contribution? A.Rachel Carson: Silent Spring B.John Muir: Sierra Club C.Paul Ehrlich: The Population Bomb D.Theodore Roosevelt: Civilian Conservation Corps Part 1 of 1 - Question 2 of 25 4.0 Points DDT was sprayed in a Long Island salt marsh over a period of years for mosquito control. A portion of the food web is as follows: algae -> shrimp-> American eel -> Atlantic needlefish -> ring-billed gull In which organism would biological magnification be MOST evident? A.American eel B.Ring-billed gull C.Algae D.Shrimp Part 1 of 1 - Question 3 of 25 4.0 Points Which of the following statements about biogeochemical cycles is true? A.They only include processes conducted by or within living organisms. B.They pertain only to the abiotic environment. C.They describe the movement of water and other materials through an ecosystem. D.They only pertain to exchanges and interactions that occur within the atmosphere. Part 1 of 1 - Question 4 of 25 4.0 Points Which of the following would be a symptom of acute toxicity? A.asthma B.arthritis C.dizziness D.cancer Part 1 of 1 - Question 5 of 25 4.0 Points Which of the following series is organized in successive steps according to the levels of organization used by ecologists? A.population -> ecosystem -> community B.population -> community -> ecosystem C.species -> community -> biosphere D.species...
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...Nitrogen is a big part of Earth’s atmosphere. In fact, nitrogen makes up 78 percent of our air. Nitrogen is extremely important in living things. It forms the building blocks of life, because amino acids; constituent of proteins and nucleic acids; constituent of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), would not have existed without nitrogen.(1) We need proteins because they make up our skin and hair. Proteins also help us digest food. We get our nitrogen from plants, and plants get it from bacteria in the soil. Our atmosphere provides life with the nitrogen it needs. In the atmosphere, Nitrogen exists as a very stable molecule, N2, which is not used by plants and animals. It is an essential element for plant growth and development and a key agricultural input, but in excess it can lead to a host of problems for human and ecological health. (2) Across the globe, distribution of fertilizer nitrogen is very uneven, with some areas subject to nitrogen pollution and others suffering from reduced soil fertility, diminished crop production, and other consequences of inadequate supply. (2) The nitrogen cycle is one of the important systems for living things as it is a continuous series of natural processes by which Nitrogen passes from the air to the soil, to plants, and ultimately to sustain all animal life, and then returns back to the air or soil through decay or de-nitrification(3). In a natural ecosystem bacteria called Diazotrophs take nitrogen out of the air and change it into ammonia...
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...equipment used to produce, store, and transport oil and gas can reduce many of the leaks that contribute to CH4 emissions. Methane from coal mines can also be captured and used for energy Agriculture Cautions: Methane can be reduced and captured by altering manure management strategies at livestock operations or animal feeding practices Waste from Home and Businesses: Because CH4 emissions from landfill gas are a major source of CH4 emissions in the United States, emission controls that capture landfill CH4 are an effective reduction strategy. Nitrous Oxide: nitrous oxide (N2O) accounted for about 6% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. Nitrous oxide is naturally present in the atmosphere as part of the Earth's nitrogen cycle, and has a variety of natural sources. However, human activities such as agriculture, fossil fuel combustion, wastewater management, and industrial processes are increasing the amount of N2O in the atmosphere. Nitrous oxide...
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...Class Cycles of Matter 1. What is the source of energy for the process of evaporation? 2. What happens to rainwater that falls on land? 3. How are oxygen and carbon cycled between plants and animals? 4. Why are nitrogen-fixing bacteria so important to other organisms? 5. Which cycle is shown in the diagram above? Identify each process labeled in the diagram. 6. A 7. B 8. C 9. D 10. E 57E Name Date Class Cycles of Matter Testing for Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Procedure Bromthymol blue (BTB) is a chemical that turns yellow in the presences of carbon dioxide. In the presence of oxygen, BTB stays blue. Deepa put the same amount of BTB in the three jars, and varied the organisms she placed in each jar. In Jar A, she put two aquatic snails. In Jar B, she put two sprigs of Elodea, an aquatic plant. In Jar C, she put two snails and two sprigs of Elodea. Results Deepa examined the jars every day for three days. These are the observations she recorded. Analyze and Conclude 1. Why did the BTB solution in Jar A turn yellow? 2. Why did the BTB solution in Jar B stay blue? 3. Why did the BTB solution in Jar C stay blue? 4. Which jar showed what happens during the carbon and oxygen cycles in nature? Describe the process that occurred in that jar. 57F Name Date Class Cycles of Matter ...
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...limestone. Properties can be changed by adding or replacing certain components. 8. Cement & Concrete: Cement: complex mixture of calcium & aluminum silicates (limestone & clay are mixed together to create clinker, then ground to a fine powder & mixed w/ gypsum, resulting cement is mixed w/ sand & gravel & water, hardens to become concrete. 9. Production (extraction) of iron, aluminum, & copper: Valuable material: extracted from the ores ) 10. Soaring prices on scrap metal. One metal is the cost of energy needed to extract a metal from its ore. The greater the cost of energy, the more it costs to convert ore to metal. Chap. 13 1. Nitrogen cycle: is completed by the action of other types of microbes, which can use nitrate ions as their oxygen source fro the decomposition of organic matter and release Nitrogen gas back to the atmosphere....
