Biogeochemical Cycles: Modeling the Interaction of Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles with Industrial Systems

Abstract

Biogeochemical cycles maintain the flow of materials across different ecosystem components, thus providing a crucial ecosystem service of material provision for consumption. Along with the provision of materials in useful form, these cycles also provide the supporting ecosystem services. Anthropogenic activities have significantly transformed the balance of these cycles over the preindustrial era as indicated by higher concentration of certain form of chemical elements in ecosystems and atmosphere. Therefore, it is necessary to quantify the impact and dependence of different industrial systems on these cycles, so that corrective actions can be taken to maintain the balance of these biogeochemical cycles. Ecologically Based Life Cycle Assessment provides a useful framework to account for the role of these cycles in industrial activities. In this chapter, Eco-LCA model extended to account for the role of biogeochemical cycle of C and N is described. The Eco-LCA C and N inventory are discussed, and a short application on studying the C-N nexus of transportation fuel is shown. Further, it is also necessary to understand the flow of these materials within anthropogenic/industrial systems. For this, a Physical Input-Output Table (PIOT)-based modeling approach is described. A case study of N cycling through the industrial systems in the state of Illinois is described. Thus, this chapter provides methods and modeling techniques to understand the overall impact of industrial activities on various material cycling flows and also account for dependence of different production systems on these flows.