Water, Oxygen-Carbon, and Nitrogen Cycles

and the Food Pyramid

Water Cycle

Water Cycle

Evaporation- water molecules from bodies of waterEvapotranspiration- water molecules from plants, animalsCondensation- from molecules in air to water vapor to liquidPrecipitation- falling water (rain, hale, snow)Percolation/ Infiltration- seeping into the groundSurface Runoff- streams, riversUnderground Runoff- aquifers, underground streamsSnow / Ice pack storage- mountain snow caps, winter snow packTransport- wind blow clouds (water vapour)

Oxygen Carbon Cycle

Oxygen Carbon Cycle

Closely related cycles through CO2Carbon used as major building block

(besides water, we are mostly carbon,)Oxygen is used in life’s chemical reactions.Synopsis:1) Produce take in CO2 and release oxygen into the air. They use the carbon to make food (long chain carbon molecules). Plankton is a major O2 producer. 2) Consumers eat the producers and use the oxygen they breath and the producers’ carbon to make energy. Consumers release CO2 and water back into their environment. 3) Many other processes release CO2

volcanoes, fossil fuels, burning, and decomposition

Oxygen Carbon Cycle

Oxygen Carbon Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Important building block of life, 78% of atmosphere is N2Nitrogen is not useable when in the form of N2, Nitrogen gas or ‘Free Nitrogen’Nitrogen Fixation- process of chemical bonding of N to other elements, mainly Nitrates (NO3-) , Nitrites (NO2-), Ammonium (HN4), and Ammonia (NH3) Certain Bacteria take free N and make compounds (lightening does this too)Nitrogen Denitrification- process of releasing N from compounds back to free N2 gas. Bacteria releases compounded NSynopsis:1) N moves from the air to the soil then into producers

through roots and bacteria. Consumers eat producers.

2) Consumers die, decompose and return N compounds to the soil to be used again or released as free N to the air

Food Pyramid and Energy Levels

ProducersConsumers

HerbivoresCarnivoresOmnivoresScavenger

Decomposers

Food Chain: a series of events in which one organism eats another and obtains energy. First link is always a producer followed by 1st level then 2nd and so on. This shows one path

Food Web: many overlapping food chains all interconnected

Energy PyramidDisplays the amount of food or energy at each level

The most food and energy is available at the producer level and reduces at every level above.

Generally only 10% of the energy in one level is transferred up to the next level. The other 90% is used within the level for the organism’s life functions or lost as heat.