Oxygen, nitrogen, water, and carbon are very important in assisting organisms with survival. Because matter is never created nor destroyed, these substances are recycled and reused again and again within every biome.
The oxygen cycle and the carbon cycle are closely related as they both involve photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Carbon dioxide is taken in by producers to undergo photosynthesis, and oxygen is released as a bi-product. Cellular respiration takes oxygen from the atmosphere and releases carbon dioxide. In the image to the left, you see that carbon makes up all living things. This means that all food contains carbon as well and is transfered from prey to predator through consumption. Once an organism dies, they decompose and release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. This cycle continues in parallel with life in the ecosystem. |
Nitrogen is one of the most abundant substances in the atmosphere and can be used for various processes. Nitrogen helps make up nucleic acids and amino acids within living organisms. Outside of being in macromolecules, nitrogen can help decomposers break down organic materials. Also, ammonification, nitrification, and assimilation use nitrogen to keep ecosystems in check. |
Because water is necessary for the survival of many organisms and controls many weather changes within a biome, it is important to understand the water cycle regarding ecology. Water can be a limiting factor in an ecosystem if there is not enough precipitation or if there are too many organisms for a specific area. Water can be taken in by organisms, used for certain processes, and released as waste. On a larger scale, water flows through rivers and oceans, is evaporated, sits in clouds, and is released back down to earth as precipitation. |