Lecture 11:  Ecosystems:  Biogeochemical Cycles

•  By the end of your preparation on this topic, you should be able to:

    ©  1. Compare and contrast the major pools and fluxes of gaseous (CO2, N2) and
                sedimentary (e.g., phosphorus) cycles.

    ©  2. Discuss a major method for the study of biogeochemical cycles using a forest, as a
                component of the system.

    ©  3. Show the inputs, biotic accumulation and storage, and the losses in the example you
                discussed above in #2.

    ©  4. Discuss the effects of a catastrophic disturbance (for example, fire) on the
                accumulation of nutrients, carbon and nitrogen in a forest.

    ©  5. Discuss the possible reasons and the consequences of increasing CO2 in our atmosphere.
 
    ©  6. Present to your friends examples of human activities that have been responsible, in the
                past, for the death of fishes in lakes, for reduction in the population of pelicans and
                eagles; and for the death of some sea otters in Alaska.
 
    ©  7. Define and describe the following concepts and terms:  biogeochmical cycle;
                biological magnification; deforestation; eutrophic lakes; flux; greenhouse effect;
                inter-and intrasystem cycles; mycorrhiza; nutrient cycles; pool; watershed approach
 
Outline of presentation :
            For outline of presentation and for the legends of figures, see  the Handbook for the course "Biology 121 Notes, Spring, 1998, University of Illinois, Plant Biology: Ecology and Organismic Plant Biology" by Govindjee, Stipes  Publishing, Champaign,IL.
 
    © Slides used in the class are to be found elsewhere on these Web pages.