Assuming you already know what is an ecosystem from Entry 8, I shall not bother explaining it as I continue on nutrient cycles(also known as biogeochemical cycles). Life on earth is inextricably linked to climate through a variety of interacting cycles and feedback loops. In recent years there has been a growing awareness of the extent to which human activities, such as deforestation and fossil fuel burning, have directly or indirectly modified the biogeochemical and physical processes involved in determining the earth's climate. These changes in atmospheric processes can disturb a variety of the ecosystem services that humanity depends upon.
The Earth is a closed system for matter, except for small amounts of cosmic debris that enter the Earth's atmosphere. This means that all the elements needed for the structure and chemical processes of life come from the elements that were present in the Earth's crust when it was formed billions of years ago. This matter, the building blocks of life, continually cycle through Earth's systems, the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere, on time scales that range from a few days to millions of years. These cycles are called biogeochemical cycles, because they include a variety of biological, geological, and chemical processes. In my next post, I shall be going in-depth about nutrient/biogeochemical cycles, and hope to give you a better understanding.
Information obtained from:
1)http://essp.csumb.edu/esse/climate/climatebiogeo.html
2)http://www.enviroliteracy.org/subcategory.php/198.html
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