Hidden connections: biogeochemical cycles and the balance of nature

Imagine the earth as a big machine where the chemical elements essential for life, such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur, constantly travel between living beings and the environment. These cyclical movements are known as biogeochemical cycles. The prefix "bio" refers to living beings, "geo" to the Earth and "chemical" to the elements involved. These cycles are fundamental to maintain life on our planet, thanks to them, chemical elements are continuously recycled, guaranteeing their availability for future generations.

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The main biogeochemical cycles according to Roa (2002), are:

Water Cycle: Water evaporates from the oceans, forms clouds, falls as rain or snow, seeps into the ground and returns to the oceans. This cycle is essential for life, since water is the main component of living beings and regulates the climate.
Carbon cycle: Carbon is exchanged between the atmosphere, oceans, soils and living organisms through processes such as photosynthesis, respiration and decomposition. The carbon cycle is fundamental to regulate the temperature of the planet.
Nitrogen cycle: Nitrogen, essential for the formation of proteins and nucleic acids, is fixed in the soil by bacteria, is absorbed by plants and passes to animals through the food chain.
Phosphorus cycle: Phosphorus, a component of DNA and ATP, is mainly found in rocks and sediments. It is released by erosion and absorbed by plants.
Sulfur cycle: Sulfur, present in proteins, is found in rocks and fossil fuels. Through volcanic processes and the decomposition of organic matter, sulfur is released into the environment.

Public domain image taken from commons.wikimedia

Among the factors that affect the biogeochemical cycles are human activities such as deforestation, the burning of fossil fuels, agriculture and industrialization alter the biogeochemical cycles, causing problems such as climate change and pollution, also natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and changes in weather patterns also influence the cycles.

Understanding the biogeochemical cycles is fundamental to make decisions and evaluate the impact of our actions on the planet and adopt more sustainable practices. Dear readers, biogeochemical cycles are fundamental processes for life on Earth. By understanding how they work and how they interrelate, we can take action to protect our planet and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. For example, in agriculture, knowing how nitrogen is fixed in a biological and symbiotic way through some microorganisms such as bacteria of the genus Rhizobium and the roots of legumes, allows us to adopt sustainable strategies to obtain this important element through natural processes.

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Bibliographic references

Roa, J. (2002). Basic foundations of environmental processes. Feunet. San Cristobal: Venezuela.

Sources

- Photography and images: The images shown in the article are in the public domain, information that can be verified at the bottom of each photograph.
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