BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE

First of all in 1934, Virnadsky introduce the term Biogeochemical cycle .The cyclic movement of chemical elements of the biosphere between the organism and the environment are called Biogeochemical cycle. Here,Bio = referred to living organisms and Geo=to the rocks, soil, air and water of the earth. According to law of matter conservation- Matter is neither created nor destroyed only forms are changed . In this regard, the earth neither receives any great amount of matter from other part of universe nor loses it to outer space. The flow of chemical elements through the food chain may be referred as organic phase and chemical function of the elements include the abiotic phase of the Biogeochemical cycle. In addition, there are many important chemicals present in plants, animals and microorganisms such as-C, N, P, S, Zn, K, Fe etc. Thus biogeochemical cycle is also maintenance of soil fertility. Above all chemical nutrients builds up of protein and many component of cytoplasm of microorganism, plants and animals. Phosphorus is the second nutrient of plants and animals which play important role in accumulation and release energy during metabolic process. Potassium is the major cation that obtain from soil. We may categorised Biogeochemical cycle within two phaseA.Gaseous B.Sedimentary

NITROGEN CYCLE
Nitrogen is the first of all observed by Lavoisier . It is the most important constituent of the universe. Its constituent different biologically significant organic molecules such as- Amino acids , Proteins, pigments , Nucleic acids , vitamins and Chlorophylls etc. Its presence is essential in all living organisms .In atmosphere it is about 7879% that is the highest in concentration .It is not directly taken from atmosphere by higher plants and animals. Atmospheric nitrogen converted into nitrate and nitrite through various way in a complex cyclic way which is called as-NITROGEN CYCLE or, BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE OF NITROGEN. The key process of biogeochemical cycle of Nitrogen is A. B. C. D. E. Nitrogen fixation Ammonification Nitrification Denitrification Nitrite-ammonification A. Nitrogen fixation-It is a process in which the conversion of gaseous form of nitrogen into combined forms that is ammonia or organic nitrogen by some bacteria and Cyanobacteria. It was the first observed by Winogradasky.

Two groups of microbes involve in this process a. Symbiotic and b. Non-symbiotic a. Symbiotic-It is accomplished by nitrogen fixing bacteria forming root nodules of legumes such as-Rhizobium leguminoserum , R. japonicum etc. Actinomycetian ,Frankia also forms root nodules to many non legumes angiosperms such as Alnus ,casuarinas ,Allo casuarinas etc. are fixed atmospheric nitrogen .

Recently, certain lickens such as Collema and Peltigera are also implicated in nitrogen fixation. Its through mechanisms was observed by Henricksson in 1971. b. Non-symbiotic many free living bacteria, blue green algae and some fungi are capable to fix atmospheric nitrogen in non-symbiotic condition such asBACTERIA Bacillus polymixa ,Azomonas ,Beijerinkia etc. FUNGI BGA - Pullularia , yeast etc . - Oscillatoria ,Lyngbia , Nostoc etc.

B.-Ammonification Some microbes as well as plants are also able to convert organic amino nitrogen to Ammonia,this process is called as Ammonification. The common ammonifying bacteria are Bacillus ramosus, B. mycoides etc NH-C-NH +HO 2NH +CO C.Nitrification The oxidation of ammonia ion to nitrate is called Nitrification; process occurs two steps by bacteria and fungi. BACTERIA Nitrosomonas ,Nitrococcus ,Nitrobacter etc . FUNGI - Penicillium spp. ,Aspergillus flavus etc . important steps are 1.The oxidation of ammonia to nitrite that is Nitrosofication. 2NH + 3O 2HNO + HO + energy (70,000cal.) 2. Nitrites are then oxidised to nitrates by Penicillium ,Nitrobacter etc. 2HNO + O 2HNO + energy (20,000cal.) 3.Denitrificacation Certain microbes are capable of reducing nitrates to nitrites and subsequently to gaseous nitrogen. eg. Nitrous oxide or free nitrogen. This process is called as De-nitrification. And related microbesAgrobacterium , Vibrio etc. During de-nitrification nitrates are step wise converted into Nitrite Hyponitrite Nitrous oxide and finally free nitrogen. The

