Small (biological) cycle

The mass of living matter in the biosphere is relatively small. If it is distributed over the earth's surface, the result is a layer of only 1.5 cm. Table 4.1 compares some quantitative characteristics of the biosphere and other geospheres of the Earth. The biosphere, making up less than 10-6 times the mass of the other shells of the planet, has incomparably greater diversity and renews its composition a million times faster.

Table 4.1

Comparison of the biosphere with other geospheres of the Earth

*Live matter based on live weight

4.4.1. Functions of the biosphere

Thanks to the biota of the biosphere, the predominant part of chemical transformations on the planet occurs. Hence the judgment of V.I. Vernadsky about the enormous transformative geological role of living matter. During organic evolution, living organisms passed through themselves, through their organs, tissues, cells, and blood, the entire atmosphere, the entire volume of the World Ocean, most of the soil mass, and a huge mass of mineral substances a thousand times (for different cycles from 103 to 105 times). And they not only missed it, but also modified the earth’s environment in accordance with their needs.

Thanks to their ability to transform solar energy into the energy of chemical bonds, plants and other organisms perform a number of fundamental biogeochemical functions on a planetary scale.

Gas function. Living things constantly exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the environment through the processes of photosynthesis and respiration. Plants played a decisive role in the change from a reducing environment to an oxidizing one in the geochemical evolution of the planet and in the formation of the gas composition of the modern atmosphere. Plants strictly control the concentrations of O2 and CO2, which are optimal for the totality of all modern living organisms.

Concentration function. By passing large volumes of air and natural solutions through their bodies, living organisms carry out biogenic migration (movement of chemicals) and concentration of chemical elements and their compounds. This relates to the biosynthesis of organic matter, the formation of coral islands, the construction of shells and skeletons, the appearance of sedimentary limestone strata, deposits of some metal ores, the accumulation of iron-manganese nodules on the ocean floor, etc. The early stages of biological evolution took place in the aquatic environment. Organisms have learned to extract the substances they need from a dilute aqueous solution, repeatedly increasing their concentration in their body.

The redox function of living matter is closely related to the biogenic migration of elements and the concentration of substances. Many substances in nature are stable and do not undergo oxidation under normal conditions, for example, molecular nitrogen is one of the most important biogenic elements. But living cells have such powerful catalysts - enzymes - that they are able to carry out many redox reactions millions of times faster than they can take place in an abiotic environment.

Information function of living matter of the biosphere. It was with the appearance of the first primitive living beings that active (“living”) information appeared on the planet, which differed from that “dead” information, which is a simple reflection of the structure. Organisms turned out to be capable of obtaining information by combining a flow of energy with an active molecular structure that plays the role of a program. The ability to perceive, store and process molecular information has undergone rapid evolution in nature and has become the most important ecological system-forming factor. The total supply of genetic information of the biota is estimated at 1015 bits. The total power of the flow of molecular information associated with metabolism and energy in all cells of the global biota reaches 1036 bit/s (Gorshkov et al., 1996).

4.4.2. Components of the biological cycle.

The biological cycle occurs between all components of the biosphere (i.e. between soil, air, water, animals, microorganisms, etc.). It occurs with the obligatory participation of living organisms.

Solar radiation reaching the biosphere carries energy of about 2.5 * 1024 J per year. Only 0.3% of it is directly converted during the process of photosynthesis into the energy of chemical bonds of organic substances, i.e. is involved in the biological cycle. And 0.1 - 0.2% of solar energy falling on the Earth turns out to be contained in pure primary production. The further fate of this energy is associated with the transfer of organic matter of food through cascades of trophic chains.

The biological cycle can be conditionally divided into interconnected components: the cycle of substances and the energy cycle.

4.4.3. Energy cycle. Transformation of energy in the biosphere

An ecosystem can be described as a collection of living organisms that continuously exchange energy, matter, and information. Energy can be defined as the ability to do work. The properties of energy, including the movement of energy in ecosystems, are described by the laws of thermodynamics.

The first law of thermodynamics or the law of conservation of energy states that energy does not disappear or be created anew, it only passes from one form to another.

The second law of thermodynamics states that in a closed system, entropy can only increase. In relation to energy in ecosystems, the following formulation is convenient: processes associated with the transformation of energy can occur spontaneously only under the condition that the energy passes from a concentrated form to a dispersed one, that is, it degrades. The measure of the amount of energy that becomes unavailable for use, or otherwise the measure of the change in order that occurs during the degradation of energy, is entropy. The higher the order of the system, the lower its entropy.

