CHOPKIN’S CaFe

The primary source of the energy that drives the cycles is the sun

The water, nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon cycles are closed systems. Everything is kept within the system, nothing leaves nor enters it

So nutrients a not endless but are recycled but in limited amounts

Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus have to be recycled and reused and for this, they are called biogeochemical cycles

Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus may be carried away deep ocean and lost from the cycles.

Water Cycle

Water Cycle

Water Cycle

Water Cycle

Water Cycle

Water Cycle

Water cycle Earth has a stable water supply with 98% is in abiotic

features like oceans and lakes 2% is in ice, water vapor and in living organisms The cycle is driven by the sun Solar heat causes evaporation from bodies of water Solar heat also causes transpiration from trees Evapotranspiration is evaporation from soil and

plants

Water is drawn into the atmosphere by evaporation and falls back to earth by precipitation.

Rain, sleet, hail and snow are four different means of precipitation

There is a constant movement of water through the biotic and abiotic reservoirs

Runoff may take a long time to reenter the water cycle if it seeps down into the soil and into an underground aquifer,(underground reservoir)

Nitrogen cycle

NH3 ammonia = NH4 ammonium = NO2 nitrite = NO3 nitrate = N2

Nitrogen is one of the most essential elements on earth. All living things have N in their amino acids.

78% of it is in the atmosphere and is unusable Instead is used in forms of ammonia and nitrates Used in fertilizers that help plants to grow

In aquatics, N as a major nutrient for aquatic lifeforms is our concern

Can be toxic in high concentrations (ammonia) The cycle begins with nitrogen fixation

Nitrogen is fixed chemically by being converted to ammonium NH4

Specialized bacteria only can accomplish this but is a very slow process. Requires an entire season

It can be artificially done with CH4, methane

Ammonification, nitrification and assimilation Ammonification – caused by water or soil

saphrophytes or decomposers Decompose organic compounds and release

ammonium to be used by plants and phytoplankton

Nitrification – occurs when other nitrogen-fixing bacteria oxidize ammonia or ammonium to produce energy used to make nitrite NO2.

This is toxic to fish and plants. Another type of bacteria convert it to nitrate NO3

Assimilation – when organisms utilize ammonium or nitrate within their cells to build protein.

Protists and animals die, urinate of defecate, they release their nitrogen compounds back to the earth where saprobes decompose the material to simpler forms

Nitrogen cycle

Nitrogen cycle

Nitrogen cycle

Nitrogen cycle

Nitrogen cycle – Important steps

Stage1 – Entry and AccumulationAmmonia is introduced into the water via tropical fish waste, uneaten food, and decomposition. These will break down into ammonia (NH3). Ammonia is harmful to tropical fish.

Stage2 – Nitrification Part 1Soon, bacteria called nitrosomonas will develop and they will oxidize the ammonia essentially eliminating it. The byproduct of ammonia oxidation is Nitrites. So we no longer have ammonia, but we now have another toxin to deal with - Nitrites. Nitrites are just as toxic to tropical fish as ammonia.

Stage 3 – Nitrification Part 2Bacteria called nitrobacter will develop and they will convert the nitrites into nitrates. Nitrates are not as harmful to tropical fish as ammonia or nitrites, but nitrate is still harmful in large amounts.

Stage 4 - DenitrificationDenitrifying bacteria can breakdown nitrates into harmless nitrogen gas that escapes through the surface of the water.

Nitrogen cycle – Impact on oceans

Human activities have a significant effect on nitrogen cycling. Production and use of nitrogen fertilizer, combustion of fossil fuels, and planting crops that fix nitrogen have unbalanced the previously stable relationship between fixation and denitrification. Gaseous industrial pollutants foul the air in many cities and wash out in sufficient amounts to constitute “acid rain” in some parts of the industrialized world.

Nitrogen – Regulating in an aquarium

For a short period of time, a new aquarium is a toxic cesspool. The water may look clear, but don't be fooled. It's loaded with toxins. Fortunately ,bacteria that are capable of converting wastes to safer by-products begin growing in the tank as soon as fish are added. Unfortunately there aren't enough bacteria to eliminate all the toxins immediately, so for a period of several weeks to a month or more, your fish are at risk.

Ways to cycle your tank:1. Use fish food2. Use substrate or filter media from an established tank3. Use a liquid bacteria culture, such as Stress Zyme

Carbon Cycle

Carbon Cycle

Carbon Cycle

Carbon Cycle

Carbon Cycle

Carbon Cycle

Found in aquatic environments as carbonate. Causes hard water by combining with calcium Will form as a precipitate in warm shallow seas,

making limestone Large amounts of carbon are tied up in rocks formed

by decomposition of plants and animals Biotic lifeforms use carbon as an essential element.

Plants use CO2 to create glucose, starches & fats

Deposits of buried organic compounds

Sediments containing trees, skeletons, cell walls of plankton end up at the bottom of lakes, oceans

Eventually create coal, natural gas and petroleum deposits

Cellular respiration and decomposition of plant tissue release Carbon into the atmosphere and are short cycle processes

Volcanic eruptions and human activities such as burning fossil fuels quickly release C back into the atmosphere

Carbon – Important stepsStage 1 – Entry and accumulation

Carbon dioxide enters the waters of the ocean by simple diffusion.

Stage 2 – Uptake

- Certain forms of sea life biologically fix bicarbonate with calcium (Ca+2) to produce calcium carbonate (CaCO3). This substance is used to produce shells and other body parts by organisms such as coral, clams, oysters.