Denitrification is essential in a respiratory mechanism in which nitrate replaces the molecular oxygen .Thus denitrification may be termed as Nitrate respiration. E.Nitrite ammonification Some bacteria (heterotrophic) particularly Clostridium spp. Are capable of converting nitrite to ammonia ions , process called Nitrite ammonification. It is normally occurs under anaerobic condition in water loadged soil.

CARBON CYCLE
Carbon is one of the miner constitute of atmosphere. It exists in the form of inorganic and organic complex in nature . In atmosphere the concentration of Co is 0.32% which is less than what is required by plants for photosynthesis. It is main source of carbon require to build the organic world. - co returns back into the atmosphere through the respiration process by all groups of organigms. - Through decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms. - Through carbon reservoirs the atmosphere ,the land ,the oceans , other aquatic environments , sediments and rock biomass. - Photosynthetic co fixation . More carbon is present in dead organic called humus, then in living organisms. Humus is a complex mixture of organic material. Carbon cycle involve in photosynthesis process Organic carbon is synthesized on earth are via photosynthesis and chemosynthesis. Oxygenic phototrophic organism can be divided into two groups -Higher plants (phototrophic organic in environment) - Phototrophic microorganisms (present in photosynthesizers of aquatic environment) Photosynthetic organisms also carried out respiration both in the LIGHT and DARK Light reaction CO + H O (CHO) + O Dark reaction (CHO) + O CO + HO

DECOMPOSITION

The O and CO cycles are highly interrelated through the complementary activities of autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms. Microbial decomposition is the single largest source of CO released to the atmosphere. Living organism and photosynthetic plants are also degreaded by various microorganisms and produced in oxic condition CO and in anoxic condition CH. These produced from the activity by Methanogens, Chemotrophs via fermentation anaerobic respiration and aerobic respiration. During decomposition some organic fossils fuels are also forms reach in ocean,soil surface etc. These fuels are utilise by industries,vehicles etc. and after burning process they produce CO in atmosphere. Global transfer of carbon is via CO of the atmosphere may be presented as below CO is removed from the atmosphere primarily by photosynthesis of land plants and is returned to the atmosphere by respiration of animals and Chemoorganotrophic microorganisms , including microbial decomposition .

SULPHUR CYCLE
Sulphur is an essential nutrient of plants and animals .It is most abundant in earth-crust and also occurs in plants ,animals and microbial proteins ; also in excretory products of animals vitamin-B ,as free sulphate ,thiosulfate ,taurine etc. PHASE OF SULPHUR CYCLE The sulphur cycle found in both Sedimentary and Gaseous forms . The main sedimentary phase of sulphur cycle is a long process and in this condition it remains as organic and inorganic deposites. The atmospheric that is gaseous phase of sulphur cycle is less-noticed but , circulates on a global scale . DIFFERENT PATH OF SULFUR CYCLE 1. Release of sulphur from organic compounds Specific soil microoganisms degrade proteins and liberate aminoacids .sulphur containing aminoacid such as - methionine and cysteine are further metabolised and release hydrogen sulphide and ammonia. 2. Oxidation of sulphur and sulphur compouds by certain microbes Photosynthetic and Chemolithotrophic bacteria oxidised various forms of sulphur , specially hydrogen sulphide.In this regard the bacterial family Chlorobiaceae and Chromatiaceae oxidise hydrogen sulphide to elemental sulphur.

CO + 2HS (CHO) + 2S + HO
3. Role of Thiobacillus to form HSO -The elemental sulphur is oxidised by the member of Thiobacteriaceae. In this regard , Thiobacillus thiooxidance oxidised sulphur and thiosuphate to sulphuric acid under aerobic condition.