In other words, living matter receives and transforms the energy of space and the sun into the energy of earthly processes (chemical, mechanical, thermal, electrical). Involves this energy and inorganic matter into the continuous cycle of substances in the biosphere. The flow of energy in the biosphere has one direction - from the Sun through plants (autotrophs) to animals (heterotrophs). Natural untouched ecosystems in a stable state with constant critical environmental indicators (homeostasis) are the most ordered systems and are characterized by the lowest entropy.

4.4.4. Cycle of substances in living nature

The formation of living matter and its decomposition are two sides of a single process, which is called the biological cycle of chemical elements. Life is the cycle of chemical elements between organisms and the environment.

The reason for the cycle is the limited number of elements from which the bodies of organisms are built. Each organism extracts from the environment substances necessary for life and returns unused ones. In this case:

Some organisms consume minerals directly from the environment;

others use processed and isolated products first;

third - second, etc., until the substances return to the environment in their original state.

In the biosphere, there is an obvious need for the coexistence of various organisms capable of using each other’s waste products. We see virtually waste-free biological production.

The circulation of substances in living organisms can be roughly reduced to four processes:

1. Photosynthesis. As a result of photosynthesis, plants absorb and accumulate solar energy and synthesize organic substances - primary biological products - and oxygen from inorganic substances. Primary biological products are very diverse - they contain carbohydrates (glucose), starch, fiber, proteins, and fats.

The photosynthesis scheme for the simplest carbohydrate (glucose) has the following scheme:

This process occurs only during the day and is accompanied by an increase in plant mass.

On Earth, about 100 billion tons of organic matter are formed annually as a result of photosynthesis, about 200 billion tons of carbon dioxide are absorbed, and approximately 145 billion tons of oxygen are released.

Photosynthesis plays a decisive role in ensuring the existence of life on Earth. Its global significance is explained by the fact that photosynthesis is the only process during which energy in a thermodynamic process, in accordance with the minimalist principle, is not dissipated, but rather accumulates.

By synthesizing the amino acids necessary for the construction of proteins, plants can exist relatively independently of other living organisms. This manifests the autotrophy of plants (independence in nutrition). At the same time, the green mass of plants and the oxygen produced during photosynthesis are the basis for supporting the life of the next group of living organisms - animals, microorganisms. This demonstrates the heterotrophy of this group of organisms.

2. Breathing. The process is the reverse of photosynthesis. Occurs in all living cells. During respiration, organic matter is oxidized by oxygen, resulting in the formation of carbon dioxide, water and the release of energy.

3. Food (trophic) connections between autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms. In this case, energy and matter are transferred along the links of the food chain, which we discussed in more detail earlier.

4. The process of transpiration. One of the most important processes in the biological cycle.

It can be schematically described as follows. Plants absorb soil moisture through their roots. At the same time, they receive minerals dissolved in water, which are absorbed, and the moisture evaporates more or less intensively depending on environmental conditions.

4.4.5. Biogeochemical cycles

Geological and biological cycles are connected - they exist as a single process, giving rise to the circulation of substances, the so-called biogeochemical cycles (BGCC). This cycle of elements is due to the synthesis and decay of organic substances in the ecosystem (Fig. 4.1). Not all elements of the biosphere are involved in the BGCC, but only biogenic ones. Living organisms are composed of them; these elements enter into numerous reactions and participate in processes occurring in living organisms. In percentage terms, the total mass of living matter in the biosphere consists of the following main biogenic elements: oxygen - 70%, carbon - 18%, hydrogen - 10.5%, calcium - 0.5%, potassium - 0.3%, nitrogen - 0, 3% (oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon are present in all landscapes and are the basis of living organisms - 98%).

The essence of biogenic migration of chemical elements.

Thus, in the biosphere there is a biogenic cycle of substances (i.e. a cycle caused by the vital activity of organisms) and a unidirectional flow of energy. Biogenic migration of chemical elements is determined mainly by two opposing processes:

1. Formation of living matter from environmental elements due to solar energy.

2. Destruction of organic substances, accompanied by the release of energy. In this case, elements of mineral substances repeatedly enter living organisms, thereby becoming part of complex organic compounds, forms, and then, when the latter are destroyed, they again acquire a mineral form.

