Biogeochemistry
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Biogeochemistry is the scientific discipline that involves the study of the chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes and reactions that govern the composition of the natural environment (including the biosphere, the cryosphere, the hydrosphere, the pedosphere, the atmosphere, and the lithosphere). In particular, biogeochemistry is the study of the cycles of chemical elements, such as carbon and nitrogen, and their interactions with and incorporation into living things transported through earth scale biological systems in space through time. The field focuses on chemical cycles which are either driven by or influence biological activity. Particular emphasis is placed on the study of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, iron, and phosphorus cycles. Biogeochemistry is a systems science closely related to systems ecology.
Some important research fields for biogeochemistry include:
- modelling of natural systems
- soil and water acidification recovery processes
- eutrophication of surface waters
- carbon sequestration
- Environmental remediation
- global change
- climate change
- biogeochemical prospecting for ore deposits
- Soil chemistry
See also
- Acid rain
- Atlantic Data Base of Exchange Processes at the Deep Sea Floor
- Carbon sink
- Ecosystem model
- Edaphology
- Environmental engineering science
- Geochemistry
- Geophysiology
- GEOTRACES
- Hydrogen isotope biogeochemistry
- IMBER
- Marine biogeochemical cycles
- Pedology (soil study)
- Physical impacts of climate change
