The Cycling of Materials
The Cycling of Materials
The Cycling of Materials
Objectives What will happen to the next ballpoint pen you buy? You will
probably use it until its ink supply runs out and then throw it
왘 List the three stages of the carbon
cycle.
away. The plastic and steel the pen is made of will probably never
be reused. By contrast, materials in ecosystems are constantly
왘 Describe where fossil fuels are
located. reused. In this section, you will read about three cycles by which
왘 Identify one way that humans are materials are reused—the carbon cycle, the nitrogen cycle, and
affecting the carbon cycle. the phosphorus cycle.
왘 List the three stages of the nitro-
gen cycle.
왘 Describe the role that nitrogen-
The Carbon Cycle
fixing bacteria play in the nitrogen Carbon is an essential component of proteins, fats, and carbohy-
cycle. drates, which make up all organisms. The carbon cycle is a
왘 Explain how the excess use of process by which carbon is cycled between the atmosphere, land,
fertilizer can affect the nitrogen water, and organisms. As shown in Figure 10, carbon enters a
and phosphorus cycles. short-term cycle in an ecosystem when producers, such as plants,
convert carbon dioxide in the atmosphere into carbohydrates
Key Terms during photosynthesis. When consumers eat producers, the con-
carbon cycle sumers obtain carbon from the carbohydrates. As the consumers
nitrogen-fixing bacteria break down the food during cellular respiration, some of the car-
nitrogen cycle bon is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
phosphorus cycle Organisms that make their own food through photosynthesis also
release carbon dioxide during cellular respiration.
Some carbon enters a long-term cycle. For example, carbon
may be converted into carbonates, which make up the hard parts
of bones and shells. Bones and shells do not break down easily.
Connection to Biology
The Rise of Carbon Dioxide
In the past 150 years, more than
350 billion tons of carbon have
been released into the air in the
form of carbon dioxide. The con-
centration of carbon dioxide
today has increased 30 percent
since preindustrial times. If the
present amount of carbon diox-
ide emission continues, this con-
centration will double by 2080.
Many scientists speculate that as
a result, Earth’s temperature may
rise by 3ºC.
SECTION 2 Review
1. Describe the three stages of the carbon cycle. CRITICAL THINKING
2. Describe how the burning of fossil fuels affects the 5. Making Comparisons Write a short paragraph
carbon cycle. that describes the importance of bacteria in the car-
bon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles. What role
3. Explain how the excess use of fertilizer affects the does bacteria play in each cycle? WRITING SKILLS
nitrogen cycle and the phosphorus cycle.
6. Applying Ideas What is one way that a person can
4. Explain why the phosphorus cycle occurs more slowly help reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the atmo-
than both the carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle. sphere? Can you think of more than one way?