Herrera, Ronnie Renz SG.

BSM-2A
Environmental Science (GE 7-B)
Prof. Allan A. Marcelo

Reflection on Biogeochemical Cycles

In oxygen cycle, the oxygen gas, that is produced by plants as waste product from taking
carbon dioxide as a reactant in the photosynthesis process, will eventually be inhaled by animals
and humans and the conversion will take place as cellular respiration takes the oxygen gas and
produce carbon dioxide as a waste product. Whereas in carbon cycle, as the plants take carbon
dioxide to produce oxygen and glucose, the glucose produced will eventually climb up the food
chain as animals eat the plants. The decomposers will then enter the scene when animals die.
What greatly disturbs the cycle is when factories’ burning of fossil fuels produce extreme
amount of carbon dioxide which affects the weather in the atmosphere.

In the water cycle, as I have learned from the discussion, the heat from the sun causes
water to evaporate in the higher areas in the atmosphere. This process is called evaporation.
Plants can also release water vapor through their stomata in the process called transpiration. As
we all know, the higher the altitude, the colder it gets. So, when water vapor reached the higher
levels in the atmosphere, the cold temperature will then cause the water vapor particles to
compress in the process called condensation and will form clouds. The cycle continues as the
water vapor falls to the ground in some form of precipitation. When water reaches the ground,
some of the water will be seeped by the soil and go to a water bank underground through
infiltration while some of the water will become runoff and will run down the slope until the
water reaches a body of water.

In nitrogen cycle, as I have learned, we need nitrogen but the problem is nitrogen gases in
the atmosphere are not usable. Though they are mostly unusable, some soil bacteria in the
Herrera, Ronnie Renz SG.
BSM-2A
Environmental Science (GE 7-B)
Prof. Allan A. Marcelo

ground convert the nitrogen gas into ammonium through the process called nitrogen fixation
while some soil bacteria convert these ammonia molecules into nitrates through nitrification. The
nitrates will either be used by some bacteria for energy or be absorbed by plants through their
roots. When these bacteria consumed these nitrates, they will produce nitrogen gas through
denitrification. On the other hand, when the nitrates are absorbed by the plants, nitrogen will
move up the food chain as animals consume such plants. When the animals and plants die, the
cycle will still continue as decomposers absorb the nitrogen from those dead plants and animals
and release ammonium back to the soil through their wastes. The complicated processes of
nitrogen cycle are extended as lighting energy breaks apart the nitrogen and oxygen gases into a
single nitrogen and oxygen atoms. When that happens, the nitrogen and oxygen atoms will
combine and form nitrogen oxides. When rain falls down, these nitrogen oxides will react with
the water from the rain and become nitrates. As these nitrates fall together with the water to the
ground, the nitrates will then be absorbed by the plants and the cycle will continue.

These four cycles may have water, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen in the atmosphere but it
is not the same with phosphorus. I learned that phosphorus cannot be found in the atmosphere,
instead it comes from rocks that are weathered or eroded by water, air, etc. When the eroded or
weathered rocks come into contact with water, the phosphorus will get washed away and become
absorbed by the roots of the plants. When these plants are consumed by animals, the phosphorus
will eventually climb up the food chain. The role of decomposers is to feed on the dead animals
and plants and that is how they obtain phosphorus. Once the decomposers consumed these dead
animals and plants, they will release phosphorus through their wastes and will be simply
absorbed by the plants again through their roots. As the narrator included, human actions also
affect the phosphorus cycle in the way that they use fertilizers, which contain phosphorus, to
grow better crops. But excessive and irresponsible usage of fertilizers will have negative effects
to the cycle. When it rains, the excess phosphorus will be carried away by the rain water to the
lake or any other bodies of water. When too much phosphorus is accumulated in the same body
of water, it will cause an increased growth of algae and a decreased level of oxygen.
Herrera, Ronnie Renz SG.
BSM-2A
Environmental Science (GE 7-B)
Prof. Allan A. Marcelo

Eutrophication can cause fishes to suffocate underwater and may lead to algal bloom which
produces and releases algal toxins that are harmful to humans and animals.

These cycles are extremely important to maintain the balance in the world. Without these,
it will become very hard for us to live on Earth. Thus, we must be very careful and responsible
with our every action to avoid altering the natural processes in the world. Nurturing and taking
care of the world is the least we can do for it.