Silica cycle
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The silica cycle is the movement of silicon, mainly as dissolved silicic acid and solid silica, among rocks, soils, rivers, oceans, sediments, and organisms. Silicon is abundant in Earth's crust and is a major component of silicate minerals.
Chemical weathering releases dissolved silica from rocks. Rivers, groundwater, dust, and hydrothermal vents transport it to lakes and oceans.
Diatoms, radiolarians, sponges, and some plants use silica to build shells, skeletons, or structural tissues. After these organisms die, much of the silica dissolves and is recycled, while some is buried in sediments.
Plate tectonics, sediment lithification, metamorphism, volcanism, uplift, and renewed weathering complete the long-term cycle. The silica cycle is closely connected with carbon because silicate weathering consumes carbon dioxide and marine silica production influences biological productivity.
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- Source / publisher: Wikipedia
- URL type: WWW
- Credits: Wikipedia
- URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_cycle