Human activities significantly disrupt natural biogeochemical cycles, affecting carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus distribution in ecosystems. The carbon cycle, for instance, is altered by burning fossil fuels, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.
Carbon moves from fossil fuels to the atmosphere when fuels are burned
Carbon moves from living things to the atmosphere.
Carbon moves from plants and animals to soils.
second step
Carbon moves from plants to animals.
First step
Carbon moves from the atmosphere to plants.
Nitrogen cylce
Fifth step
Denitrification
Fourth step
Ammonification
Third step
Assimilation
Second step
Nitrification
Fisrt step
Nitrogen fixation
How are humans affecting the natural course of the biogeochemical cycles? Why? Provide 3
examples to explain your point of view.
Examples
burning of fossil fuels, the deforestation and combustion of biomass
Human activities have greatly increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and nitrogen levels in the biosphere. Altered biogeochemical cycles combined with climate change increase the vulnerability of biodiversity, food security, human health, and water quality to a changing climate.