- Marine plants in the sunlit surface layer of the ocean grab carbon dioxide from the air to use in photosynthesis

- When the plants die, they sink as so-called “marine snow” to the deep ocean where the carbon is stored and prevented from re-entering the atmosphere.

Stage 3

- At the surface of the oceans where the water becomes warmer, dissolved carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere.

Carbon – Impact on oceans

In the aquatic ecosystem carbon dioxide can be stored in rocks and sediments. It will take a long time before this carbon dioxide will be released, through weathering of rocks or geologic processes that bring sediment to the surface of water.

Carbon dioxide that is stored in water will be present as either carbonate or bicarbonate ions. These ions are an important part of natural buffers that prevent the water from becoming too acidic or too basic. When the sun warms up the water carbonate and bicarbonate ions will be returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

Phosphorus Cycle

Our atmosphere contains no phosphorus Mainly found as phosphates in the earth’s crust then

released into the soil after it rains. Similar to hydrolysis but is really carbonation Plants use phosphates in the soil and animals eat

plants recycling the phosphorus Phosphorus is present in fertilizers and can over-

enrich aquatic environments and cause algae blooms Bacteria respond and grow consuming oxygen and

causing fish kills and eutrophication

Phosphorus remains a phosphate mineral deposit in the oceans until any geological uplift exposes it at the surface, (plate tectonics)

Eutrophication is an increase in the concentration of phosphorus, nitrogen and other plant nutrients in lakes or oceans

Phosphorus Cycle

Phosphorus Cycle

Phosphorus Cycle

Phosphorus Cycle

Phosphorus – Impact on oceans Phosphorus is usually present in natural water as phosphates.

Phosphorus is a plant nutrient needed for growth and a fundamental element in the metabolic reactions of plants and animals (hence its use in fertilizers).

Sources of phosphorus include human and animal wastes (i.e., sewage), industrial wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizers.

Excess phosphorus causes extensive algal growth called "blooms," which are a classic symptom of cultural eutrophication and lead to decreased oxygen levels in various bodies of water.

Phosphorus – Important Steps Stage 1 – Entry and accumulation

Phosphorus is not highly soluble, binding tightly to molecules in soil, therefore it mostly reaches waters by traveling with runoff soil particles

Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soils and minerals through direct contact with the water

Leaching is the loss of mineral and organic solutes due to percolation from soil

Stage 2 – Uptake

Plants dissolve ionized forms of phosphate. Herbivores obtain phosphorus by eating plants, and carnivores by eating herbivores. Herbivores and carnivores excrete phosphorus as a waste product in urine and feces.

Stage 3 – Decomposition, Sedimentation, and Uplift

Phosphorus is released back to the soil when plants or animal matter decomposes

The final resting place for Phosphorus is in the ocean sedimentary beds, where it will eventually return to use via uplifting of sedimentary rock.

Phosphorus – Regulating in an aquarium

Fortunately phosphates do not directly harm your fish, even at high levels. However, the algae blooms that result from elevated phosphates can ultimately cause problems for the aquarium inhabitants. For instance, green water can deplete the oxygen, which in turn can harm the fish.

Techniques to regulating phosphorus levels:

1. Water Change – Large water changes will help bring phosphates down quickly, but if the underlying sources are still there, it will only be temporary

2. Tank Cleaning – Scrape the inside of the glass, remove the rocks and other decorations and scrub them well

3. Phosphate Absorber – Phosphate absorbing media is very effective. It can be added to virtually any filter. NOTE: Generally using chemicals should be your last resort.

Water – Important steps The major physical components of the global

water cycle include the evaporation from the ocean and land surfaces, the transport of water vapor by the atmosphere, precipitation onto the ocean and land surfaces, the net atmospheric transport of water from land areas to ocean, and the return flow of fresh water from the land back into the ocean. The additional components of oceanic water transport are few, including the mixing of fresh water through the oceanic boundary layer, transport by ocean currents, and sea ice processes

Evaporation – Precipitation + Runoff = surface salinity of the ocean

Water – Impact on oceans The ocean holds 97% of the total water on

the planet. Besides affecting the amount of atmospheric water vapor and hence rainfall, evaporation from the sea surface is important in the movement of heat in the climate system.

The ocean is one of Earth's most valuable natural resources. It provides food in the form of fish and shellfish—about 200 billion pounds are caught each year. It's used for transportation—both travel and shipping. It provides a treasured source of recreation for humans. It is mined for minerals and drilled for crude oil.

Oxygen Cycle

Figure 1. Oxygen dynamics in coastal waters. Processes that increase dissolved oxygen concentrations are shown with green boxes. Processes that decrease dissolved oxygen concentrations are shown with orange boxes.

Oxygen – Important steps

Stage 1 – Entry

-diffusion; oxygen is constantly entering the water from the air, aeration; oxygen is circulated through and dissolved in water, and photosynthesis by plants and algae

Stage 2 – Uptake

Respiration by animals and degassing – breaking down CO2 and other compounds

Stage 3 – Removal

oxygen leaves the ocean surface and enters the atmosphere by diffusion

Oxygen – Impact on oceans

Oxygen in water is known as dissolved oxygen or DO.

Adequate dissolved oxygen is necessary for good water quality. Oxygen is a necessary element to all forms of life. Many natural processes require adequate oxygen levels in order to provide for aerobic life forms.

Fish and aquatic animals cannot split oxygen from water (H2O) or other oxygen-containing compounds. Only green plants and some bacteria can do that through photosynthesis and similar processes. Virtually all the oxygen we breath is manufactured by green plants. A total of three-fourths of the earth’s oxygen supply is produced by phytoplankton in the oceans.