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A nutrient cycle is the cyclical mechanism by which nutrients are recycled and reused. The path includes cells, organisms, community, and ecosystem.
- Nutrients in the ecologic sphere are substances that organisms use to gain a sufficient form of energy, health benefits and a means to survive.
- Living organisms need a continuous supply of nutrients to survive, grow and also reproduce.
- A nutrient cycle, in literary terms, is a biologically advanced pathway that helps nutrients pass so as to cause recycling in the environment.
- Nutrient cycling is often referred to the chemical transformation and recycling that occurs in the environment.
Read More: Nitrogen cycle
| Table of Content |
Key Terms: Nutrients, Biogeochemical cycle, Nitrogen, Nutrient Cycle, Oxygen, Carbon, Cell, Living organisms, Energy, Environment
What is Nutrient Cycle?
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Nutrient Cycle can be defined as:
| “Cyclic pathway by which nutrients pass to be further recycles and reutilised. This pathway contains cells, organisms and the ecosystem.” |
- Living organisms are composed of elements like carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, sulphur and more.
- These elements are considered significant for the functioning of living bodies.
- It is equally important to recycle several of these elements to fruitfully maintain livelihood among organisms.
- Life would naturally stop existing if there is a visible destruction in the nutrient cycle.
- Nutrient cycle, thus, is a cyclic passage through which nutrients found in the environment are evidently seen to be recycled for further use by biotic organisms.
- These are of two types, Gaseous and Sedimentary.
- Nutrient cycling rate is primarily based on various biotic, physical and chemical factors.
Energy Flow and Nutrient Cycle
Energy flow can be defined as the transfer of energy from one trophic level to another in both the food chain and food web. The Energy flow in an ecosystem is known to be unidirectional where the energy is lost from one trophic level to another in heat form. Sunlight, here, is known to be the ultimate energy source.
Nutrient cycling can be expressed as a cyclic process which comprises the movement of nutrients from the physical environment to living organisms and back to the environment. Nutrients that can be found in Earth are where they are recycled, and further transformed into several forms and reutilized.
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| Relevant Concepts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Productivity in Ecosystem | Nutrients | Ammonification |
| Biotic factors | Denitrification | Dioxygen |
Examples of Nutrient Cycle
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Some Nutrient cycle examples are listed below:
Carbon Cycle
Carbon is the primary component that has been relied upon for the continuance of all living cells. Every organic matter or even biomolecules inherently comprise carbon.
- Carbon cycle is a biogeochemical cycle wherein carbon is exchanged among the different layers of gasses that envelope the Earth.
- In the atmosphere, carbon is present as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4).
- There is a constant exchange of carbon between living and nonliving components by means of respiration and photosynthesis along with a constant discharge of carbon by the release of burning fossil fuels and auto emissions.
- The continuous discharge of atmospheric carbon is usually adjusted by plants by means of photosynthesis.
Carbon Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen, as much as carbon, is considered to be an integral part of continuing life. Biotic organisms cannot directly consume nitrogen, which is why it has to be converted into some different organic compound for further usage.
- One such example of the same is when nitrogen-fixing bacteria is seen to convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia, while the nitrifying bacteria simultaneously converts ammonia into nitrate.
- It can only then be consumed by plants.
- Atmospheric nitrogen is also converted into substances like nitrate by lightning.
- Denitrification is a term used when a microbially assisted method is used to reduce nitrate and helps generate molecular nitrogen through a constant chain of interposing gaseous nitrogen oxide components.
Nitrogen Cycle
Oxygen Cycle
Oxygen, among others, is one of the key components to support the continuance of life. As much as it offers life, oxygen is also simultaneously utilised for the decomposition of waste products. Thus, in the Oxygen Cycle:
- Photosynthesis is the primary source of oxygen that is evidently found in the atmosphere.
- Oxygen cycle also helps in the process of respiration.
- Biotic organisms commonly consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide in return, which is then used by plants during photosynthesis.
Oxygen Cycle
Water Cycle
The water from reservoirs are commonly converted into vapors by means of evaporation. Evaporation is the process that helps turn liquids to vapour.
- Likewise, the water that surfaces across plants is converted into vapour by the method of transpiration.
- The water vapour is seen to condense and following the same, it returns to the atmospheric level by precipitation.
- After following the roots of precipitation, it returns to the land in the form of rain and further goes on to be stored as groundwater.
Water Cycle
Read Also: Biosphere Reserves
Importance of Nutrient Cycle
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The importance of Nutrient Cycle is:
- Nutrient cycle helps in the method of transformation of nutrients from one form to another so as to sustain the functioning parts of life in biotic organisms. For instance, plants are commonly unable to consume atmospheric nitrogen which is why it has to be converted readily to ammonium and nitrate for further intake.
- Nutrient cycle helps keep balance in the ecosystem, and sustains nutrients for upcoming usage.
- Biotic organisms commonly interact with the environment where abiotic compounds and their surroundings exist by means of the Nutrient Cycle.
Things to Remember
- A nutrient cycle is a biological passageway that helps nutrients pass so as to cause recycling in the environment.
