Saravanan: Biogeochemical Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle
Phaseolus vulgaris

42.151028, -71.383029

Phaseolus vulgaris is one of the legumes, and hosts in its rhizome many different nitrifying bacteria, which fixate nitrogen from the atmosphere in the form of ammonia. Ammonia get converted into toxic nitrite, and then into less harmful nitrates. While Phaseolus vulgaris is not itself involved in this part of the cycle, it plays a key mutualistic role with the bacteria, and is one of the many terrestrial plants that use nitrogen in the formation of amino acids and proteins. 

Carbon dioxide cycle, water cycle, phosphorus cycle, nitrogen cycle, sulphur cycle.

Cucurbita pepo

42.151012, -71.383045

This is an adorable little plant :) ! It's a hydroponically grown zucchini which reminds me that autotrophs play such an important role in the world. They fixate carbon dioxide as part of their photosynthesis, specifically in the light-independent reactions. They also aid water evaporation by drawing on groundwater, which only leaches up slowly, and expelling it as vapor through transpiration. This plant also uses inorganic phosphorus from the substrate, which can then be consumed and used by heterotrophs.