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The Cycle Of Nutrients

How nutrients trapped within the environment are recycled

The Cycle Of Nutrients

How nutrients trapped within the environment are recycled

Intro To The Carbon Cycle & Decomposers

The carbon cycle is essentially nature's way of reusing carbon atoms in different ways and in varying places. It is the process in which carbon travels from the atmosphere into organisms and the Earth and then back into the atmosphere. (Wendy McDougal, n.d.)

 

Decomposers are organisms that are able to chemically break down dead material and make elements such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous available for use by other organisms. (Terri Schab, n.d.)

More On Carbon

  • All organisms contain proteins, carbohydrates and fats, that are carbon containing compounds.
  • When these organisms die, the carbon remains locked in their bodies
  • Decomposers break down the dead bodies and release carbon back into the atmosphere to repeat the carbon cycle.
  • Over millions of years, these dead bodies are converted into fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. Humans burn these fossil fuels, releasing carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) back into the atmosphere.

Nitrogen

  • Nitrogen is needed by organisms to make nucleic acids and proteins.
  • Bacteria and lightning converts unusable nitrogen in the atmosphere into usable forms for organisms.
  • Plants use nitrogen(as a major component of chlorophyll), which is then passed through the food chain.
  • When organisms die, decomposers break down dead bodies, releasing nitrogen back into the atmosphere.
  • The nitrogen is reused by plants and carried on further in the food chain and food webs.

Phosphorous

  • Phosphorous is contained in rocks and minerals, uptaken by plants through their roots.
  • Phosphorous is passed through the food chain as plants and other organisms that contain phosphorous are consumed.
  • Decomposers break down dead bodies to ensure that phosphorous locked in dead bodies are released back into the atmosphere to be reused in the food chain and food webs.

 

Decomposers

Decomposers ensure that the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in dead organisms are not wasted and that they are released back into the atmosphere to be recycled. Without decomposers, these nutrients are wasted and hence would take a toll on both the carbon cycle and the natural process of food chains and food webs.