There are elements that are part of living organisms, but are not classified as biogenic. Such elements are classified according to their weight fraction in organisms:

Macroelements – constituting at least 10-2% of the mass;

Microelements – components from 9*10-3 to 1*10-3% of the mass;

Ultramicroelements – less than 9*10-6% of the mass;

To determine the place of biogenic elements among other chemical elements of the biosphere, let us consider the classification accepted in ecology. According to their activity in processes occurring in the biosphere, all chemical elements are divided into 6 groups:

Noble gases - helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon. Inert gases are not part of living organisms.

Noble metals - ruthenium, radium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold. These metals create almost no compounds in the earth's crust.

Cyclic or biogenic elements (they are also called migratory). This group of biogenic elements in the earth's crust accounts for 99.7% of the total mass, and the remaining 5 groups - 0.3%. Thus, the bulk of the elements are migrants who circulate in the geographic envelope, and the part of the inert elements is very small.

Scattered elements characterized by a predominance of free atoms. They enter into chemical reactions, but their compounds are rarely found in the earth's crust. They are divided into two subgroups. The first - rubidium, cesium, niobium, tantalum - create compounds in the depths of the earth's crust, and on the surface their minerals are destroyed. The second - iodine, bromine - react only on the surface.

Radioactive elements - polonium, radon, radium, uranium, neptunium, plutonium.

Rare earth elements - yttrium, samarium, europium, thulium, etc.

All year round, biochemical cycles set in motion about 480 billion tons of matter.

V.I. Vernadsky formulated three biogeochemical principles that explain the essence of biogenic migration of chemical elements:

Biogenic migration of chemical elements in the biosphere always strives for its maximum manifestation.

The evolution of species over geological time, leading to the creation of stable forms of life, goes in a direction that enhances the biogenic migration of atoms.

Living matter is in continuous chemical exchange with its environment, which is a factor that recreates and maintains the biosphere.

Let's consider how some of these elements move in the biosphere.

Carbon cycle. The main participant in the biotic cycle is carbon as the basis of organic substances. The carbon cycle primarily occurs between living matter and atmospheric carbon dioxide through the process of photosynthesis. It is obtained from food by herbivores, and from herbivores by carnivores. During respiration and decay, carbon dioxide is partially returned to the atmosphere; the return occurs when organic minerals are burned.

In the absence of carbon return to the atmosphere, it would be consumed by green plants in 7-8 years. The rate of biological carbon turnover through photosynthesis is 300 years. The oceans play a large role in regulating the CO2 content in the atmosphere. If the CO2 content in the atmosphere increases, part of it dissolves in water, reacting with calcium carbonate.

Oxygen cycle.

Oxygen has high chemical activity and combines with almost all elements of the earth’s crust. It is found mainly in the form of compounds. Every fourth atom of living matter is an oxygen atom. Almost all of the molecular oxygen in the atmosphere originated and is maintained at a constant level due to the activity of green plants. Atmospheric oxygen, bound during respiration and released during photosynthesis, passes through all living organisms in 200 years.

Nitrogen cycle. Nitrogen is an integral part of all proteins. The general ratio of fixed nitrogen, as an element that makes up organic matter, to nitrogen in nature is 1:100,000. The chemical bond energy in a nitrogen molecule is very high. Therefore, the combination of nitrogen with other elements - oxygen, hydrogen (the process of nitrogen fixation) - requires a lot of energy. Industrial nitrogen fixation occurs in the presence of catalysts at a temperature of -500°C and a pressure of –300 atm.

As you know, the atmosphere contains more than 78% molecular nitrogen, but in this state it is not available to green plants. For their nutrition, plants can only use salts of nitric and nitrous acids. What are the ways in which these salts are formed? Here are some of them:

In the biosphere, nitrogen fixation is carried out by several groups of anaerobic bacteria and cyanobacteria at normal temperature and pressure due to the high efficiency of biocatalysis. It is believed that bacteria convert approximately 1 billion tons of nitrogen per year into a bound form (the global volume of industrial fixation is about 90 million tons).

Soil nitrogen-fixing bacteria are able to absorb molecular nitrogen from the air. They enrich the soil with nitrogen compounds, so their importance is extremely great.

As a result of the decomposition of nitrogen-containing compounds of organic substances of plant and animal origin.

