The Nutrient Cycles By Arissa

          The nutrient cycles are a crucial part in all ecosystems, they are responsible for the reuse of water, energy, and food. All life relies on three main cycles, the carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, and water cycle.

          Starting with the carbon cycle, carbon has the most important part to play in all of the ecosystems. Throughout the course of the carbon cycle plants extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, then perform photosynthesis, animals consume the plants and replace the carbon dioxide through breathing. This process is also responsible for providing energy for factories, trains, planes, and cars in the form of fossil fuel. This is a constant cycle, to bring us back to the beginning, after the death of an animal, fungi and bacteria break down the organic matter and allow the growth of plants.

Much like carbon, nitrogen is equally important to all ecosystems. Although nitrogen is present in our atmosphere it’s supply is limited. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria are made to transform nitrogen into ammonia. These bacteria bring the converted nitrogen into the water and soil for the plants. Plants then acquire the nitrogen in the form of ammonia.

The water cycle is what life relies on, it consists of three main parts, evaporation (transpiration), condensation, and precipitation.  Evaporation is the extraction of water from bodies of water heated up by the sun, creating water vapor or clouds. Transpiration is process in which plants soak up water through their roots then the water evaporates as plants release water through small pores. Condensation is the collection of water in the air, after condensation comes precipitation. Precipitation comes in the form of rain, sleet, snow, and hail which falls to the ground bringing us back to the beginning.

These three cycles are what is keeping us alive, they are crucial to all ecosystems and environments. Food, water, and energy are all a part of these cycles.

Cite Sources: "The Water Cycle (article) | Ecology." Khan Academy. Khan Academy, 2017. Web. 13 Apr. 2017. <https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/ecology/biogeochemical-cycles/a/the-water-cycle>.

Jamie, Taylor, and Jen Moreau. "Nutrient Cycles: Recycling in Ecosystems, The Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles." ScienceAid. Science Aid, 2017. Web. 13 Apr. 2017. <https://scienceaid.net/biology/ecology/nutrient.html>.