- Carbon cycle is mainly a biogeochemical cycle wherein carbon is exchanged among the different layers of gasses that envelope the boundaries of Earth.
- The Nitrogen cycle is also a biogeochemical cycle that helps nitrogen be converted into several chemical compounds among the different layers of the Earth.
- Oxygen, other than offering life, is also simultaneously used for the decomposition of waste products. It helps in the recycling of compounds and helps their movement in the environment.
- Hydrologic cycle generally exhibits the constant movement of water within layers of the Earth and the atmosphere, altogether.
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Previous Year Questions
- Which is wrong with respect to our responsibility as a human being to…? (JEE Mains 2019)
- Addition of phosphate fertilisers to water…? (JEE Mains 2015)
- A water sample has ppm level concentration of the…? (JEE Mains 2019)
- BOD stands for…? (JEE Mains 2016)
- Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) value can be a measure of water pollution…? [JEE Mains 2016]
- Ozone is destroyed by CFCs in the upper stratosphere Ozone holes…? (JEE Mains 2019)
- Calcium metabolism in birds gets disturbed due to…(KEAM)
- The distribution of species diversity on earth may be best...(AMUEEE 2015)
- Which one of the following is not included under in-situ…? (AMUEEE 2012)
- An ecologist uses the term biodiversity for the variety of species of...(AMUEEE 2013)
Sample Questions
Ques. Define Denitrification. (3 marks)
Ans: Denitrification is seen to occur due to the loss of nitrogen from soil by methods related to chemical or biological means, given the circumstance and usage.
- It is a microbial method that helps reduce nitrate and nitrite to a gaseous structure of nitrogen.
- It can either be nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitrogen (N2).
- This process generally sees a widespread spectrum of microorganisms that can denitrify.
Ques. What are Nutrients? Mention the types it has. (2 marks)
Ans: Nutrients are apparently compounds that help sustain livelihood by means of significant nourishment and ensures a complete equilibrium in biotic bodies. In simple terms, these are substances that provide essential nutrition required for the maintenance of the body to survive in odd situations. We can categorize nutrients into inorganic chemicals and organic chemicals.
Ques. Define Carbon Cycle briefly. (2 marks)
Ans: Carbon is the primary component that has been relied upon for the continuance of all living cells. It can simply be described as a method where numerous carbon atoms are evidently seen to travel from the atmospheric level to the Earth and then return back into the atmospheric level yet again.
Ques. Describe the methods involved in the Nitrogen Cycle. (3 marks)
Ans: Living organisms cannot directly consume nitrogen, which is the reason why it requires being converted to a different organic compound for further usage.
This is achieved by the nitrogen-fixing bacteria which converts atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia, while the nitrifying bacteria simultaneously converts ammonia into nitrate.
Denitrification is when a microbially assisted method is used to reduce nitrate and rather helps in producing molecular nitrogen through a constant chain of interposing gaseous nitrogen oxide components.
Ques. Define briefly the Oxygen cycle. (2 marks)
Ans: Oxygen cycle is generally referred to the course of oxygen through the atmosphere, alongside other gaseous layers of the Earth. In a nutshell, the oxygen cycle mainly exhibits the way in which free oxygen is seen to be available in every individual layer of these regions, besides the ways in which they are further used. Oxygen, among others, is one of the primary components to support the continuance of life.
Ques. What is the movement of nutrient elements through the various components of an ecosystem known? (2 marks)
Ans: The movement of nutrient elements via the several components of an ecosystem is known as Nutrient cycling. Nutrients are the chemical compounds that living things need to grow, make more of themselves, and control how their bodies work. Nutrient cycling is the movement of different elements or nutrients through an ecosystem.
Ques. How many categories can a nutrient cycle be divided? (3 marks)
Ans: The nutrient cycle can be divided into two types. The movement of different kinds of components or nutrients across an ecosystem is what's known as nutrient cycling. There are two different kinds of it, and those are:
- Gaseous nutrient cycle
- Sedimentary nutrient cycle
Ques. What are the essential elements required by organisms for their body-building and metabolism called? (2 marks)
Ans: Biogeochemicals are the fundamental substances that living things need in order to construct their bodies and carry out their metabolic processes. They are provided by the earth, and they are returned to the earth following the death and decay of the creatures that ingest them.
Ques. What is the amount of nutrients present in the soil at any given time called? (2 marks)
Ans: The term "standing state" refers to the amount of nutrients that are present in the soil at any given time and can refer to either the total or the available amount. These nutrients are made up of a vast array of minerals, chemical compounds, and components including, amongst others, carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, and calcium.
Ques. What is a Nutrient Cycle? What are the four Nutrient Cycles? (4 marks)
Ans: Nutrient cycle is a cyclic pathway through which the nutrients that are found in the environment are seen to be recycled for further use in future.
In general, the nutrients consumed continually by biotic organisms are later returned to the environment after their deaths.
Recycling is a method that helps to sustain and contribute to the wellbeing of the environment. These are nutrients that plants and animals consume and later also return back after their deaths.
The four Nutrient cycles are:
- Water or Hydrologic Cycle
- Carbon Cycle
- Nitrogen Cycle
- Oxygen Cycle
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