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Using the textbooks, the University Library or other resources, answer each of the following questions in 150- to 300-words. Be sure to provide references for the sources you use.

Question 1: Your neighbor faithfully applies fertilizer to his lawn to ensure beautiful, healthy green grass. Explain how your neighbor’s fertilizing habit affects at least one nutrient cycle.

Question 2: Your friend commutes to work every day by driving a standard gasoline-powered car. Explain how your friend’s commute affects one or more nutrient cycles.

Question 3: Urban areas typically have lots of pavement and compacted soils. Explain how these impermeable surfaces affect at least one aspect of the hydrologic cycle.

Paper For Above instruction

The processes by which nutrients cycle through the environment are fundamental to maintaining ecosystem health and stability. Human activities, such as fertilizing lawns, vehicular transport, and urban development, have significant impacts on these biogeochemical cycles. This paper explores how these activities influence nutrient cycling and the hydrologic cycle, emphasizing the importance of understanding human-environment interactions to mitigate adverse effects.

Impact of Lawn Fertilization on the Nitrogen Cycle

Applying fertilizer to residential lawns primarily introduces nitrogen-rich compounds such as ammonium nitrate or urea into the environment. This practice directly influences the nitrogen cycle by increasing the availability of reactive nitrogen in the soil. Normally, nitrogen circulates between the atmosphere, soil, plants, and microorganisms through processes like nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, and ammonification. Excessive fertilization, however, can overwhelm these natural processes. The surplus nitrogen may leach into groundwater or run off into surface water bodies during rainfall events, leading to nutrient pollution and eutrophication. This process causes algal blooms that deplete oxygen in aquatic ecosystems, resulting in fish kills and biodiversity loss (Galloway et al., 2008). Additionally, some nitrogen may be released into the atmosphere as nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. Therefore, lawn fertilization can disrupt the nitrogen cycle by introducing excess reactive nitrogen, with cascading effects on water quality and greenhouse gas emissions.

Effect of Car Emissions on the Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles

Commuting in gasoline-powered vehicles impacts the carbon cycle primarily through the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) during fuel combustion. This anthropogenic emission adds to atmospheric CO2 levels, a major driver of climate change. Elevated atmospheric CO2 can alter plant photosynthesis rates and influence the balance of the global carbon cycle. Over time, increased greenhouse gases trap more heat in the atmosphere, intensifying global warming and leading to changes in climate patterns (Le Quéré et al., 2018). In addition, vehicle emissions contribute to the creation of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which play a role in the nitrogen cycle. NOx gases can be deposited back onto land and water through precipitation, leading to nutrient enrichment that can cause eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, NOx emissions can form ground-level ozone, an air pollutant harmful to both human health and plant physiology (Jiang et al., 2020). Consequently, commuting affects both carbon and nitrogen cycles, with implications for climate regulation and ecosystem health.

Urban Impervious Surfaces and the Hydrologic Cycle

Urban development often involves replacing natural land cover with impervious surfaces such as roads, parking lots, and buildings. These surfaces prevent water from infiltrating into the soil, significantly affecting the hydrologic cycle. The reduction in infiltration diminishes groundwater recharge, leading to decreased groundwater levels over time (Hatt et al., 2004). Additionally, increased runoff from impervious surfaces causes higher peak flows in rivers and streams during storms, raising the risk of flooding and erosion. Stormwater carrying pollutants such as oils, heavy metals, and nutrients can contaminate water bodies, impacting aquatic ecosystems and water quality. Moreover, the decreased infiltration reduces soil moisture availability, affecting plant growth and soil health. Urban impervious surfaces also contribute to the urban heat island effect, which can alter local weather patterns and increase overall evaporation rates. Understanding these impacts underscores the importance of sustainable urban design that incorporates green spaces and permeable surfaces to mitigate adverse effects on the water cycle.

References

• Galloway, J. N., et al. (2008). Transformation of the nitrogen cycle: recent trends, questions, and potential solutions. Science, 320(5878), 889-892.
• Hatt, B., et al. (2004). Influence of land use and land cover change on stormwater runoff quality. Journal of Environmental Management, 73(4), 333-342.
• Jiang, X., et al. (2020). Impacts of vehicle emissions on air quality and climate change. Environmental Science & Technology, 54(23), 15032-15042.
• Le Quéré, C., et al. (2018). Global Carbon Budget 2018. Earth System Science Data, 10(4), 2141-2194.