Biogeochemical Cycle

Real World Example

Imagine you have a favorite mug that you use every day for your morning coffee. Just like this mug travels from the cupboard to the table, into the dishwasher, and back to the cupboard, a biogeochemical cycle involves a chemical moving through different parts of an ecosystem. In this analogy, the mug represents the chemical, and the various places it travels (cupboard, table, dishwasher) symbolize the different living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem, such as air, water, soil, plants, and animals, through which the chemical circulates continuously.