Under the influence of bacteria, nitrogen turns into nitrates, nitrites, and ammonium compounds. In plants, nitrogen compounds take part in the synthesis of protein compounds, which are passed from organism to organism in food chains.

Phosphorus cycle. Another important element, without which protein synthesis is impossible, is phosphorus. The main sources are igneous rocks (apatites) and sedimentary rocks (phosphorites).

Inorganic phosphorus is involved in the cycle as a result of natural leaching processes. Phosphorus is absorbed by living organisms, which, with its participation, synthesize a number of organic compounds and transfer them to various trophic levels.

Having completed its journey through trophic chains, organic phosphates are decomposed by microbes and converted into mineral phosphates available to green plants.

In the process of biological circulation, which ensures the movement of matter and energy, there is no place for the accumulation of waste. The waste products (i.e., waste) of each life form provide a breeding ground for other organisms.

Theoretically, a balance should always be maintained in the biosphere between the production of biomass and its decomposition. However, in certain geological periods, the balance of the biological cycle was disturbed when, due to certain natural conditions and disasters, not all biological products were assimilated and transformed. In these cases, excess biological products were formed, which were preserved and deposited in the earth's crust, under the thickness of water, sediment, and ended up in the permafrost zone. This is how deposits of coal, oil, gas, and limestone were formed. It should be noted that they do not pollute the biosphere. The energy of the Sun, accumulated during the process of photosynthesis, is concentrated in organic minerals. Now, by burning organic combustible minerals, a person releases this energy.

Large cycle of substances in nature is caused by the interaction of solar energy with the deep energy of the Earth and carries out the redistribution of matter between the biosphere and the deeper horizons of the Earth.

Sedimentary rocks, formed due to the weathering of igneous rocks, in mobile zones of the earth's crust are again immersed in a zone of high temperatures and pressures. There they melt and form magma - the source of new igneous rocks. After these rocks rise to the earth's surface and undergo weathering processes, they are again transformed into new sedimentary rocks. The new cycle does not exactly repeat the old one, but introduces something new, which over time leads to very significant changes.

Driving force great (geological) cycle are exogenous and endogenous geological processes.

Endogenous processes(processes of internal dynamics) occur under the influence of the internal energy of the Earth, released as a result of radioactive decay, chemical reactions of the formation of minerals, crystallization of rocks, etc. (for example, tectonic movements, earthquakes, magmatism, metamorphism).

Exogenous processes(processes of external dynamics) occur under the influence of the external energy of the Sun. Examples: weathering of rocks and minerals, removal of destruction products from some areas of the earth's crust and their transfer to new areas, deposition and accumulation of destruction products with the formation of sedimentary rocks. To Ex.pr. rel. geological activity of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, as well as living organisms and humans.

The largest forms of relief (continents and ocean basins) and large forms (mountains and plains) were formed due to endogenous processes, and medium and small forms of relief (river valleys, hills, ravines, dunes, etc.), superimposed on larger forms - due to account of exogenous processes. Thus, endogenous and exogenous processes are opposite. The former lead to the formation of large relief forms, the latter to their smoothing.

Examples of the geological cycle. Igneous rocks are transformed into sedimentary rocks as a result of weathering. In moving zones of the earth's crust, they plunge deep into the Earth. There, under the influence of high temperatures and pressures, they melt and form magma, which, rising to the surface and solidifying, forms igneous rocks.

An example of a large cycle is the water cycle between land and ocean through the atmosphere (Fig. 2.1).

Rice. 2.1. The generally accepted hydrological (climatic) scheme

water cycle in nature

Moisture evaporated from the surface of the World Ocean (which consumes almost half of the solar energy reaching the Earth's surface) is transferred to land, where it falls in the form of precipitation, which returns to the ocean in the form of surface and underground runoff. The water cycle also occurs according to a simpler scheme: evaporation of moisture from the surface of the ocean - condensation of water vapor - precipitation on the same water surface of the ocean.

The water cycle as a whole plays a major role in shaping the natural conditions on our planet. Taking into account the transpiration of water by plants and its absorption in the biogeochemical cycle, the entire water supply on Earth breaks down and is restored in 2 million years.

Thus, the geological cycle of substances occurs without the participation of living organisms and redistributes substances between the biosphere and the deeper layers of the Earth.

