Two important concepts in environmental management are the flow of energy and the cycling of matter.
Consider the following questions:
How does matter move through the water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, or sulfur cycle?
How are the biogeochemical cycles powered?
What would happen to ecosystems without the biogeochemical cycles?
Think of a human activity, such as deforestation, urban development and growth, and agriculture: How does this activity affect the different biogeochemical cycles?
How are you naturally part of the biogeochemical cycles?
How is the cycling of matter related to the flow of energy?
Why do ecosystems depend on continuous energy input from the sun?
What role do the First and Second Law of Thermodynamics play in these processes?
