Carbon Cycle, Oxygen Cycle and Nitrogen Cycle

What is the Carbon Cycle?

Carbon is a fundamental element in all living beings and is found in all forms of life. It is the most fundamental element of all organic molecules and serves as their building block. It is primarily the conversion of carbon dioxide that is the focus of the carbon cycle, which is begun by the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere via photosynthesis.

• The conversion results in the formation of carbohydrates, glucose, which may then be transformed into other organic molecules such as sucrose, starch, cellulose, and various sugars and starches, among others
• Some of the carbs are used immediately by the plant to fuel its growth and development. A greater amount of carbon dioxide is produced during this process, which is then released via the plant’s roots or stems during the day
• In addition to being part of the plant tissue that is consumed by herbivorous animals, the residual sugars are also degraded by microbes
• Some of the carbohydrates ingested by herbivores are converted into carbon dioxide, which is then released into the atmosphere via respiration
• Following the death of the animal, the microorganisms break down the carbohydrates that were left behind. Afterwards, the carbohydrates digested by the microorganisms are oxidized into carbon dioxide and released back into the environment

What is the Oxygen Cycle?

The most important by-product of photosynthesis is oxygen. It plays a role in the oxidation of carbohydrates, which results in the release of energy, carbon dioxide, and water into the atmosphere and the process is known as the Oxygen cycle.

• The oxygen cycle is a very complicated process that takes place in the atmosphere
• Oxygen may be found in a wide variety of chemical forms and combinations. It reacts with nitrogen to generate nitrates. It reacts with a wide range of other minerals and elements to form a variety of oxides, including iron oxide, aluminum oxide, and other metal oxides
• Much of the oxygen we breathe comes from the disintegration of water molecules caused by sunlight during photosynthesis. A significant amount of oxygen is released into the atmosphere through the transpiration and respiration processes of plants

What is the Nitrogen Cycle?

Approximately 78% of the atmosphere’s gases are composed of nitrogen, making it a significant part of the atmosphere. It is a necessary component of many organic molecules, including amino acids, nucleic acids, proteins, vitamins, and pigments. It is also a component of certain inorganic compounds. The nitrogen cycle is an essential aspect of the ecology.

• Currently, only a few kinds of organisms, such as specific species of soil bacteria and blue-green algae, are capable of using it in its gaseous state
• In biology, the nitrogen cycle is a biogeochemical process in which nitrogen is transformed into various forms and then passed from the atmosphere to the soil to the organism and back into the atmosphere in a continuous cycle
• Nitrogen can only be used when it has been fixed. 90% of the nitrogen that has been fixed is biological
• The activity of soil microorganisms and related plant roots on atmospheric nitrogen present in the pore spaces of the soil is the most important source of the free nitrogen cycle in the environment
• Lightning and cosmic radiation are both capable of causing nitrogen to be fixed in the atmosphere
• Some aquatic organisms in the waters have the ability to repair the damage
• Green plants may absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere when it has been fixed into a form that is readily accessible
• Herbivorous animals that eat on plants, in turn, devour part of the plant material
• The activity of bacteria present in the soil results in the conversion of dead plants and animals, excretion of nitrogenous wastes, and other nitrogenous wastes into nitrites.
• Some bacteria can even convert nitrites into nitrates, which may then be used by green plants
• In addition, many species of bacteria can decompose nitrates into nitrogen gas, and this process is known as de-nitrification

Conclusion 

The nitrogen cycle is a sequence of activities that include nitrogen fixation and breakdown in the environment and in living beings. The carbon cycle is the exchange of carbon between the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. The oxygen cycle defines the transfer of oxygen within and between its three major reservoirs.