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The Great Geological Cycle draws sedimentary rocks deep into the earth's crust, permanently excluding the elements they contain from the biological circulation system. In the course of geological history, transformed sedimentary rocks, once again on the surface of the Earth, are gradually destroyed by the activity of living organisms, water and air and are again included in the biosphere cycle.

The Great Geological Cycle occurs over hundreds of thousands or millions of years. It is as follows: rocks are subject to destruction, weathering and are ultimately washed away by streams of water into the World Ocean. Here they are deposited on the bottom, forming sediment, and only partially return to land with organisms removed from the water by humans or other animals.

The basis of the large geological cycle is the process of transferring mineral compounds from one place to another on a planetary scale without the participation of living matter.

In addition to the small cycle, there is a large, geological cycle. Some substances enter the deep layers of the Earth (through sea bottom sediments or other means), where slow transformations occur with the formation of various compounds, mineral and organic. The processes of the geological cycle are supported mainly by the internal energy of the Earth, its active core. The same energy contributes to the release of substances to the surface of the Earth. Thus, the large cycle of substances is closed. It takes millions of years.

Concerning the speed and intensity of the large geological cycle of substances, it is currently impossible to provide any exact data; there are only approximate estimates, and then only for the exogenous component of the general cycle, i.e. without taking into account the influx of matter from the mantle into the earth's crust.

This carbon takes part in the large geological cycle. This carbon, in the process of the small biotic cycle, maintains the gas balance of the biosphere and life in general.

Solid runoff from some rivers of the world.

The contribution of biosphere and technosphere components to the large geological cycle of the Earth's substances is very significant: there is a constantly progressive growth of technosphere components due to the expansion of the scope of human production activity.

Since on the earth's surface the main techno-geochemical flow is directed within the framework of a large geological cycle of substances for 70% of the land into the ocean and for 30% into closed drainless depressions, but always from higher to lower elevations, as a result of the action of gravitational forces, the differentiation of the substance of the earth's crust from high to low elevations, from land to ocean. Reverse flows (atmospheric transport, human activity, tectonic movements, volcanism, migration of organisms) to some extent complicate this general downward movement of matter, creating local migration cycles, but do not change it as a whole.

The circulation of water between land and ocean through the atmosphere is part of the great geological cycle. Water evaporates from the surface of the oceans and is either transported to land, where it falls as precipitation, which returns to the ocean in the form of surface and underground runoff, or falls as precipitation on the surface of the ocean. More than 500 thousand km3 of water annually participates in the water cycle on Earth. The water cycle as a whole plays a major role in shaping the natural conditions on our planet. Taking into account the transpiration of water by plants and its absorption in the biogeochemical cycle, the entire water supply on Earth breaks down and is restored in 2 million years.

According to his formulation, the biological cycle of substances develops on part of the trajectory of a large, geological cycle of substances in nature.

The transfer of matter by surface and underground waters is the main factor in the differentiation of the earth's land in geochemical terms, but not the only one, and if we talk about the large geological circulation of substances on the earth's surface in general, then flows play a very significant role in it, in particular oceanic and atmospheric transport.

Concerning the speed and intensity of the large geological cycle of substances, it is currently impossible to provide any accurate data; there are only approximate estimates, and then only for the exogenous component of the general cycle, i.e. without taking into account the influx of matter from the mantle into the earth's crust. The exogenous component of the large geological cycle of substances is a constantly ongoing process of denudation of the earth's surface.

The cycle of substances in nature is a repeating cyclic process of transformation and movement of individual chemical elements and their compounds. Occurred throughout the history of the Earth's development and continues today. There is always a certain deviation in the composition and quantity of the circulating substance, so in nature there is no complete repetition of the cycle. This determines the progressive development of the Earth as a planet. The circulation of substances is especially characteristic for the geological stage of development, when the basic formations were formed. shell of the Earth. In terms of scale of manifestation, the first place is occupied by geological cycle. It represents the movement of matter primarily in the internal shells: rise as a result of ascending tectonic movements and volcanism; its horizontal transfer in outer shells and accumulation; downward movements - burial of sediments, subsidence as a result of downward tectonic movements. At depth, metamorphism occurs, the melting of matter with the formation of magma and metamorphic rocks. The fundamental role in creating the geographical envelope is played by water cycle.