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...whom. An example of a food chain that is part of the ecosystem would be how a hawk eats lizard, scorpion, tarantula, and insects. “Many animals get their energy by eating plants, but desert plants give up the fruit of their production very reluctantly. Sharp spines and chemical-laden leaves discourage plant-eaters….. Many are small and look like grains of sand. With sensitive front paws a kangaroo rat sifts sand to find seeds by touch eats them and transforms them into animal tissue.” -Desert Ecosystem. (n.d). Retrieved from http://digital-desert.com/joshua-tree-national-park/ecosystems.html For centuries, humans have affected biogeochemical cycles in many different ecosystems. Some of the impacts we have made on them are within the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycle. A desert like the Mohave Desert is affected from carbon cycles like when people are driving at 75mphs and they surprise a helpless creature that is trying to cross a highway and gets struck by a speeding car. The dead creature on the side of the road releases large quantities of carbon dioxide that eventually ties up biological tissues and is released again into the atmosphere. When the animal dies its tissues decay. Another...
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...Theory Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is the measure of wastewater and water quality. This test is focused on the fact that a strong oxidizing agent, under acidic conditions can fully oxidize almost any organic compound to carbon dioxide. COD is equal to the equivalent amount of oxygen required to chemically oxidize substrate materials in water. The COD is often measured using a strong oxidant (e.g. potassium dichromate, potassium iodate, potassium permanganate) under acidic conditions. A known excess amount of the oxidant is added to the sample. Once oxidation is complete, the concentration of organics in the sample is calculated by measuring the amount of oxidant remaining in the solution. COD is expressed in mg/L, which indicates the mass of oxygen consumed per liter of solution. Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a measure of the oxygen used by microorganisms to decompose organic matter under aerobic conditions. Microorganisms such as bacteria are responsible for decomposing organic waste. When organic matter such as dead plants, leaves, grass clippings, manure, sewage, or even food waste is present in a water supply, the bacteria will begin the process of breaking down this waste. When this happens, much of the available dissolved oxygen is consumed by aerobic bacteria, robbing other aquatic organisms of the oxygen they need to live. BOD also includes oxygen used to oxidize inorganic material such as sulfides and ferrous iron. Coliform bacteria are found in the intestines...
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...basic functional unit of ecology (Boyle & Senior, 2008, p.602). Humans are part of the ecosystem where we play the role of consumers. Humans need a supply of mineral nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous which make up the carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids in our bodies. Minerals nutrients are recycled over and over again, passing between organisms in the ecosystem. The carbon, oxygen and nitrogen in our bodies could be part of the soil a year ago (Boyle & Senior, 2008, p6210). Instead of adapting to the environment like most other species do; we, humans change habitats and interfere with the ecosystem to suit ourselves as consumers. Altered nutrient cycles are one of the consequences of advancement of humans. Humans bring about environmental damages by influencing the carbon cycle in two ways. Firstly, forests removed for farming and housing have caused the depletion in plants and trees. Deforestation has reduced the numbers of trees and plants that absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. The uptake of carbon dioxide by plants and oceans is not fast enough. As a result, the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere increased by 25% between 1870 and 1990. (Lenntech.com) The second activity humans do that influence the carbon cycle is by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas in industries and transportations. The environmental damage is significant because the emission of waste gases from those activities is causing acid...
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...ABSTRACT Nylons comes in many types but the most common and widely used in textile and plastic industries are Nylon 6 and Nylon 6,6. Nylon 6,6 is made up of two monomers each containing 6 carbon atoms. One of them is Adipic Acid which is a dicarboxylic acid. It is manufactured by oxidation of Cyclohexanol which is produced by oxidative cleavage of cyclohexane or by hydrogenation of phenol. Commercially Cyclohexane is preferred as raw material because of its lower cost and a two-step mechanism involving Nitric acid is used to produce Adipic Acid. This process has higher selectivity and yield than other processes. The only concern with this process is the emission of nitrogen oxides in the gas effluents which is a major environmental concern. 1. Introduction Adipic acid is an organic compound, with formula HOOC (CH2)4COOH, which is a white crystalline solid and one of the most important Dicarboxylic acid. It is Odorless, Colorless and freely soluble in Ethanol, Methanol and Acetone. Other Important properties of Adipic acid is shown in Table 1.From Industrial perspective it is used mainly in Nylon-6, 6 production. About 2.5 billion kilograms of this white crystalline powder are produced annually. In US it is mainly produced by three companies at four manufacturing plants, with nearly two-thirds of the total production, 860,000 tons capacity occurring at DuPont's two Texas facilities. The use of adipic acid in food items have started in recent times and this has created a demand...
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...Ecology Booklet Project Trey FitzMorris 1/6/2014 2rd Period Interrelationships Among Organisms In An Ecosystem Ecosystem – community of living and nonliving things that interact with one another to function as a system Stable Ecosystem – an ecosystem that is able to maintain its structure and function over a long period of time Niche – an individual’s place within an ecosystem, or a species location in an ecosystem relative to other species Predation Predation – one animal killing and eating others to provide themselves with adequate nutrients Predation is an important relationship between animals. It provides the predator with a source of energy that allows it to exist in that certain ecosystem. Predation also limits the predator and prey relationship because if the prey did not exist the predator could not exist, and if the predator did not exist the population of the prey would be able to become overpopulated. Competition Competition – individuals of a species fighting each other for a limited amount of resources needed to survive Competition is an important interspecies interaction, because it limits the size of a population. Animals that do not have a predator do not have to worry about their population being limited by another species. However what the limit lacks in predation it makes up in competition. When individuals of a species do not have enough resources to go around they must compete with one another to obtain these resources...
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