Answer
Carbon, water, and nitrogen are examples of gaseous biogeochemical cycles, while phosphorus is an example of a sedimentary biogeochemical cycle. In a gaseous biogeochemical cycle, the element returns to the atmosphere as a gas and is drawn from the atmosphere as a gas. In a phosphorus cycle, the phosphorus is absorbed from the soil by plant roots, passed on to heterotrophs, and then returned to the soil from decomposers.
Work Step by Step
Carbon, water, and nitrogen are examples of gaseous biogeochemical cycles, while phosphorus is an example of a sedimentary biogeochemical cycle. In a gaseous biogeochemical cycle, the element returns to the atmosphere as a gas and is drawn from the atmosphere as a gas. In a phosphorus cycle, the phosphorus is absorbed from the soil by plant roots, passed on to heterotrophs, and then returned to the soil from decomposers.