Since the appearance of life on Earth, biological cycle. It ensures continuous transformations, as a result of which substances, after being used by some organisms, pass into a form that is digestible for other organisms. The energy basis is the solar energy coming to the Earth. Plant organisms absorb minerals, which enter the body of animals through food chains, then return to the soil or atmosphere with the help of decomposers (bacteria, fungi, etc.). The intensity of this cycle determines the number and diversity of living organisms on Earth and the amount of energy they accumulate. biomass. Max. the intensity of the biological cycle on land is observed in tropical rainforests, where plant residues hardly accumulate and the released minerals are immediately absorbed by plants. The intensity of the cycle is very low in swamps and tundra, where plant remains that do not have time to decompose accumulate. Of particular importance are the cycles of biogenic chemical elements, primarily carbon. Plant organisms extract up to 300 billion tons of carbon dioxide (or 100 billion tons of carbon) from the atmosphere annually. Plants are partially eaten by animals and partially die. As a result of the respiration of organisms, the decomposition of their remains, the processes of fermentation and decay, organic matter is converted into carbon dioxide or deposited in the form of sapropel, humus, peat, from which coal, oil, and combustible gas are subsequently formed. A very small part of it participates in the active carbon cycle; a significant amount is preserved in the form of combustible fossil limestones and other rocks. Basic the mass of nitrogen is concentrated in the atmosphere (3.8510N? t); in the waters of the World Ocean it contains 2510Ni tons. In the nitrogen cycle, the leading role belongs to microorganisms: nitrogen fixers, nitrifiers and denitrifiers. Every year on land, approx. 4510? tons of nitrogen, in an aquatic environment is 4 times less. Nitrogen-containing compounds from dead residues are converted by nitrifying microorganisms into nitrogen oxides, which are subsequently decomposed by denitrifying bacteria to release molecular nitrogen. Cycles are also associated with living matter oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur and many other elements. The consequences of human influence on the cycle of substances are becoming increasingly significant. They have become comparable to the results of geological processes: new migration routes for substances appear in the biosphere, new chemical compounds appear that did not exist before, and the water cycle changes.

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Geological cycle (large cycle of substances in nature) is a cycle of substances, the driving force of which is exogenous and endogenous geological processes.

Geological cycle is the circulation of substances, the driving force of which is exogenous and endogenous geological processes.

The boundaries of the geological cycle are much wider than the boundaries of the biosphere; its amplitude covers layers of the earth's crust far beyond the boundaries of the biosphere. And, most importantly, living organisms play a secondary role in the processes of this cycle.

Thus, the geological cycle of substances occurs without the participation of living organisms and redistributes substances between the biosphere and the deeper layers of the Earth.

The most important role in the large cycle of the geological cycle is played by small cycles of matter, both biosphere and technospheric, once in which the matter is switched off for a long time from the large geochemical flow, transforming in endless cycles of synthesis and decomposition.

This carbon takes part in the slow geological cycle.

It is this carbon that takes part in the slow geological cycle. Life on Earth and the gas balance of the atmosphere are supported by relatively small amounts of carbon contained in plant (5 10 t) and animal (5 109 t) tissues participating in the small (biogenic) cycle. However, at present, humans are intensively closing the cycle of substances, including carbon. For example, it is estimated that the total biomass of all domestic animals already exceeds the biomass of all wild terrestrial animals. The areas of cultivated plants are approaching the areas of natural biogeocenoses, and many cultural ecosystems are significantly superior to natural ones in their productivity, continuously increased by humans.

The most extensive in time and space is the so-called geological cycle of substances.

There are 2 types of circulation of substances in nature: large or geological circulation of substances between land and ocean; small or biological - between soil and plants.

Water extracted by a plant from the soil enters the atmosphere in a vapor state, then, cooling, condenses and returns to the soil or ocean in the form of precipitation. The geological water cycle provides mechanical redistribution, deposition, accumulation of solid sediments on land and at the bottom of reservoirs, as well as in the process of mechanical destruction of soils and rocks. However, the chemical function of water is carried out with the participation of living organisms or their metabolic products. Natural waters, like soils, are complex bioinert substances.

Human geochemical activity is becoming comparable in scale to biological and geological processes. In the geological cycle, the denudation link increases sharply.

The factor that leaves the main imprint on the general character and biological. At the same time, the geological water cycle continuously strives to wash all these elements from the layers of crumbling land into the ocean basin. Therefore, the preservation of plant food elements within the land requires their conversion into a form that is absolutely insoluble in water. This requirement is met by living organic matter.