Biogeochemical Cycle

Abiogeochemical cycle refers to the cycling and transport of a chemical element or compound, usually in multiple forms and physical states, through the biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) components of the earth system. Some of the most commonly examined biogeochemical cycles include carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, water, and phosphorous, which are highly interdependent and connected to both the physical environment and human activity. Biogeochemical processes include cycling to and from living organisms in the biosphere, rock minerals in the lithosphere, hydrological processes in the hydrosphere, and air circulation in the atmosphere, making the spatial and temporal variability of biogeochemical cycles quite complex. Biogeochemistry attempts to understand the physical processes that control and make up these cycles, as well as the natural and anthropogenically-induced variation in these ...