What are the biogeochemical cycles? Describe various types of biogeochemical cycles in
the ecosystems.
Answers
Biogeochemical cycles are basically divided into two types: Gaseous cycles – Includes Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and the Water cycle. Sedimentary cycles – Includes Sulphur, Phosphorus, Rock cycle, etc.
biogeochemical cycle or substance turnover or cycling of substances is a pathway by which a chemical substance moves through biotic (biosphere) and abiotic (lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere) compartments of Earth. There are biogeochemical cycles for the chemical elements calcium, carbon, hydrogen, mercury, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, selenium, and sulfur; molecular cycles for water and silica; macroscopic cycles such as the rock cycle; as well as human-induced cycles for synthetic compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). In some cycles there are reservoirs where a substance remains for a long period of time.