Asynchronous Nutrient Cycles

There are cycles for all elements and many compounds. The water cycle is very important to us. We use water to drink, and it is either added to the air by evaporation or it is added to the soil after excretion. From there, it could be used countless times by other organisms, many of which are microscopic in size. Perhaps that water is eventually taken up through plant roots and moves up the stem to the leaves, where it evaporates into the atmosphere. Those same water molecules condense in clouds, and rain upon the land. The water collects in streams and then in rivers. It may be there that the water is pumped into our water systems to be drunk again. 

Ammonification bacteria, ftmgi convert the residues to NH3 this dissolves to form NH4.  

As an example, we can consider carbon dioxide (COj). CO2 has come from volcanic activity for millions of years. With too much CO2, the Earth could overheat to the point where life could not be sustained. Plants and animals cycle massive amounts of CO2 as they photosynthesize, respire, and decay. However, these processes are largely in balance and do not affect the level of CO2 in the atmosphere. 

As rock weathers, carbonates are formed that remove CO2 from the atmosphere. CO2 is thus bound in liquid solution by a process that so far has not included living organisms. 

Rock weathering is increased by the presence of bacteria, which release carbonates and allow them to be washed to the ocean. There they are incorporated into countless tiny lime shells by small sea creatures. When the creatures die, these shells rain down on the ocean floor. 

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