biogeochemistry
/ˌbaɪ.əʊˌdʒiː.əʊˈkem.ɪ.stri/ IELTSAcademic
noun
the study of how living things, rocks, water, air, and chemicals interact on Earth. It looks at how elements move and change in nature.
- Biogeochemistry helps explain carbon movement in forests.
- She studies biogeochemistry in coastal waters.
- The report links farming to soil biogeochemistry.
Adinary Nuance
Biogeochemistry is broader than ecology because it includes chemical cycles, not only living systems. It is also more specific than environmental science, which can cover pollution, policy, and conservation too. Scientists use biogeochemistry when they want to focus on the movement of elements like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- địa sinh hóa
- Spanish
- biogeoquímica
- Chinese
- 生物地球化学
- Japanese
- 生物地球化学
- Korean
- 생물지구화학
Etymology
Biogeochemistry combines bio- from Greek bios, meaning “life,” geo- from Greek gē, meaning “earth,” and chemistry. It became common in modern science in the 20th century.
Common phrases
biogeochemical cyclebiogeochemical processbiogeochemistry researchthe biogeochemistry of soil
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is biogeochemistry a common word?
- It is common in science, research, and university writing, but not in everyday conversation.
- What is the difference between biogeochemistry and ecology?
- Ecology studies relationships among living things and their environment. Biogeochemistry focuses more on chemical cycles in those systems.
- Is biogeochemistry used in academic writing?
- Yes. It is a standard term in biology, earth science, and environmental studies.
- How do you use biogeochemistry in a sentence?
- You can say, “Biogeochemistry explains how carbon moves through the ocean.”