2S + 3O +2HO 2HSO 2NaSO + HO + 4O 5NaSO + HSO

4. Sulphur role in Agriculture a. HSO also allow to solubulized in organic salts which are plants nutrients such as phosphate and other metallic compounds of zink, copper ,Mo etc. b. It is anion of HSO which prevents exess alkalinity due to ammonia. 5. Oxidation of sulphur verses reduction of nitrate Thiobacillus denitrificans oxidises sulphur with the reduction of nitrate. 6. Reduction of sulphate Microbes utilises sulphate in anaerobic respiration and produce hydrogen sulphide. 4H + HSO HS + 4HO Thus,sulphur cycle runs in nature in both plants and animals, circulated by a of microorganisms vide chemical reaction.

PHOsPHORUS CYCLE
Phosphorus is the important constituent of BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE. It is important constituents of protoplasm and required for metabolism of all living organisms. It is required by the cell primarily for synthesis of nucleic acids and phospholipids. It is formed phosphodiester bond between nucleic acid molecules. Phosphate is also forms an essential portion of the ATP molecules .The hydrolysis of phosphate from ATP to ADP forms the basis for most energy transfer reaction with in biological systems .It is also essential component of cell membrane. However, the major store house of phosphorus is the rock deposits. Agricultural crops contains 0.05 to 0.5% of phosphorus in their tissues in the forms of several compounds such as phytin, phospholipids, nucleic acids , phosphorylated sugar ,coenzymes and related compounds . Several transformation process are done by the microorganisms a. Alteration of solubility of inorganic compounds of phosphorus. b. Mineralization of organic compound with the release of inorganic phosphate. c. Immobilization of phosphorus that is , conversion of inorganic available ions into cell components and d. Oxidation or reduction reaction of inorganic phosphorus compounds. However, microbiologically only two processes A. MINERALIZATION B. IMMOBILIZATION

are important .

The bulk of phosphorus present in bacterial cell accounts for 13 to 12 of all phosphorus. In soil 15 to 85% of total phosphorus that is , organic soil rich in organic matter contains abundant organic phosphorus.

The C:N:P ratio in Carrington silt loam soil at soil depth 0 -15cm is found 98:83:1 . The inorganic phosphorus , which is unavailable to plants , is solubilized by many microorganisms into solution. Such bacteria are abundant on root surface of plants and account for 10 to 10/gram of soil. Phosphorus solubilisation commonly requires acid production but, liberation of hydrogen sulphide (react with ferric phosphate to yield ferrous sulphide) by some bacteria are also made phosphorus more available to plants. For eg.-Pseudomonas ,Bacillus , Flavobacterium , Mycobacterium , Micrococcus , Penicillium , Fusarium Aspergillus etc. are associated with phosphorus conversion. Soil contains a large amount of organic phosphorus which is unavailable to plants unless it is microbiologically converted into inorganic forms . This process called as mineralization which is achieved by decomposition . The cleavage of phosphorus from organic matter is done by enzymes known as phosphates. Phosphorus exists in several oxidation forms such as 3 form of phosphine (PH) to oxidised +5 forms of orthophosphate. In soil phosphate also exists as insoluble iron, magnesium, and aluminium salts. The blooms of algae and cyanobacteria associate with eutrophication can greatly increase the concentration of organic matter in water, causing fish kills or dangerous for other aquatic animals and after then humans also.

REFERENCES
Atlas , R. M. and Bartha,R.(1998) ; Microbial Ecology 4th ed. Dorling Kindersley(India) Pvt. Ltd.,Licensees of Pearson Education in South Asia.pp 447-450.Co. Brock,T.D.,1984.Biology of microorganisms 7th ed.pp 469,675,677. Dubey,R.C. and Maheshwari,D.K.(2009);A text book of microbiology 1st ed.S. Chand and Co. Ltd.,New Delhi pp 773 781. Verma V. (1969).A text book of plant physiology;photosynthesis pp 313.