The Water Cycle
The water cycle, or hydrochloric cycle, is a continuous cycle where water evaporates, travels into the air and becomes part of a cloud, falls down to earth as precipitation, and then evaporates again. This repeats again and again in a never-ending cycle.
Precipitation creates a runoff that travels over the ground surface and helps to fill lakes and rivers. Some areas receive more precipitation than others. These areas are usually close to oceans or large bodies of water that allow more water to evaporate and form clouds.
In plitvice Lakes, the water cycle works exactly the same. The water from the lakes, evaporates up to form clouds. It then precipitates back down the refill the lakes, and repeats all over again.
Precipitation creates a runoff that travels over the ground surface and helps to fill lakes and rivers. Some areas receive more precipitation than others. These areas are usually close to oceans or large bodies of water that allow more water to evaporate and form clouds.
In plitvice Lakes, the water cycle works exactly the same. The water from the lakes, evaporates up to form clouds. It then precipitates back down the refill the lakes, and repeats all over again.
The Nitrogen Cycle
The nitrogen cycle describes how nitrogen moves between plants, animals, bacteria, the atmosphere, and soil in the ground.
Fixation is the first step in the process of making nitrogen usable by plants. Here bacteria changes nitrogen into ammonium.
Then through nitrification, ammonium gets changed into nitrates by bacteria. Nitrates are what the plants can then absorb.
Assimilation is how plants get nitrogen. They absorb nitrates from the soil into their roots. Then the nitrogen gets used in amino acids, nucleic acids, and chlorophyll.
Ammonification is part of the decaying process. When a plant or animal dies, decomposers like fungi and bacteria turn the nitrogen back into ammonium so it can re-enter the nitrogen cycle.
Finally, through denitrification, extra nitrogen in the soil gets put back out into the air.
In Plitvice Lakes national park, the nitrogen cycle works with all the plants and animals. A plant, such as the Lady's Slipper, makes nitrogen usable to it by changing the nitrogen to ammonium, through fixation. It would then absorb nitrates from the soil through its roots. When the plant dies, decomposers turn the nitrogen back into ammonium.
If an animal such as the brown bear died, decomposers would turn the nitrogen from them back into ammonium.
Fixation is the first step in the process of making nitrogen usable by plants. Here bacteria changes nitrogen into ammonium.
Then through nitrification, ammonium gets changed into nitrates by bacteria. Nitrates are what the plants can then absorb.
Assimilation is how plants get nitrogen. They absorb nitrates from the soil into their roots. Then the nitrogen gets used in amino acids, nucleic acids, and chlorophyll.
Ammonification is part of the decaying process. When a plant or animal dies, decomposers like fungi and bacteria turn the nitrogen back into ammonium so it can re-enter the nitrogen cycle.
Finally, through denitrification, extra nitrogen in the soil gets put back out into the air.
In Plitvice Lakes national park, the nitrogen cycle works with all the plants and animals. A plant, such as the Lady's Slipper, makes nitrogen usable to it by changing the nitrogen to ammonium, through fixation. It would then absorb nitrates from the soil through its roots. When the plant dies, decomposers turn the nitrogen back into ammonium.
If an animal such as the brown bear died, decomposers would turn the nitrogen from them back into ammonium.
The Oxygen and Carbon Cycle
Plants are the main creators of oxygen in the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis. Plants use sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce energy and release oxygen. Animals breathe in oxygen and then breathe out carbon dioxide or when they die they decompose and the decomposers give off carbon dioxide. The plants can then use this carbon dioxide and the cycle is complete. (Plants can also die and their decomposers can also give off carbon dioxide)
In Plitvice Lakes, animals and plants, such as the wood squill and the beech marten, work together in the oxygen cycle. The Beech marten would breathe in oxygen or die and decompose, and let out carbon dioxide. The wood squill would then take over and turn the carbon dioxide into oxygen. Or the wood squill would die and decompose, and then another plant would take over to continue the cycle.
In Plitvice Lakes, animals and plants, such as the wood squill and the beech marten, work together in the oxygen cycle. The Beech marten would breathe in oxygen or die and decompose, and let out carbon dioxide. The wood squill would then take over and turn the carbon dioxide into oxygen. Or the wood squill would die and decompose, and then another plant would take over to continue the cycle.