Water, Carbon, Phosphorus,
Nitrogen and Sulfur


Collects, purifies and distributes earth’s supply of
water
Driven by evaporation (from oceans, lakes, rivers and
soil), precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, dew), and
transpiration (from surfaces of plants and soil)

Reservoirs (sinks): groundwater/aquifers, ocean, ice
and snow (glaciers), lakes and reservoirs

Humans influence cycle by:
• Increased surface runoff
• Taking too much groundwater out
• Water pollution

Building block for organic compounds necessary for life

Key component in atmosphere—greenhouse gases and
temperature regulation

Driven by photosynthesis and cell respiration

Reservoirs (sinks): atmosphere, plants, animals, fossil fuels,
dissolved in ocean, limestone and ocean sediments

Human Impacts (releasing CO2 into atmosphere):
•
•
•
•
Driving cars
Deforestation
Burning fossil fuels
Burning forests


Component of proteins, vitamins and nucleic
acids
Cannot be absorbed directly by plants and
animals (N2)—rely on nitrogen fixing bacteria

Reservoirs (sinks): atmosphere, ocean sediments,
soil (ammonia and nitrates), plants and animals

Human Impacts:
• Runoff from fertilizers and decomposition (water, soil)
• Burning fuel and fertilizers (atmosphere)
• Remove from soils with agriculture and irrigation
 Circulates
through water and soil, does not
include the atmosphere
 Very
slow cycle. Component of nucleic
acids and ATP/ADP, bones and teeth
 Reservoirs
(sinks): phosphate salts in rock
and ocean sediments; plants and animals
 Human Impacts:
• Runoff from mining waste, sewage and fertilizer
• Erosion of rock

Used to produce proteins

Stored in underground rocks and minerals, and sulfate salts
in ocean sediments

Hydrogen sulfide gas released to atmosphere through
volcanoes and decomposers

Reservoirs (sinks): atmosphere, plants, animals, rock and
soils, ocean sediments

Human Impacts:
• release sulfur dioxide through burning of fossil fuels and refining coal
• Mining
• Acid rain from fossil fuel burning